As you walk along the Piedruja Trail, you can see the Daugava Stone. The word “Daugava” is engraved on the stone in seven languages: Estonian, Finnish, Russian, Polish, German, Livonian and Latvian. The trail lies in the ancient valley of the Upper Daugava, within the Augšdaugava protected landscape area. This landscape area is rich in rare and protected plant and animal species. Check the trail conditions again before your trip.

Churches and Architectural History

The Catholic Church of Piedruja and its interior are among Latvia’s outstanding architectural monuments of the late Baroque period. The church features an illusion altar, a striking detail of its interior. The present-day brick Catholic church was built in 1759 after its predecessor burned down.

The Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas was built between 1883 and 1885 on the site of an older wooden church. Its architecture draws on Old Russian forms from the city of Vladimir, as well as Byzantine forms. Together, the two churches illustrate different periods of construction and architectural influences: for the Catholic church, the focus is on its late Baroque classification and the year 1759; for St. Nicholas, it is on its late-19th-century construction and the architectural styles mentioned above. A landscape garden was created between the two churches. The histories of the two churches’ predecessors also offer a point of comparison: the Catholic church was built after its predecessor burned down, while St. Nicholas was built on the site of an older wooden church. The difference therefore concerns not only the period of construction and architectural influences, but also the path to the present-day building: one was built after a fire, while the other was a later church built on the site of the former wooden structure in Piedruja.

The wooden buildings also shape the impression of Piedruja and its surroundings. Some of the low-rise buildings bring to mind scenes from open-air ethnographic museums. From the banks of Piedruja, you can also get a good view of Druja’s low-rise buildings and its abandoned church.

Discover the Municipal Museum

The Piedruja Municipal Museum has four exhibition halls. On display are fragments of old maps dating from the 15th century to the present day. The exhibits also include household items and agricultural machinery from different periods, reflecting the lives of the local population, as well as themed photography exhibitions. In this way, the museum complements the churches with a different perspective on cultural history: alongside architectural history and architecture, it showcases maps, everyday and agricultural objects, and photographic themes.

When planning your trip, you can choose what to focus on in Piedruja according to your interests: the trail and landscape area offer outdoor experiences, while the churches and museum provide opportunities to explore architecture, building history and exhibitions. Please contact the municipal museum at +371 28703566 before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Kaplava, Robežnieki, Rimšāni, Pastari, Krāslava, Kombuļi, Miglāni

Return to the main travel guide: Krāslavas Novads.