Explore Liepupe through its architectural history, landscape heritage, and activities. Liepupe Manor House dates back to 1751; its park reflects a longer development spanning the 18th and 19th centuries. Nearby, an Evangelical Lutheran church and a hillfort add to the area’s historic landmarks. At DUDU Ligzdas, birdwatching is joined by two hands-on craft experiences. The range therefore extends from architectural and landscape history to nature observation and participatory craft activities.
Manor House and Park: Different Historical Periods
Liepupe Manor was built in 1751 to a design by Riga master mason Johann Andreas Haberland. The park was created in the 18th and 19th centuries as part of the manor estate; its historic layout is still discernible today. The dates represent different time spans: the manor house has a single construction year, while the park took shape over two centuries. This distinction makes the estate’s development over time clear without treating the building and park as the same thing.
The park also preserves historic tree collections considered a dendrological rarity in Latvia. Dendrology is the study of trees and woody plants; here, the term draws attention to the trees alongside the park’s recognizable layout. Both the historic grounds and their trees are therefore part of the manor’s landscape heritage.
Church, Hillfort, and Metsepole
Nearby, the masonry building of Liepupe Evangelical Lutheran Church was erected in 1784 to a design by Jakob Christian Schirrmeister. The year 1784 adds another, later construction date alongside 1751; the two dates refer to different buildings. Liepupe Hillfort lies about half a kilometer west of the ruins of Liepupe Church. This approximate distance provides a sense of the locations’ relative positions.
Liepupe is in Metsepole, an area once inhabited by Livonians. This historical context broadens the focus beyond individual buildings: the area’s history encompasses both specific structures and a larger cultural and geographic region.
Natural Surroundings and Experiences at DUDU Ligzdas
The scale of the pagasts is also important when considering the natural surroundings. The Vidzeme Rocky Seashore Nature Reserve extends into Liepupes pagasts and is a Natura 2000 site. The areas differ in scale: the park is part of a manor estate, while the nature reserve extends across the pagasts.
DUDU Ligzdas in Augštūja, in Liepupes pagasts, offers an opportunity for birdwatching. Two other activities invite visitors to try their hand at crafts. At DUDU Ligzdas’s open-air forge, visitors can learn about blacksmithing and forge their first nail. For coin minting, visitors can choose copper or aluminium; available designs include Latvian insignia or the DUDU Ligzdas symbol.
The activities offer different experiences: blacksmithing is about learning the craft and making a nail. For coin minting, the material and design determine the coin’s appearance. Birdwatching, by contrast, turns the focus to nature and complements the craft activities with a different kind of experience.
Discover more destinations: Tūja, Svētciems, Tūjasmuiža, Boķi, Salacgrīva, Jelgavkrasti, Birži
For the broader travel overview: Salacgrīvas Novads.
