Page 199 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Estonia Latvia & Lithuania

EASTERN LA T VIA  197

0 Lielvārde Andrejs Pumpurs and Lāčplēšis
Road Map D4. * 7,350. @ from
Rīga. n Edgara Kauliņa aleja 20, 6505 Born in Birzgale, close to
3759. _ Regional Festival (Jul), Lielvārde, Andrejs Pumpurs
Birthday of Andrejs Pumpurs (Sep). (1841–1902) was an unlikely
∑ lielvarde.lv literary figure. Working on
the land before volunteering
The town of Lielvārde is best to fight in Serbia against the
known as the site of the climactic Ottoman Empire in 1876, he
battle between the heroic became a loyal officer in the
Lāčplēšis and the Black Knight. Russian army but was also a
The conflict ended when the two Mural of Lāčplēšis and Laimdota at the Andrejs staunch promoter of Latvian
culture. Convinced of the
warriors disap peared into the Pumpurs Museum need for a national epic, he
Daugava river close to an early chose the folk story of
13th-century castle, the ruins of Lāčplēšis the Bear Slayer, whose mixed animal-human parentage is
which stand on a hillock. Tall evident in his bear-like ears. Pumpurs also drew from Latvian folklore to
wooden sculptures nearby create a strongly allegorical plot filled with demons and witches.
illustrate Lāčplēšis’s story, while a Lāčplēšis defeats the Estonian giant Kalapuisis and convinces him of the
pair of large stones are said to be need to work together against their foreign foes. Towards the end of the
the bed and blanket of the hero, epic, Lāčplēšis unites the Latvian people and repels the invaders, but the
who reputedly returns to the wicked turncoat Kangars reveals the hero’s secret – his strength is in his
bank each night to sleep. ears. The Black Knight, a Germanic giant, cuts off Lāčplēšis’s ears,
Also close to the river is the plunging Latvia into 700 long years of misery. The story goes that
Andrejs Pumpurs Museum Lāčplēšis will rise again after he defeats his rival.
(Andreja Pumpura muzejs),
dedicated to the eminent writer.
A small display is devo- Upīša memoriālmajā), w Koknese
ted to Lielvārdes josta. which draws visitors inte- Road Map D4. * 3,000. £ from
These belts, used in tra di- rested in Latvian litera- Rīga. @ n Melioratoru iela 1, 6516
tional weddings, are for ture. The exhibition about 1296. _ International Folk Music
sale at the museum. the noted author, critic Festival (Jul). ∑ koknese.lv
At the western end of and Communist polemi-
town is Uldevena Castle cist is displayed in his Once the main settlement
(Uldevena pils), a former home. The Tree of the Selonian tribe, which
reconstruction of a Park (Dendroloğiskais was subjugated by the
wooden Liv fortifica tion. parks) close to Skrīveri is Livonian Order in 1208,
It was built in 1997 to the a pleasant, peaceful Koknese also appears in the
design of a local artist place to wander, its tale of Lāčplēšis as the home
and takes elements paths run ning through of Laimdota – the beautiful
from other structures, forests made up of and virtuous young woman
thus repre senting an Wooden sculpture almost 400 species of with whom the hero falls in
“ideal” rather than a of Lāčplēšis tree from around the love. Today, the picturesque
single castle. world. Each one has ruins of the Livonian Order
been tagged with both its castle, built in 1209 but
Latvian and Latin names. destroyed during the Great
E Andrejs Pumpurs Museum
E Kauliņa aleja 20. Tel 6505 3759. Northern War (1700–21),
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun (Nov–Apr: E Andrejs Upīts Memorial makes Koknese popular with
11am–3pm Sun). & 8 Museum visitors. The site was even more
+ Uldevena Castle Daugavas iela 58. Tel 6519 7221. attractive before a hydro-
electric power station was built
Open mid-May–Oct: 10am–5pm
Parka iela 3. Tel 2946 5792. Open Apr– Tue–Sun. & ∑ upisamuzejs.lv on the Daugava river in 1965.
Nov: 10am–6pm Thu–Sun. & 8
q Skrīveri
Road Map D4. * 4,000. £ from
Rīga. n A.Upīša iela 1, 2837 3530.
∑ skriveri.lv
Although the town has a long
history, Skrīveri was devas tated
during World War I. Its main
attraction is the Andrejs Upīts
Memorial Museum (Andreja Livonian Order castle with the Daugava river in the distance, Koknese

196-197.indd 197 15/02/17 10:15 am