Dzelzkalni Church Hill

2019-12-14 In Cult Identity Hill Latvia Vidzeme region

Location

State: Latvia
Region: Vidzeme
County: Kocēni
Parish: Vaidava

Other references to the location

1.3 km north west of the Rubene brick manor house, ~200 m south west of the Dzelzkalni homestead, on the left side of the Rubene–Robiņi road, on the left bank of the Zvirgzdupīte River (Rubene water storage)

Coordinates

lat=57.4766666667, lon=25.2386111111
57° 28′ 36″ N, 25° 14′ 18″ E

Description

The name, tales about people gatherings and baptizing on the site point at the site’s relation to cult. Other objects nearby: Vaidava Lake, Briņķi Pine Forest Spring (Briņķu silavots), Briņķi Pine Forest Hollow Stone (Briņķu sila dobumakmens).

Narrative

“Indriķis does not tell anything about the location of the first (Rubene) church. According to narrations provided by elderly people and my (K. Bukum’s) grandfather as an old inhabitant of Rubene, the first church was situated at the present Dzelzkalēji homestead of the Ķieģeļi Parish, on the hill. The church was made of wood, but thunder struck it and it burnt down up to its foundation.” (K. Bukums. Compiled by I. Ruberte. Valmiera County Tales (Valmieras novada teikas). 1999.) The name “church” denotes not only a Christian temple, but also ancient pagan shrines. Hill forts and other hills are often described in folklore by tales about sunk churches, the bells of which can still be heard at times; there are also tales and legends that people used to gather there at special occasions, that children were taken there for baptizing. On the highest points of such hills it is usually established that there used to be shrines with, probably, idols’ images at the corners and the central idol. Other names for such places are the Māra’s Shrine, Māra’s Church. These places are usually hillocks that stand out in scenery and can be seen at a distance; probably, roads from different directions led up there. It is possible that on the sites of ancient shrines later first wooden, then brick churches, chapels, bell towers were built. The sunk church is a metaphor in a way to the fact that ancient sacred sites have disappeared for good.” (J. Urtāns, 1990, Materials of LSSR IV Scientific Report Session on Archaeologist’ and Ethnographers’ Research Results of 1988-1989 (LPSR VI Zinātniskās atskaites sesijas materiāli par arheologu un etnogrāfu 1988.–1989. gada pētījumu rezultātiem))

Attraction

Scenerically beautiful, pastureland. But it is not valuable without interpretation.

Availability

No indication signs. The site can be easily found, about 300 m of the road (parking lot), across a meadow (used as pastureland by proprietors) following a path. It can be visited free of charge.