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The craftsman typically produces objects that are of use on an everyday basis. They have laconic forms and reticent decorations. You can take a tour of the workshop and kiln, watch demonstrations, and work with the clay yourself. You can purchase finished products, look at the beekeeping operation, and taste and purchase honey. |
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The shallow and mostly overgrown (65% of its surface) Lake Engure is one of those Latvian lakes which are most favoured by birds. It is a location which is governed by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and 186 species of nesting birds have been identified there. The area is also distinguished by great botanical diversity (more than 800 kinds of plants). The coastline varies between sandy beaches and seashore meadows. There are forests, fishing villages and damp areas which ensure a great diversity in landscapes and species. The flood-land plains of the lake and the sea are grazing grounds for wild livestock – horses, blue cows, etc. Several bird-watching towers are open to visitors, as is the Orchid trail. The Centre for Ornithological Research is located on the eastern bank of Lake Engure. A unique floating house built by ornithologists is located on the lake. The territory is appropriate not just for holiday-makers, but also for hikers, bicyclists and bird-watchers. A leisure area and a small exhibition are located close to the ornithological research centre. |
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The Little Sigulda of Pilskalne is a place for longer or shorter hikes. Here you will find a number of trails – the Sprīdītis trail (1.6 km, featuring wooden sculptures of characters from fairy tales by Anna Brigadere), the Forest landscape educational trail (3.8 km), and the Highland landscape trail (8 km in each direction). The trails are in a sub-glacial depression with a number of little lakes and swamps that are connected by streams. This is a restricted environmental area aimed at protecting the landscape and its treasures. At the beginning of the trails (near Pilskalne) there is the Melnaiskalns (Rāmavas) castle hill, which is around 30 m high. |
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The large farm is to the South of the centre of Lone, producing apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries and black currants. It stores apples during the whole winter. You can help to pick the fruit and berries and purchase them for yourself. |
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The Pilkalne Estate is in a remote location on the border of Latvia and Lithuania, 5 km to the Southwest of Nereta. Lovers of history certain must visit this estate. Why? One reason is that the grain kiln of the estate, which is gradually being restored, and the grain drying stove, a few wooden parts of which have been preserved, are unique in Latvia. The stable and servants’ home have also survived and are populated today. The buildings were built in the 18th century. The owner can tell you stories about interesting aspects of this location’s history. |
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The old narrow-gauge railroad. You can still see the station, the baggage
warehouse, the house where the station commander lived, and the path along
which the little train ran back in the day.
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The former name of the house was “Forstei” (Forester’s House). It was built using logs of the old Bīriņi Castle. The first owner of the building was Alexander Alexei von Pistohlkors, the baron of Bīriņi Manor. It used to be a house of the manor’s chief forester Pauls Moltrehts. The building served as the chief forester’s work place and residence, as well as the Manor’s hunting base. The building was rebuilt several times. It obtained its current appearance and also the symbolic deer antlers in 1891. During the times of the Independent State of Latvia the house obtained a Latvian name – “Meža māja” or “Forest House”. Ownership of the house has repeatedly changed. In the 1930s, the house became a recreation place for cultural professionals and artists. In 1937, the composer Alfrēds Kalniņš spent the summer in the house working on an interpretation of the score for the second staging of the first Latvian opera “Baņuta”. During the post-war period – from 1945 to 1956 – the building housed Saulkrasti Village Council, and during the times of Saulkrasti District it was the location of the People’s Education Department. Later the children’s sanatorium “Ugunskurs” was transferred from Jūrmala to this building and was renamed “Saulkrasti Children’s sanatorium”. Now the building is privately owned. |
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On the edge of the Bērzkrogs-Madona road in the centre of Vecpiebalga, you will find a pond full of various types of water lilies of different colours. The owner will tell you all about the popular folk song about water lilies from Vecpiebalga, offer plants for sale and offer practical advice. The pond also has carp which children can feed by hand while their parents are listening to the stories. |
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Mūsdienās redzamais parks starp Rīgas un Parādes ielu tapa vairāk nekā pirms 100 gadiem un tā patrons bija pilsētas pirmais mērs - Pāvels Dubrovins (1839. – 1890.). Pilsētas „zaļā saliņa”, kuras centrā atrodas strūklaka, ir iecienīta atpūtas un pastaigu vieta. Atraktīvs ir no bronzas veidotais piemineklis (2007. g., tēlnieks A. Tartinovs),kas veltīts pilsētas pirmajam mēram. |
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This is an interesting viewing tower which is part of one of the farm buildings. It offers a lovely view of the surrounding area.
