Location
State: Latvia
Region: Vidzeme
County: Valka
Parish: Kārķi
Other references to the location
From the yard of the Strautmaļi homestead — on the edge of the field
Coordinates
lat=57.842214792641, lon=25.562111359368
57° 50′ 31″ N, 25° 33′ 43″ E
Description
It is also called the Strautmaļi Swedish Linden and Strautmaļi Secular Linden. Its age is about ~200 years. The linden is 16 m long, at a breast-height it has reached the circumference of 4 m. Initially there were three lindens, out of which only the one growing next to the Strautmaļi homestead has remained. According to E. Sproģis’ childhood memories (the end of the 30s of the 20th century), the second Swedish Linden had only one large forked branch at the end of its life. Apparently, the third Swedish Linden perished already earlier, because even older inhabitants of the parish did not know anything about it (Laime, 2005; Tourism Information Centre of the Valka County, 2012). At the beginning it is hardly visible from the road, because it grows in a tree clump (the linden and its new offsprings, a birch-tree, a fir-tree and rowan-trees). Nearby there is a stone cairn in the form of a drop/teardrop that has been made by the landlady of the Strautmaļi homestead Dagnija Pēterāne during many years when cleaning up the territory around the linden.
Narrative
According to the narration provided by the landlady of the Strautmaļi homestead Dagnija Pēterēna, in former times the Swedish Lindens were used as a church where swains were fed, and after her grand-grandmother’s wedding in the Ērģeme Church there was a service held. Yet in the 50s of the 20th century the grand-grandmother used to go to the linden just like to a church. North Vidzeme is one of the regions where offerings at trees and stones in Latvia preserved for the longest time. Offerings were made in the stone cairn laid of fist-size stones in a semi-moon form around the Strautmaļi Swedish Linden. A forest-guard recalled a tale, “When the Swedish War was over and in Mierkalni peace was concluded, they say that at the Straumaļi a Swedish commander stuck three linden poles into the ground. If they grew, the Sweeds would come back again.” (G. Eniņš. 100 Most Secular and Holiest (100 dižākie un svētākie).2008)
Attraction
The object is attractive for visitors, because the territory is cleaned up, besides the proprietor herself tells about the history of the linden and the nearby surroundings if visitors want to.
Availability
There is the “brown” sign at a distance of 0.4 km from the linden. There could be an indication sign at the birch-tree growing at the turning to the Strautmaļi homestead, because otherwise it is difficult to understand which one is the right homestead (in the nearby surroundings there are several ones). On the way to the linden, one has to cross a meadow along a fenced cornfield. From the yard the linden can be well seen, but the proprietor of the homestead offers to accompany travellers.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
All facilitation and maintenance works of the territory have been performed by the proprietor herself and her family during many years. During the times of collective farming, around the linden there were many stones, thus it was impossible to approa
Local info
By the linden there is a small information stand erected by the parish where one can read a legend a
Capacity
10 – 40
Publicity
Known
Legal Status
Private
Comments
The Strautmaļi Linden was considered to be like a church — grand-grandmother of Dagnija Pēterāne used to go to the linden just like to a church until approximately 1950. There souls of the dead were fed — food was brought to the spirits. Avaricious people searched for gold at the linden, but they failed as the linden’s roots hindered. During after-war years kids from the local homesteads came to the linden to shoot at its ending with the arms (gums) that had remained after the war. Although they did not take the guns home, but rather left them in the linden hollow. In the nearby forest there is a bog/swamp where even Dagnija often loses her way, although she has been living at the forest her entire life. Before 500 years by the linden a river flew, now only a small bogged-up spring has remained. In the nearby territory there was a hill that was dug off in 1983 to build a road leading to the Strautmaļi homestead. Now instead of it there is a pit.
