SALASPILS COUNTY TRAVEL GUIDE 2019 Come and see Salaspils! The National Botanic Garden with ever changing scenery invites friends CONTENTS of nature, so does Rīgava Arts and Music Garden, and the Park of Dole Manor lets to enjoy the beauty created by nature and humans. Enjoy the quiet and tranquility of Dole Nature Park, hiking TOP 7 OBJECTS 3 or cycling around Dole Island! Fans of active recreation and families with children will also find activities to enjoy. Cycling along the marked routes in the town and its surroundings, taking a boat ride along the rivers of DISCOVER SALASPILS! 10 Daugava and Mazā Jugla, swimming on the Salaspils beach, running along the dam of Rīga hydroelectric power plant – these are brilliant opportunities to discover Salaspils. Whereas any DISCOVER THE DOLE ISLAND! 13 child will enjoy educational excursions, horse rides, playgrounds and duck feeding. SIGN UP FOR EXCURSIONS! 15 Main Events in 2019: RECREATION AND AMUSEMENT 17 International Sport Dance Contest “SALASPILS OPEN 2019”. European 11.05. VISIT MEMORIAL PLACES championship in standard dances for adults and European cup in Latin 21 American Dances - Salaspils Sport Complex 12.05. Dance Group “Ūsiņš” - 50th anniversary concert 18.05. Museum Night in the Daugava Museum on the Dole Island CAFES AND RESTAURANTS 23 18.05. “Fascination of Plants Day” with plant fair in the National Botanic Garden ACCOMMODATION 24 25.05. - 02.06. Salaspils Municipality Celebration 25.05. 5th Ezerkauliņi Salaspils half marathon 26.05. Adventure cycle race “Salaspils - Stopiņi”, in Salaspils and Stopiņi municipalities 15.06. “Herbs Day”. Plant fair in the National Botanic Garden 21.06. The Summer Solstice Festival “Jāņi” in the Daugava Museum on the Dole Island 29.06. Exploration hike on the Dole Island 07.07. Band “Sigma” open-air concert in the Daugava Museum 13.07. “Rose Day”. Plant fair in the National Botanic Garden 13.07. Musical festival “Kartupeļpalma” 21.07. Ieva Akuratere and Aivars Hermanis’ concert "Vēlēšanās" (“Wishes”) in the Daugava Museum, Dole Island 03.08. Dole Manor Garden Celebration in the Daugava Museum, Dole Island 17.08. “Dahlia Day”. Plant fair in the National Botanic Garden 07.09. Cycling and photography orientation series “Visit your Neighbours”, stage 7, Salaspils Municipality 14.09. “Vitamine Day”. Plant fair in the National Botanic Garden 05.10. “Harvest Fest”. Plant fair in the National Botanic Garden 07.12. Dance group “Buras” Birthday Celebration Looking forward to see you in Salaspils – before Rīga! 1 2 1. OBJECTS 2. NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN SALASPILS MEMORIAL ENSEMBLE “BEYOND THESE GATES THE EARTH GROANS” Monthly plant fairs from . Erected in a place where an extended police prison and corrective labour camp (Erweitertes April to October Polizeigefängnis und Arbeitserziehungslager) of nazi Germany operated from 1941 until 1944. Civil and military persons from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as transit prisoners, among them small children from Latgale, Belarus, and Russia, were imprisoned in the camp. At different times during the operation of Salaspils camp more than 20 000 people were . The largest plant collection in the Baltics with more than 14, 000 plant taxa. there; whereas at least 2000–3000 people died from hard labour, disease, starvation, . Founded in 1956 in a place where the gardening company of C.W.Schoch has been located inhumane treatment and punishments. since the end of the 19th century. In 1967, one of the Europe’s largest monument complexes in the memory of victims of . Area – 129 ha, which could fit 28 National Library buildings placed one next to another. Nazism was unveiled in the location of the camp. One of the largest arboretums in the North-East of Europe. The emotionally impressive memorial ensemble is an object of brutalist architecture of international . The evergreen oasis - multifunctional greenhouse - exhibits plants from every continent significance. Salaspils Memorial Ensemble is part of the Latvian Cultural Canon. except the Antarctica. The memorial is comprised of a 100 m high concrete wall that symbolizes the border between . The garden with ever changing scenery and a variety of plant collections is a popular place life and death and seven giant sculptures: “Mother”, “The Unbroken”, “The Humiliated”, for education and recreation throughout the year. “The Oath”, “Protest”, “Rot Front”, and “Solidarity”. Excursions and lectures, classes for pupils, opportunities for cyclists, Nordic walkers, and all . The general mood is enhanced by the heartbeat of an electronic metronome, which sounds fans of active recreation. as an internal memory of the victims and the deceased. A playground and picnic sites are available. A perfect place for photo shoots. The memorial authors are sculptors: Ļ. Bukovskis, O. Skarainis, J. Zariņš; architects: G. Asaris, . The entry is located facing Salaspils Railway Station – it couldn’t be any closer! O. Ostenbergs, I. Strautmanis, O. Zakamennijs. In early 2018, an exhibition was opened at the gate gallery devoted to the history of Salaspils Miera St. 1, Open: camp and memorial. Salaspils, Outdoor expositions: daily Conservatory: . The German prisoners of war cemetery opened in 2008 is also located in the territory of the 56.8610, 24.3530 9.00–18.00 (01.10.