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The mansion of the Gārsene Estate is built in the Neo-Gothic style, and its design was based on a villa in Germany. The building was erected between 1856 and 1860, and from then until 1920, the baronial dynasty of the Budbergs and Beningshausens owned it. The castle was expanded with another wing in 1885. Between 1939 and 1940, the building was rebuilt to become a school, and President Kārlis Ulmanis attended its opening on June 2, 1940, when he was taking his last official trip as the country’s president. There are other buildings and a park on the estate. The mansion today is home to the Gārsene Elementary School, but there is also an exhibition featuring the baronial dynasty, the history of the school, and the town itself. Just wait until you see the pot-bellied stoves! Outside the mansion are the Gārsene nature trails – the cultural and historical trail, the baronial strolling trail, etc. Before setting off, buy a ticket at the mansion. In front of the mansion is a memorial stone to Professor Pēteris Kulitāns (1878-1951), who was an agro-chemist. |
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Naktsmītne, pirts, telpas pasākumiem, aktīvā atpūta dabā. Mājas alus brūvēšana un siera siešana. |
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Nacionālā parka dienvidrietumdaļā jūrā iestiepjas Eldas pussala – skaists un ļoti omaļš ar kadiķu mežu (alvāriem) noaudzis zemes pleķītis ar interesantu jūras krastu, kur atsedzas silūra perioda nogulumieži. No pussalas gala, kurā slejas vecs Padomju armijas robežsargu tornis (apmeklējumam bīstams!), paveras visaptverošs skats uz Vilsandi salu (atpazīstama pēc bākas), Lonalaidas salu (Loonalaid) – otru lielāko Vilsandi arhipelāgā, Salavu (Salava) un citām mazākām saliņām. Dabas mīļotāji var uzmeklēt Eldas klinti (Elda pank) – ~ 2 m augstu un 0,4 km garu atsegumu, kura piekājē var atrast interesantas ūdens izskalotas fosilijas. |
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This testimony to World War II can be found in the Blīdene Parish. It is one of the very few objects of its type to still be in good condition.
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This is the thickest Black Alder (Alnus glutinosa) in Latvia
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The former military zone in this location is not in use at this time, and there is no specific information about what it was used for in the past. The territory is privately owned and is not open to visitors.
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The Vilce Nature Park is small in size and exists alongside the deep valleys of the Vilce River and its tributaries. Biotopes include visible sandstone cliffs, rapids on the rivers, forests typical of such areas, and the plants and animals that are found therein. The well-appointed Vilce castle hill is next to the Zaķu meadow, which is a nicely appointed and popular place for recreation. |
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Also known as Lake Jēsis or Lake Iesis, this is the lake in Latvia which has the largest number of islands. Many literary sources and encyclopaedias in the 20th century claimed that there were 69 islands in the lake, but that was an exaggeration, because apparently the authors took sandbars overgrown with reeds and other plants to be islands. The true number is approximately two times lesser. The largest number of islands can be found in the north-eastern part of the lake. The largest one is Lielā Lāča (Big Bear) Island (45 ha). A farm was on the island at one time. The islands and the oak trees that are on the shores of the lake – the Piļoru and Pahatnīku stands of trees – are in a restricted environmental reserve. |
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This territory is meant to protect the “green zone” of Rīga. Most of the park is covered with pine forest and dunes with shrubs on them, but Lake Beberbeķi is found at the southern end of the park. The area around the lake has been improved. |
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The creamery or clock tower (so known because a clock was installed in the round roof window of the structure) is near the gate to the Naukšēni Estate. The eight-corner brick building has a domed roof that is covered with tin. The clock tower has two floors. The second is easily ventilated because of small windows on all sides of the building. The creamery is seen in a picture drawn by J.K. Brotze around 1800. It suggests that the building has not lost its initial shape even today. The tower deteriorated during the Soviet era, when a barn was attached to it and a large gate opening was broken into it. In 2002, the tower was renovated (architect Inese Maurāne). The interior preserves the historical brick floor and the stairs to the second floor. Historical objects are displayed in the creamery, and today it is one of the main tourist attractions for the Naukšēni Estate. |