Dikļi offers a clear cultural point of connection: the first Latvian Song Festival was held here in 1864. Other notable features of the area include the Neikenkalna dabas koncertzāle, Dikļu pils and its park, the church, and fairy-tale characters in Vika pasaku parks. When planning your visit, it is worth distinguishing between the history of the Song Festival, architectural and art history, and event dates. This will help you decide whether to focus your stay on a particular event or on the cultural sites and their historical connections.
Song Festival History and Events
The first Latvian Song Festival took place in Dikļi in the summer of 1864. Six choirs, with a total of 120 singers, took part. The Neikenkalna dabas koncertzāle is located where the Latvian Song Festival tradition began. Dikļi thus brings together a precisely dated cultural event and a specific place connected to its origins.
The design of the open-air concert hall is also part of this cultural site. Its acoustic setting makes use of a reflecting pool, wooden structures, existing park vegetation, terraces and slopes. The stage and amphitheatre have adaptable configurations for open-air performances and concerts. The hall is also the venue for the traditional “Augusta debesīs” concert series.
Another regular event on the calendar is the Spēlmaņu svētki theatre days, held every year in August in Dikļi. The two events have different timing information: August is specified for the theatre days, while the dates and programmes of the concert series can vary from year to year. If you are planning your trip around an event, check the dates for the year in question.
Castle, Park and Church
The present-day Neo-Baroque building of Dikļu pils was built in 1896 under the supervision of its owner at the time, Baron Paul von Wolf. The castle has a park of almost 20 hectares, where around 20 exotic trees grow. The building and park offer two different perspectives on the estate: the castle’s architectural history and the expansive park landscape, distinguished by its unusual trees.
Dikļu baznīca provides an earlier point of reference: it was built in 1722. Its most notable features include the pulpit and altar, both decorated with carvings. Both are state-protected art monuments. When exploring Dikļi’s architectural and art history, you can distinguish the Neo-Baroque castle building from the older church and also look out for specific features of the church interior.
Fairy-Tale Characters and Historical Connections
At Vika pasaku parks, visitors can see 28 wooden sculptures of characters from the fairy tales of writer Viks, Viktors Kalniņš. Here, the focus is on literary characters, setting this cultural attraction apart from the architecture of the castle and church. The number of sculptures and the material they are made from give the fairy-tale park a clearly defined theme within an exploration of Dikļi.
Mācītājmuiža is another historical point of reference in the area: Juris Neikens lived there. Together with the origins of the Song Festival, the concert series and the buildings, it offers a range of topics to explore according to your interests. The dates help distinguish these historical points of reference chronologically: the church of 1722 came before the Song Festival of 1864 and the present-day castle building of 1896.
Discover more destinations: Kocēni, Vaidava, Rubene
Go to the main travel overview: Kocēnu Novads.
