Country Holidays
41-60 / 1085
No Name Description
N/A

The space is on the second floor of the Jūrkalne library, featuring traditional objects from Jūrkalne and the Suiti people, as well as several looms where locals organise creative workshops.  Contact the chamber in advance to arrange for a guide who will tell you all about the culture and traditions of the Suiti and present a film about them.  
N/A

Pavilosta is a comparatively new city that has formed at the mouth of the Saka River in the Baltic Sea. True is the fact that in the medieval times the harbour of sea ships was located 6 km from the sea – at the junction of the Tebra and the Durbe Rivers. Important period in the life of the harbour was during the ruling of Duke Jacob, when sea ships arrived here. As a result of the Polish-Swedish war the Saka harbour had to be closed. The harbour that's visible nowadays in the mouth of the Saka River was formed in the middle of the 19th century at the so called Akagals fishermen village. In 1878 the river mouth was excavated and piers were built. Here two-masted ships were built. The World Wars destroyed the fleet, but the fishery traditions remained alive. In 1991 the populated area acquired the status of a city. Nowadays Pavilsota is a popular target for yachtsmen and windsurfers, as well as summer recreation place. Yachtsmen are awaited at the yacht harbour.
N/A

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.
N/A
Pļuskovas Old-Believer Preaching House was built in the beginning of the 20th century
N/A

In a document from 1387, the village is named Minor Irva.  Until the mid-20th century, Mazirbe was the largest Livonian village on the coast of Kurzeme.  It was a fishing village and a centre for fishing.  The village had a church, school, pharmacy, forestry company, several stores, a post and telegraph office, train station, barber shop, bakery and photo workshop, as well as a brick kiln.  During the 1930s, a local fishing co-operative built a fish processing plant here.  The Livonian Association was established here in 1923, and the Livonian People's Centre was opened in 1939.  Oppoite the centre is the Stūrīši homestead (the home of the Taizel dynasty), where you can learn about everyday household objects and, by ordering it advance, taste local foods.  The first chairmen of the Livonian Association, Kārlis Stalte and Māritņš Lepste, lived in Mazirbe.  Cultural worker Kārlis Stalte (1870-1978) spent man years as the verger and organist of a church in Mazirbe.  Mārtiņš Lepste was a Livonian language teacher in the 1930s.  The former Maritime School building can be viewed from the outside.  Some 2,000 students attended the school between 1894 and 1914.  During Soviet years, the army had a base here.
N/A
Kaļķis is a populated area where dolomite is still extracted from quarries in the region (Kalnciems­2 is one such quarry). Some of the quarries are flooded.
N/A

The only operating windmill of this type in Estonia allows you to follow the bread making process from start to finish. In the beginning you will see how grain is turned into flour with the help of water, and afterwards you will be able to bake your own bread in the bakery. Please book excursions and classes in advance. You can order also catering.
N/A
The bridge was built in 1906. Part of it was blown up during World War I and later restored. During the Soviet occupation, one needed special permits to cross the bridge. Military ships and other vessels used the canal, because one of the largest military bases in the USSR was sited here. In the summer of 2006, one month before the bridge’s centenary, a Georgian-flagged tanker, the Anna, rammed into the northern support structure of the bridge, and that destroyed the bridge’s turning part beyond recognition. The bridge was renovated and reopened in 2009. You can look at the bridge and cross it at any time.This is a unique engineering monument, and it is the only drawbridge of its kind in the Baltic States. It takes just five minutes to turn the two parts of the bridge.
N/A

Jānis Čakste (1859-1927) was Latvia’s first president (1922-1927), and he began to build a house for himself in 1924.  In 1999, in honour of the 140th anniversary of the president’s birth, an exhibition was unveiled about his life, work and family.  Čakste’s office can be toured, and artists from Jelgava exhibit their works at the museum, as well.
N/A

This is an ancient Liv village, known as Mustanumm is the last village in the south-easterly direction, and during the mid-20th century, just a few Livonians lived there.  Of 307 inhabitants in 1935, only 15 were Livonians.  At the beginning of the 19th century, there were six farms and a lagoon here, but at the end of the century there were 63 farms.  The valley of the Baķupīte River and the sea had remnants of pilings that provided evidence about a Medieval port.  Legends say that the sea robber Trommel had a castle on the left bank of the river during the 14th century.  Sailing ships were once built in the region, as well. Two locations of cultural and historical importance in Melnsils are the ancient cult location that is the Baķi castle hill, and the castle hill of a sea pirate Trommel.
N/A

The distinguished Latvian author an painter Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš (1877-1962) spent six years of his childhood at Riekstiņi in Nereta.  He was born into a servant family and moved to Riekstiņi together with his mother after his father passed away.  The household inspired him for his "White Book."  In honour of Jaunsudrabiņš, a museum was opened at Riekstiņi in 1967, and it is in an authentic Selonian farm with its spirit and aromas.  You can tour the residential building and the homestead's granary and wheelhouse, also houshold building from 1820.  The apple orchard has trees that are 100 years old and older.  Nearby is the Ķišķi cemetery (on the side of the Vecumnieki-Ilūkste road), where members of the Jaunsudrabiņš family were interred and Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš was reburied in 1997.  The Nereta Administrative District still has many single family farms and place names which Jaunsudrabiņš mentioned in his books. 
N/A

