The Suiti land

Is an ancient Courlandian castle hill and is found in the very centre of Alsunga.  It was named in 1659 when General Berg from Kurzeme put cannons on it to attack Swedish forces that had fortified themselves in the Alsunga castle.  The hill is 8 to 10 metres high and 24 x 54 metres wide, offering a lovely view of the St Michael Roman Catholic Church, as well as the Alsunga windmill lake that is alongside it.  There is a distinct terrace around the hill, and it once was the foundation of wooden defensive structures.  On the other side of the street, to the West of the castle hill, is a cemetery with fire graves of Courlandians that date back to the 11th to 13th century.  Archaeologists examined the area during the middle part of the last century.  The Suiti celebrate Easter and other holidays on the hill.  

The Jūrkalne People's Centre is the main gathering place for Suiti people and is in a former saloon that was built around 1875.  Major restorations were conducted in 2011.  The centre offers various events, there is an exhibition hall for visitors, and the "Maģie Suiti" ethnographic ensemble and other amateur ensembles are active there.  If you want to meet the Suiti and learn about their traditions, contact the centre in advance. 

This collection features the heritage of the Suiti people, including an exhibition of folk costumes.  Visitors can learn about the costumes and try them on.  This is a cosy place for meetings, with well-equipped rooms for seminars and various types of training sessions.

This centre offers recreation in a lovely venue on the banks of Lake Zvirgzdi without overnight accommodations.  There is a lovely sandy beach for swimmers, as well as boating and fishing.  Children can ride a water bike.  Active leisure with a country sauna.  There is a guesthouse with two rooms for eight people, as well as six camping trailers, 18 sites for tents, and an opportunity to rent a boat.

The environmental object “SUITI MEETING PLACE” was established during an international arts plénière in Jūrkalne, and the originator of the idea was the musician Igo.  Sculptor Ivars Miķelsons with assistants Didzis Grodzs and Juris Krafts produced the environmental object.  The idea of marking out the Suiti cultural space among Gudenieki, Alsunga and Jūrkalne in nature began in 2013, when the first Suiti meeting place was established where the Gudenieki-Ēdole and Alsunga-Basi roads cross.  The second meeting place was established the next year where the Kuldīga-Alsunga-Jūrkalne road crosses the town in the direction of Jūrkalne past the Alsunga centre.  The third Suiti meeting place was established in Jūrkalne.  The objects were established in partnership with local governments and landowners by the “Vēju sēta” association.

A friendly place for families, children and all interested parties. You can go on a tour or individually look at and learn about marmosets.

features an open-air stage in a lovely place.  During the summer there are concerts, theatrical performances, parties, Summer Solstice celebrations, etc.  The International Bourdon Festival is held once every four years, and the next one will be in 2020.  This brings together bourdon singers from many countries in the world.  

Das Wirtshaus befindet sich am Rande der Straße Liepaja – Ventspils (P111), an der erneuerten hölzernen Brücke über den Fluss Riva. Das Thema der Innenausstattung ist das Meer. Im Herbst kann man aus den großen Fenstern beobachten, wie Lachse über den Mühlendamm springen.

Lettische Küche: Kalte Suppe, Kartoffeln in der Montur, gebratenes Flunder- und Kabeljaufilet, gebratener Hering in Sanddornmarinade, Schweinefilet mit Steinpilzen, Bratwürste mit eingelegten Zwiebeln, graue Erbsen mit Speck, Kartoffelpüree, geschichtetes Roggenbrot-Dessert, Haferflocken mit Schlagsahne.

1.2 km long, the trail passes through a unique terrain of hillocks and forests, with the height of the valley rising to as much as 15 metres.  Visitors will find a diversity of plant life, as well as the beautiful little Kauliņupīte River, which crosses the rail at two points.  The health trail was established in the late 1990s.

Known as Alšvanga in the past, this place was mentioned for the first time in 1231 in an agreement that was signed between the deputy legate of the pope in Rome and the Courlandian tribes of the region.  The Livonian Order ruled the territory until 1561, and from 1573 until 1738 the order’s castle belonged to the von Schwerin dynasty from Pomerania.  It during the rule of this aristocratic family that a stone church was built in honour of Archangel Michael, and local residents began to convert to Catholicism.  Alsunga became the Catholic centre for all of Kurzeme, and local residents became known as the Suiti (from the Schwerin suite).

