Dobele Castle ruins (Dobeles pilsdrupas)

<p>The ruins of a Livonian Order stone castle stand in the town of Dobele, on the high bank of the Bērze river. The crusaders' castle was raised in the middle of the 14th century; it was repeatedly at the centre of fighting and was rebuilt and enlarged several times, but only ruins have come down to the present day.</p><p>People still lived in the castle until the 1730s, and services were held in the castle church. It was abandoned for good in 1736, when the roof fell in. The surviving walls decayed quickly, so conservation work on the ruins began in 2002.</p><h3>Getting there and what it costs</h3><ul><li>Dobele, the high bank of the Bērze river; about 80 km from Rīga.</li><li>Entry to the castle grounds was free (as of 2021).</li></ul>