VASTSELIINA EPISCOPAL CASTLE,
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05.11.2007

The idea to build the castle here in 1342 belongs to the Order master Burchard von Dreileben who saw it as a countermove to the Irboska castle erected in 1330.

The first house to be completed in 1342-1353 was a rectangular main tower. Its first floor accommodated a chapel that became one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Livonia in the Middle Ages.

The next stage of construction expanded the castle northwards where the main tower acquired a square convent-type building. This fort completed in 1379 was considered the mightiest in the whole Old Livonia.

The episcopal castle's eastern side was lower than the opposite river bank which acted as a moat, and the increasing usage of cannons thus made it necessary to fortify that side in particular. As a result two cannon towers were erected in the north-eastern and south-eastern corners of the east side in the late 15th-early 16th centuries. A outer ward was then built south of the main tower. Finally the whole castle complex was surrounded by an external circular wall. The work presumably continued up to the start of the Livonian War. During the war the castle changed hands many times, and was repaired by both the Poles and the Russians. During the Northern War the Russians blew up the castle.

The castle is located south-east of Võru near the Tartu-Luhamaa road at the point where Piusa river and Meeksi stream come together.

Linnuse rajamise initsiaatoriks oli 1342. a. ordumeister Burchard von Dreileben, kes nägi selles vastukaalu 1330. aastal ehitatud Irboska linnusele.

Esimesena valmis aastail 1342-1353 ristkülikukujuline peatorn. Selle I korrusel paiknes kabel, millest kujunes üks keskaja Liivimaa tähtsamaid palverännukohti.

Järgmise etapina laienes linnus põhja poole, kus peatornile lisati juurde midagi ruudukujulise konvendihoone sarnast. Seda 1379. a. valminud kantsi pidasid kaasaegsed Vana-Liivimaaa tugevaimaks.

Et linnuse idakülg asub madalamal kui vallikraavina toimiva jõe vastaskallas, sundis suurtükkide kasutuselevõtt pöörama edaspidi peatähelepanu selle suuna kindlustamisele. Seetõttu ehitatigi 15. saj. lõpul - 16. saj. algul idapoolsele küljele kirde- ja kagunurka kaks suurtükitorni. Seejärel rajati ka peatornist lõuna poole jääv eeslinnus. Viimasena ümbritseti kogu linnusekompleks veel välimise ringmüüriga. Tööd kestsid ilmselt kuni Liivi sõja puhkemiseni. Liivi sõja ajal vahetas linnus korduvalt peremeest, seda kohendasid nii poolakad kui rootslased. Põhjasõja ajal lasksid venelased Vastseliina linnuse õhku. Linnus asub Võrust kagus Tartu-Luhamaa maantee lähedal Piusa jõe ja Meeksi oja ühinemiskohal.