For nearly 400 years, Alsunga has been the historical centre of the Suiti territory.  This is Latvia’s most conservative region and is widely known with unusual songs, colourful folk costumes and various folk traditions and beliefs.  The Suiti have their own dialect, foods and many other things that have been long since abandoned or forgotten elsewhere in Latvia.  The religious has commingled with the folk here in one unique whole.  The Alsunga District covers 191 km2 and has some 1,500 residents.

according to legend, was washed into the sea because of collapsing shores along with other buildings and the old road.  The church was built in 1862 and has an altar painting from the late 19th century, "Mother of God," along with an organ.  The metal elements of the building's doors are interesting.  Hanging from the ceiling of the church is a sailing ship that has to do with the rescue of the crew of the sunken ship.  

Dieses Gästehaus befindet sich 0,3 km von der Steilküste von Jurkalne entfernt: In einem historischen Gebäude aus Holz, das erneuert ist.

Lettische Küche: Dickflüssige Suppe aus grauen Erbsen, Graupengrütze Koča mit Steinpilzen, das Gericht Kupiņas (Sauermilch, Kefir, Quark, Kartoffel, Kümmel), Hering mit Quark, graue Erbsen mit Speck, Gerichte aus Seefischen, Roggenbrot-Dessert Biguzis.

Das besondere Gericht: Dessert aus Sanddornbeeren und Honig.

A true Latvian landlady, Skaidrīte Nagliņa, will welcome you to this farm and show you how to bake traditional bread.  Old recipes and a bread oven heated by firewood will lead to beloved and tasty carrot buns, fresh sourdough bread and “pizza” ὰ la the Suiti.  For groups up to 10 people.  Please contact the farm in advance of your visit.

In der alten Getreidedarre des Landgutes von Alsunga befindet sich ein Souvenirgeschäft, in dem man Souvenirs und im Haushalt nützliche Dinge kaufen kann, die in dem Kreis von Suiti hergestellt sind: Tücher (die Kleidung von Suiti zeichnet sich durch lebhafte Farben aus), Handschuhe, Socken, Geschirr, Tees u.a. Hier werden kreative Werkstätte organisiert. 

This labyrinth covers 3,300 m2.  Visitors can make their way through the maze, trying to find the exit and handling clever tasks at some of the special twists and turns in the labyrinth.  There is a playground for children, along with a workshop, a mud café and the “fir tree village.”

Nature trail "Curves of Riva" starts at Ulmale-Labraga Lutheran Church and continues 3 kilometres down the picturesque downstream of river Riva. Rīva here flows in a canyon-type ravine which reaches 12 meter rise at some points. The trail reveals countless river twists and turns and steep coastal cliffs.
The air here is unusual, filled with sea and pine tree aroma. You'll be able to enjoy an undisturbed peace and quiet, watching the magnificent scenery and the tranquil flow of the river.

The trail is partly accessible with an assistant and is marked with green paint.

The landlady of this farm will tell you about healthy herbal teas and home-based goodies.  If you wish to spend the night under the stars, we offer a place for tents and a campfire on the banks of local river by the old Lūkas windmill.  “Aploki” will welcome anyone who wants to relax in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

This farm welcomes groups and individual travellers for a smoke sauna, lunch, and a chance to taste Suiti bread, buns and special seed pastries that are based on ancient recipes.

The manor is in Basi in the Gudenieki Parish of Kuldīga District, some 20 km from the district centre.  The manor was built in the 19th century, burned down in 1905, and then restored.  A former residence for servants and an old magazine barn have survived.  The surrounding park covers 4.5 ha, and the estate is a cultural and historical monument of local importance.  The barn was fully reconstructed in 2009 and 2010 with co-financing from the European Union, and today it is the Basi Culture Centre. In 2019, there is to be an interactive exhibition about Suiti events in Gudenieki -- baptisms, weddings, funerals, etc.

Die Exposition des Museums spiegelt drei Hauptbereiche wieder: Die Geschichte des ethnografischen Ensemble „Suitu sievas“, eine für die Region der Suiten typische Wohnzimmereinrichtung mit diversen Haushaltsgeräten, sowie alte Fotografien, die die Geschichte der Stadt wiederspiegeln. Auch für die Suiten typische Volkstrachten mit unterschiedlichen Details sind zu sehen. Dazu wurde eine Weberwerkstatt eingerichtet. (Der Name „Suiti“ kommt von dem der Jesuiten, Alsunga war die einzige katholische Region im ansonsten lutherischen Kurzeme. Viele ihrer Traditionen sind bis heute ungebrochen überliefert. Anm. d. Ü.)