Tarwast (in russian: Тарвас, Тавърус; est. : Tarvastu, Tarvastu)

58° 14′ 59″ N, 25° 53′ 11″ E

Tarvastu Castle has been known since 1329 when it was attacked by the forces of Gediminas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The castle was built on an island. In 1560 it was conquered by the Russian army, and in 1561 attacked by the forces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which was the beginning of the Russo-Lithuanian war of 1561–1570 for Livonia and Polotsk. The voevodes in charge of Tarvastu who surrendered the city fell into disgrace with Ivan the Terrible. After 1582 the castle passed to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, was destroyed by gunpowder explosion at the end of the 16^th century and has never been restored.

MORE PHOTOS

Tags: castles and fortresses, 16 century, Routes of the Livonian War, Livonia, Baltic region