List of hillforts in Latvia



Hillforts in Latvia offered not only military and administrative functions but they were also cultural and economic centres of some regions. The Latvian word for hillfort is pilskalns (plural: pilskalni), from pils (castle) and kalns (hill). Latvian hillforts generally were a part of a complex consisting of the main fortress, the settlement around it, one or more burial fields and nearby ritual sites. The first hillforts in Latvia, such as Daugmale hillfort, appeared during the Bronze Age. Some were continuously inhabited until the late Iron Age.

During the Roman Iron Age, some of the Latvian hillforts (like Ķivutkalns) were abandoned or became sparsely populated. A new period in hillfort development started during the 5th-8th centuries AD, when many new hillforts appeared, in most cases, along the main trades routes - rivers. During the 10th-11th centuries, some of the hillforts became military fortresses with strong fortifications (like hillforts in Tērvete, Talsi, Mežotne). Some of them are considered important political centres of the local peoples, who in this period were subjects of serious social political changes. That period was known for unrest and military activities, as well as power struggles between local aristocracy. Most of the Latvian hillforts were destroyed or abandoned during the Livonian Crusade in the 13th century, but some were still used in the 14th century. In total, there are about 470 hillforts in Latvia.

Latgale

 * Asotes hill fort
 * Gribuļu hill fort
 * Jersikas hill fort
 * Kalvānu hill fort
 * Kiuku hill fort
 * Markovas hill fort
 * Ratinīku hill fort
 * Rēzeknes hill fort
 * Silinīku hill fort
 * Šokolādes hill fort
 * Volkenbergas hill fort

Selonia

 * Dignājas hill fort
 * Grūbeles hill fort
 * Kalkūnes hill fort
 * Kaupres hill fort
 * Kņāvu hill fort
 * Lašu hill fort
 * Sēlpils hill fort
 * Sērpiņu hill fort
 * Stupeļu hill fort
 * Zilais kalns hill fort

Semigallia

 * Daugmales hill fort
 * Tērvetes hill fort
 * Incēnu hill fort
 * Mežotnes hill fort
 * Raktes hill fort
 * Spārnu hill fort
 * Svētkalns hill fort
 * Babītes hill fort
 * Sidrabenes hill fort

Courland

 * Aizputes hill fort
 * Alsungas hill fort
 * Ārlavas hill fort
 * Buses (Matkule) hill fort
 * Dundagas hill fort
 * Dzintares hill fort
 * Embūtes hill fort
 * Grobiņas hill fort
 * Kandavas hill fort
 * Kazdangas hill fort
 * Mežītes hill fort
 * Padures hill fort
 * Pūres hill fort
 * Puzes hill fort
 * Sabiles hill fort
 * Talsu hill fort
 * Tukuma hill fort
 * Ugāles hill fort
 * Valtaiķu hill fort
 * Vārtājas hill fort
 * Veckuldīgas hill fort
 * Vecmoku hill fort

Vidzeme

 * Aizkraukles hill fort
 * Augstais hill fort
 * Avotiņkalns hill fort
 * Beverīna hill fort
 * Dārznīcas hill fort
 * Drusku hill fort
 * Gribažu hill fort
 * Kastrānes hill fort
 * Kārtenes hill fort
 * Kokneses hill fort
 * Kubeseles hill fort
 * Ķentes hill fort
 * Ķivutkalns hill fort
 * Ķoderu hill fort
 * Metimnes hill fort
 * Obzerkalns hill fort
 * Oliņkalns hill fort
 * Puduļu hill fort
 * Pļaviņu hill fort
 * Remines hill fort
 * Riekstu hill fort
 * Satezeles hill fort
 * Sārumkalns hill fort
 * Tanīsa hill fort
 * Tempļa hill fort
 * Ureles hill fort
 * Zilaiskalns hill fort