A large-scale mural based on a photograph from the 1930s connects a specific work of art in Dagda with a historical image. Together with the history museum, red-brick houses and manor park, it forms a cultural and historical focus; the Dagda Cave and active equipment rental add nature and outdoor activities to the picture.

Art and History in Dagda

The “PATRIA” History Museum presents a historical exhibition across six rooms in the parish house of Dagda’s Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity. The museum is a clearly identified point of interest for anyone particularly interested in the town’s history during their stay.

The mural also has an unusual origin story. In the space of a week, artist Jans Bartkevičs, a Dagda resident, transformed an 8 × 11 cm photograph into an 18 m² mural. The photograph was taken in the 1930s. The shift in scale from a small image to a large wall is a distinctive way to experience the artwork and sets it apart from the town’s historical exhibits and buildings.

The historic center has red-brick houses known as “Jewish merchants’ houses.” Some of the surviving red-brick houses in the center are now shops. Another specific architectural landmark is the Dagda Pokrova-Nikolai Old Believers’ Church: it was built in 1992, and its interior and sacred objects are considered particularly valuable. The houses and the church offer different perspectives on Dagda’s architectural and cultural heritage.

Manor Park, Mill and Nature

Dagda Manor Park is the only surviving part of the manor estate established in the 17th century. In the center of the park is a stage for celebrations on Līgo and Anna’s Day. This place brings together the history of the manor and a cultural feature of the park.

Today, only the ruins and millpond remain of Dagda Mill, also known as Janova Mill. The pond is up to three meters deep. This makes the mill distinct from a surviving building: the features preserved here are the ruins and the body of water. Dagda Cave, in turn, is a natural phenomenon formed from gravel and rubble. The selection of attractions therefore juxtaposes historic buildings and the remains of a geological feature.

Guided Tours and Outdoor Activities

The Dagda Tourist Information Point offers individuals and groups guided tours of the city’s most popular sights. If a guided tour is important to your plans, check the information point’s current offerings in advance. This is especially helpful if you would like to plan your time around a guided visit.

The “Dagda” Active Tourism Center offers bicycles with helmets, Nordic walking poles, and cross-country skis with boots for hire. The listed equipment therefore covers cycling, Nordic walking and cross-country skiing. This selection differs considerably from a stay focused mainly on museums, art and architectural history. Before making plans, check whether the rental equipment you need is available.

When choosing a hotel in Dagda, you can first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: cultural sights, the distinctive features of the manor park and mill ruins, or outdoor activities. The guided tours and equipment rental offer specific ideas to help you plan, without prescribing a set order for sightseeing.

Discover more destinations: Ondrupine, Andzeļi, Ezernieki.

View the broader travel overview: Dagda Municipality.