Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Talsi
Parish: Lauciene
Other references to the location
On the edge of the Jūrmala–Talsi highway, in a meadow, 60 m off the highway.
Coordinates
lat=57.2416666667, lon=22.6969444444
57° 14′ 30″ N, 22° 41′ 48″ E
Description
One of the most known foot stones in Kurzeme. The stone is ranged along other widely spread foot stones in Latvia. Foot stones are stones, in which, usually in a natural way, there is a footprint resembling a human foot or palm or also an animal foot. This kind of stones can be found all over Europe. Out of this type of hollow stones the Devil’s Stone is also one of the oldest stones promoted in tourism, because it had already been described many times in the 30s of the 20th century. The dimensions of the stone: length of 2.5 m, width of 2.3 m, height of 1 m, circumference of 8 m. In the stone’s surface, there are 11 cavities and dents of different size worth of attention, presumably, of natural origin, which, according to tales, are made by Devil’s feet.
Narrative
We know from tales that in the stone there are child’s, calf’s, and dog’s feet engraved into the stone. The tale narrates that after the death of the Nurmuiža’s baron Firkss, the Devil was dancing out of joy on the stone. There is also another tale about the stone, “On the Talsi–Tukums highway, in the fields of the Odre manor house, there is some big stone. On the stone one can see cow’s, horse’s, pig’s, sheep’s, cat’s feet [in other versions they mention also rooster’s or hen’s and Devil’s feet]. Under the stone, they say, there is a wardrobe full of money. If a person dug all these animals down at the stone, then the stone would be easily moved and the wardrobe with money would be reachable. Many people have tried to move the stone, but nobody succeeded.”
Attraction
Some
Availability
Very easily accessible. There are indication signs. From the indication sign one has to walk along the path 60 m off the highway.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
At the road there is the brown tourism indication sign “Velna pēda” (Devil’s Foot) and next to it the sign “Talsu Pauguraines dabas parks” (“Nature Park of Talsi Hilly Area”). One can leave the car at the edge of the road.
Local info
On site at the object there is a wooden information stand of a good quality with a tiled rooflet. Th
Capacity
10 – 40
Publicity
Popular
Legal Status
Private
