Mordanga can be viewed from two perspectives: the formation of a lakescape and the history of a mill and glass factory. The story of the landscape leads to ancient valleys and wooded inland dunes; the town’s history offers concrete points in time with the founding of the glass factory in 1868 and the later construction of the mill building. Visitors choosing the town for a stay can thus consider its natural environment and industrial history as distinct themes.
Valleys, Shores and Inland Dunes
Lake Mordangas-KÄņu formed in depressions in ancient valleys—a glacial landform. The Mordangas Lakes have high shores and are surrounded by wooded inland dunes. This brings together two distinct scales in the landscape: the formation of the lake and the landforms surrounding it. For travelers who also want to learn how a natural destination came to be, these two layers offer an additional way to explore the subject of water. The Mordanga subglacial depression is a valley-shaped hollow in the UgÄle Plain. It shifts the focus from the lakes to the shape of the land.
Water System and Scale
In the wider region, the Mordangas Lakes are a group of lakes in the UgÄle Plain of the Kurzeme Lowland and lie in the Irbe and Venta drainage basins. The group is oriented approximately north–south. A watershed divides it into two parts: the northern group drains toward Lake Usma and into the Irbe basin, while the southern group drains toward the Abava. The bodies of water can therefore be distinguished not only by their location, but also by the direction in which they drain.
Within the wider travel region, Lake Mordangas is located in Ä¢ibuļu pagasts and is connected to Mežezers. It is 45 hectares in area and 2 km long; its maximum width is approximately 0.4 km. The collective name Lake Mordangas-KÄņu encompasses Lake Mordangas and the connected Mežezers (Lake KÄņu). The size figures refer to Lake Mordangas as a single body of water.
Mill and Glass Factory
A glass factory was founded in Mordanga in 1868. The Mordangas Mill building was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century; the mill has been out of operation since 1960. The sequence of dates keeps the histories distinct: 1868 marks the founding of the glass factory, while the construction date and closure relate to the mill.
The mill pond of the Mordanga Mill covers approximately 2 hectares. The KÄņupe, a 14 km-long river, flows from it. By comparison, this mill pond is much smaller than the 45-hectare Lake Mordangas. Their water connections also differ: Lake Mordangas is connected to Mežezers, while the KÄņupe flows from the mill pond. Alongside the larger regional lakescape, this brings an individual mill pond and its outflow into view.
Discover more destinations: Dzedri, SpÄre, Ä¢ibuļi, Brieži, Kalnmuiža, Roja, MÄ“rsrags, UpesgrÄ«va
To the main travel overview: Talsu Novads.