Until 13th century, Smiltene region was a part of Talava country, inhabited by Latgalians. After Crusaders invasion it was won by the Archbishop of Riga, and he built a stone castle on the steep river bank of Abuls in 1370. The following wars and epidemics did not spare the development of settlement, nor the people. Present shape of the town began to emerge in 19th century along with the vigorous activities of owner of Smiltene manor first Lieven. Until the World War I, wood working factory, hydroelectric power plant (established in 1901, first in the Baltics), and other companies were operating in Smiltene. In 1944 when the German forces retreated, much of the Smiltene historical buildings were destroyed in the fire.
N/A

Neliela apdzīvota un ainaviska vieta plašajā Skrobļa (Skroblus) strauta ielejā. Ciema austrumu pusē atrodas Lietuvas mērogā unikāls objekts – klēts - rija, kur no 1929. g. vietējie cilvēki uzveda un skatījās lauku teātra izrādes. Netālu no tās (uz abiem objektiem ir norādes) atrodas Skrobļa avoti (Skroblaus versmės), kas iztek no dziļas starppauguru ieplakas. Avotu gan ir appludinājis bebru uzceltais dambis. Dienvidos no ciema atrodas vecs grants karjers, kas ir viena no retajām vietām Baltijā, kur dabā ir atrodami krama ieža gabali, kas atnesti ar ledāju.
N/A

Atrodas vēsturiskā rātslaukuma dienvidu malā. Jaunā rātsnama celtniecība (itāļu renesanses stilā, arhitekts O. Dīce) tika pabeigta 1860. gadā. Iespaidīgo celtni, kas nulle kā atjaunota, ir vērts apskatīt gan no āra, gan iekšpuses. Ir restaurēts rātsnama pulkstenis, ārējā fasāde, iekšējie interjeri un Lielā zāle.
N/A
This church was built between 1900 and 1903 in the Byzantine style, and was meant for the local military garrison. The church, which was built to honour St Nicholas, patron saint of all seamen, and it was consecrated in the presence of Tsar Nicholas II. The ornate building was sacked by the Germans during World War I. During Latvia’s period of independence, the cathedral was used by the local military garrison. The Soviet military, in turn, turned into a sports hall, a cinema for sailors, and a warehouse. There are stories to say that Soviet soldiers broke off bits of the golden mosaic of the icons in the church. The building has now been returned to an Orthodox congregation. The builders of the cathedral used a unique way of pouring cement, which is why there are no supporting columns in the church. Instead, its weight is bolstered by its walls, with four arched vaults supporting them. It is the tallest Orthodox cathedral in Latvia at this time.
N/A
Encircled by apartment buildings, some of which are abandoned, the Tosmare water tower, which was built in 1905 in a pseudo-Gothic style and is made of red bricks, stands tall and proud. It is 37 metres high. Steam pumps were once used to pump underground water into the tower (the pumps have survived to this very day). Water was delivered three times a day to the residents of Karosta. The tower is no longer used for its original purpose, however. The tower can be viewed from the outside at any time. This is a unique aspect of Latvia’s industrial heritage.
N/A

The road leading to this estate is reminiscent of a narrow mountain road with a deep river valley alongside it.  The estate used to be known as the Libe Estate, and the buildings that are seen there now belonged to a nobleman, Magnuss.  The mansion has a Neo-Gothic glass tower which is known as an architectural curio among specialists.  The Sarkaņi Parish Council sits in the mansion.  The granary is the work of a local enthusiast, Andris Trečaks, who has collected a series of ancient objects.  Outside the granary is a very broad view of the “lower” Lubāna flatlands, resembling a painting with an empty frame.
N/A
The Jūrkalne Air Defence Division facility is privately owned at this time. A motor racing track has been installed there.
N/A

The Volkenberga Castle was built in the 13th century by the Livonian Order, and it was practically impregnable, as it was on top of Mākoņkalns hill.  These were among the first fortifications in Latgale, and only fragments of the castle remain today.  Architect Pēteris Blūms has said that this was a special type of fortification.  Legends say that after the lord and lady of the castle died, the property was divided up among their three daughters – Roze, Lūcija and Marija.  Each sister built a new castle on the land which she inherited – Roze built Rēzekne, Lūcija built Ludza, and Marija built Viļaka.  A memorial plaque at the foot of Mākoņkalns hill recalls the visit which pre-war Latvian President Kārlis Ulmanis paid to Latgale in 1938.
N/A

Opposite the tower of the Church of the Holy Trinity, the monument was designed by Arta Dumpe and commemorates Latvia’s first president, Jānis Čakste (1859-1927).  It was consecrated on November 14, 2003, precisely 81 years after the statesman was elected to the important position.