For orientation in Sarkaņi, the geographical scale matters: the ethnographic collection is located at a specific address in the village; landscape descriptions and Kujas dabas parks refer to Sarkaņu pagasts. Weaving and cultural history offer further topics to consider when planning your trip. This allows you to prioritise the different highlights according to your interests.
Weaving and Craft Practices
At the “Kalnagravas” weaving studio, work is done on looms more than 100 years old, made by the renowned Latvian loom maker Pēteris Viļumsons. At the same time, warps for eight fabrics are being set up. The history of the tools and the practical work of weaving are presented side by side: the age of the looms is part of the story, as is the practical process of preparing several fabrics. For travellers interested in traditional crafts, this combination is a distinctive point of reference.
Sarkaņu Amatu skola offers kokle masterclasses, weaving, handicrafts and guided tours. Check dates and availability in advance if you want to include one of these activities in your travel plans. If you would like to consider not only the history of a tool but also classes and guided tours, you can include the school as a separate point in your plans. A shawl woven at Sarkaņu Amatu skola was also featured in the “Radītprieks” exhibition at the XXVI Song and XVI Dance Festival. This connects textile work with a specific festival exhibition.
Collection and Cultural History
The ethnographic and everyday-history collection of the Madona Museum of Local History and Art is located in Sarkaņi School, Kalna iela 2, Sarkaņi, Madonas novads. It comprises around 3,000 ethnographic objects. These include mainly craft tools and products typical of the period from the 19th century to the mid-20th century, reflecting the traditions of the time. This historical timeframe gives the objects context and brings crafts and inherited traditions together as a subject. If you are planning a visit, please check visiting arrangements in advance.
An exhibition about notable people from the region features the writer Viktors Eglītis, musicologist Jēkabs Vītoliņš, conductor and composer Valdis Breģis, and actress Olga Dreģe. Alongside objects and textile work, literature, musicology, music and theatre are also presented as cultural themes.
Landscape and Regional Context
Sarkaņu pagasts lies in a transition zone between the Vestienas pauguraine upland and the Aronas paugurlīdzenums hill landscape. Kujas dabas parks is also located in Sarkaņu pagasts and is part of Latvia’s Natura 2000 network of specially protected natural areas. The transition zone locates the landscape setting of the pagasts; the park adds a specific protected-area dimension to this perspective. In this way, the natural environment is placed in both a landscape and a nature-conservation context.
The folklore group “Libe” is part of the wider cultural context. It works to promote Latvian traditions in Sarkaņu pagasts and Madonas novads and performs at events in various regions of Latvia. The group’s activities and performances complement the picture of tradition conveyed by collection objects and weaving: culture is expressed through objects and techniques as well as through a group’s involvement.
Find a Holiday Rental to Suit Your Travel Interests
If you are looking for a holiday rental in Sarkaņi, first decide which themes you want to focus on during your stay: weaving and cultural history, or the landscape and protected-area features of Sarkaņu pagasts. These highlights relate to different geographical scales. Check dates in advance for activities offered by Sarkaņu Amatu skola, and confirm visiting arrangements before planning a visit to the collection.
Discover more destinations: Tīrumskanuļi, Stalīdzāni, Bērzaune, Ozoli, Kalsnava, Madona, Lautere, Dzelzava
For the broader travel overview: Madonas Novads.