-31.03.) Mon, Tue – closed, memorial. +371 22019340 9.00–20.00 (01.04.–30.09.) Wed–Sun 10.00 - 18.00 (1.10.-31.03.) Salaspils memorial, Salaspils Municipality Exposition is open daily: [email protected], Look for the current working Wed–Sun 10.00-19.00 (01.04.-30.09.) 56.8731, 24.3028 10.00-17.00 (01.04.-31.10.) www.nbd.gov.lv time on the homepage! +371 67945440 10.00-15.00 (01.11.-31.03.) www.salaspilsmemorials.lv 3 4 3. OBJECTS 4. DAUGAVA MUSEUM DOLE ISLAND NATURE PARK The only museum in the Baltics dedicated to the history of the river . Before the construction of Rīga hydroelectric power plant, while performing archaeological excavations, a rich assortment of artefacts was collected, which became the basis for the museum in 1969. The museum is located in the Dole Manor complex. The cultural history of the Latvian “destiny river” Daugava and Salaspils Municipality. Nature Park of “Natura 2000” . Unique materials on the ancient history of Latvia, beginning with the first settlement of the Stone Age people – “Salaspils Laukskola” settlement (9,000 BC). The interactive exhibition reveals what the Daugava valley looked like before the construction Nature Park with the area 1044 ha almost completely covers Dole Island. of the hydroelectric power plant cascade. Created in 1987 to preserve the special scenery of the part of Dole Island free of floods, . The centenarian fishermen farm by the lower reaches of the Daugava and a reconstruction of . historical monuments, and to ensure optimal use of recreation resources. the largest fishing tools – weirs for catching salmon and lamprey – are located in the Park. The central part of the Nature Park is covered with pine woods, whereas the terraces of the . The natural monument of national significance – the dolomite outcrop – can be viewed . Daugava are covered in meadows and fields with several protected plant species and a on the bank of the Daugava. variety of bird dwellings. Boat rent, picnic sites and sheds for events are available. The largest island of the Daugava in the ancient sources is called insula regis. Annual holidays in the Latvian traditions and open-air concerts are held here. The name “Dole” (German Dahlen) is possibly related to the name of the Master of the 13th century Vecdoles (Old Dahlen) Castle. Before the creation of Rīga hydroelectric power plant reservoir and the flooding of the Dole Island, Salaspils Municipality, Open: . top of the island, Dole Island was about 8–9 km long, about 3.5 km wide, at present it is 56.8480, 24.2284 daily 10.00–17.00, except Tuesdays about 5.2 km long. +371 67216367 Manor Park: Dole Manor Complex with a park, medieval Vecdole Castle ruins, and the Solāži Bastion, [email protected] 10.00-20.00 (01.05-30.09.) . providing an admirable view over the Daugava, are also located in the territory. www.daugavasmuzejs.lv 10.00-17.00 (01.10.-30.04.) Brilliant recreational opportunities for friends of nature – boat rent, marked cycling and Fb.me/Daugavas muzejs . walking routes, picnic sites. Twitter.com: @DaugavasMuzejs Instagram.com: daugavasmuzejs Dole Island, Salaspils Municipality 56.8499, 24.2318 5 6 5. OBJECTS 6. THE RUINS OF ST. GEORGE CHURCH MEMORIAL STONES FOR REMEMBRANCE OF THE BATTLE OF SALASPILS IN 1605 Popular among Lithuanians and Poles The church existed from the 14th until mid 20th century . The stone is dedicated to the brilliant victory of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the forces of the . During the construction of Rīga hydroelectric power plant, a mistake that proved fatal to the Duchy of Kurzeme over the Swedish army on 27 church was made in the calculations – it was predicted that the church would be flooded and September 1605 in the battle of Salaspils (Kirchholm). it was thus blown up, however it stayed outside the flood zone. At the time, the war in the military sense was called . The most ancient parts of the church – the altar fragments – were preserved. “the eighth wonder of the world” – the Polish-Lithuanian . The 14th century architectural monument closest to Rīga, in which the features of Romantic forces defeated the three times larger army of Sweden. and Gothic style are found (remains of Gothic window openings, niches etc.). In the history, art and folklore of Poland and Lithuania, . For many centuries the church remained at the centre of religious and social life of . the name of Salaspils (Kirchholm) became the Salaspils, and at the centre of warfare in different periods. symbol of legendary heroism for many generations.