Location
State: Latvia
Region: Kurzeme
County: Ventspils
Parish: Tārgale
Other references to the location
In the outskirts of the Tārgale village, at the edge of the Eglīši or Idols’ Cemetery, at the fence, on the other side of it.
Coordinates
lat=57.3391666667, lon=21.6597222222
57° 20′ 21″ N, 21° 39′ 34″ E
Description
There is interesting information about the Idols’ Linden and its site in the archives of the State Inspection for Heritage Protection, “The Idols’ Cemetery that is also used nowadays is located on a small, about 1 m high hillock. In the cemetery’s SE corner, an old branched linden grows. The largest trunk (..) spilt up in the middle, one of its branches has bent over the cemetery’s fence and “lies on the ground”. In 2011, the Idols’ Linden was a multi-trunk tree growing on both sides of the cemetery’s fence. The trunks growing on the cemetery’s side are 1.45 m, 1.28 m, 1.58 m, and 1.02 m in circumference, but of those growing outside the cemetery – 1.10 m, 1.50 m, 1.59 m and 2.30 m. If judging by looks, the oldest of the offsprings is the sloping offspring outside the cemetery that divaricates low. Only when looking tight, it is possible to make a conclusion that the lindens and their offsprings growing on both sides of the fence have grown out of one tree.
Narrative
Since the beginning of the 20th century, there have been many short narrations recorded about the Idols’ Linden at the edge of the cemetery as an ancient cult site. Nowadays the object is not expressive. It is remarkable only as an ancient cult site, because none of the linden’s offsprings reaches the size of a secular tree. Different Idol’s Lindens are typical for Kurzeme, and this place is one of many such sites.
Attraction
Average
Availability
Quite easily accessible. There are no information signs. One has to walk through the Eglīši or Idols’ Cemetery or around it.
Infrastructure, management, facilities
Due to the fact that the Idols’ Linden is situated in the cemetery’s corner, the site is maintained by municipality. There is no tourism infrastructure and signs, but the place around the tree is partially taken care of, because the tree trunks are s
Local info
There is no information stand on site
Capacity
0 – 9
Publicity
Known
Legal Status
Private
Comments
220 m S of the Idols’ Linden there is a hillock “Church Site”, where, according to information provided by local people, there used to be a wooden church that burnt down around 1900.