Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Grobiņa
Parish: Medze
Other references to the location
In the surroundings of Kapsēde, next to the former Liepāja–Ventspils railroad, on its left side. The railroad now has been made into a road. Next to the stone there is a big intersection of several roads, however, once there used to be a level crossing with an intersection of gravel roads next to it.
Coordinates
lat=56.58675, lon=21.1086166667
56° 35′ 12″ N, 21° 6′ 31″ E
Description
An outstanding secular stone, one of the biggest in Latvia. Dimensions: length 5.8 m, width 3.2 m, height 4.3 m, circumference 16.20 m. The big fragment — 4.6 m long, 3.1 m wide, up to 2.5 m high; the small fragment — 3.2 m long, 1.2 + 0.7 m wide, 0.9 m high. The overall volume of the three stones is about 60 m3, that of the biggest part — 40 m3. Granosyenite — orange-brown, besides orthoclase there is also quartz (exceeding 10 %) in its mineral contents as well as biotite and hornblende from the dark minerals.
Narrative
In the stone there is a carved inscription “Weltkrieg 1914 + 1916 Arm. Batl. 36 I.Komp.”, close to it there is another carving — a longish rectangle with two signs in it. Otherwhere on the stone there are still other small carvings and scrapings of the modern times. There are several legends about the stone. One of them dwells upon “the Devil who stole a stone from the Thunder’s Castle, however, the Thunder caught the Devil and split him with a lightening.” Other folktale has been recorded by the explorer of hillforts E. Brastiņš (see E. Brastiņš. Latvijas pilskalni. Kuršu zeme. R., 1923, p.): the Great Stone well-known in the vicinity. The huge stone was once carried in his carriage by an old man. On his way a thunderstorm started, the man jumped and left the stone on the ground. During the world war the German soldiers carved the inscription „Weltkrieg 1914–1916” in the stone. The stone has been partly used in the production of aggregate. Up to that time the stone had been still bigger than its currently visible three parts — the basic part (around 40 m3), the big fragment (14 m3) and the small fragment (3 m3).
Attraction
Excellent
Availability
Easily accessible. There are information signs. In the intersection of several roads. .
Infrastructure, management, facilities
There are information signs. Next to the stone there is a road intersection and places for parking.
Local info
There is no information stand on site
Capacity
41 un vairāk
Publicity
Popular
Legal Status
Private
Comments
The most remarkable secular stone in Liepāja surroundings, still little integrated in tourism routes.
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