Vecpiebalga hillocks

Vidzeme

Listen to the landscape

The undulating silhouette of the Vecpiebalga hillocks is interesting because of its diversity – hills, lakes, bogs and quagmires. Vecpiebalga has established itself near the ancient Piebalga castle mound or Grišķi Hill. Kaibēnu kalns is home to the Brothers Kaudžīši Museum. The viewing tower on Brežģis kalns looks over the forest-clad hills to lakes Alauksts, Zobols and Inesis. They have found their place in Latvia’s highest location, the Vidzeme uplands. The banks of the lakes are dotted with farmsteads and stands of trees, creating the cultural landscape characteristic of Vidzeme.

The Vecpiebalga estate palace was built in the Classicism style, with the Ineši parkland surrounding the palace ensemble. The palace features in Latvian literary history as the Slātava estate described in the book Mērnieku laiki (Time of the Surveyors) by the brothers Kaudzīši.
Velna tupele (Devil’s slipper) or gulta (bed) – a 2.14-metre-long and 1.20-metre-wide protected rock – lies on the shore of Lake Alauksta.
The terrain and low-yielding soil have led to the development of craftsmanship. Vēverciems, where weavers once worked, is a striking example of the landscape. It is now home to the Open Air Museum’s rural exposition.