Cēsis ( pronunciation (help·info)), (Livonian: Venden, Estonian: Võnnu, German: Wenden, Polish: Kieś) is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges above the river overlooking the woods below. Cēsis was one of the candidate cites for the title of European Capital of culture 2014, (however Riga was the Latvian city to win the 2014 title).

The oldest settlement in Cēsis is the hill fort on Riekstu hill, a fortified wooden castle built by a tribe known as the Vends. The 18 m (59.06 ft) high mound with its partly preserved fortification system can still be seen in the Castle Park. This settlement was located near major trade routes from west to east and dominated the regional countryside.