Mūsa, Mēmele confluence and Bauska castle

Zemgale

Listen to the landscape

The sources of the Mūsa and Mēmele rivers are in Lithuania, but after flowing across the Zemgale Plain, they meet in Bauska, forming a peninsula on which Bauska Castle is located. The castle consists of two parts: the Livonian Order Castle built in the middle of the 15th century, of which only ruins remain, and the residence of the Duke of Courland, built at the end of the 16th century. Bauska Castle is an architectural monument unique in Latvia, embodying 15th-17th century architecture in military and representative buildings within Latvia. The Bauska Castle Museum is located in the renovated palace.

The Mūsa only flows for 20 kilometres through Latvia, while the Mēmele flows for 40 kilometres.
The older part of Bauska Castle is one of the first Livonian Order castles built for firing cannons.
Ķirbaksala sits alongside the peninsula and is where Lielupe is formed from the Mūsa and Mēmeļe. It is named after the Ķirbaki homestead, formerly located on the island. A small bridge connects Ķirbaksala to the peninsula.