The altar area of Bērzaune Lutheran Church is approximately 600 years old; the church building was constructed in 1881. This gap in time makes the church a multilayered part of local history.

Orientation and landscape setting

A small tourist information point run by the Bērzaune parish administration is located in the building at Gaiziņa iela 7. The building is 200 m from the P81 Bērzaune–Vestiena–Ērgļi road. The address and distance from the road provide practical guidance for planning.

A protected avenue (“Aizsargājama aleja”) is also associated with Bērzaune. This brings natural features into view alongside church and medieval history.

The broader geographical context of Bērzaune parish includes Gaiziņkalns. It is located in Gaiziņkalns Nature Park, which extends across the parishes of Vestiena, Bērzaune and Arona. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing Bērzaune’s specific local features from the wider landscape setting of the parish.

Church and congregation

The Bērzaune church congregation was founded in 1334. The church also contains a 16th-century tombstone belonging to the Tiesenhausen family, which is considered a national art monument. Together with the old altar area, these details point to several historical periods converging within the church.

More recent history is part of the picture too: the church stood in ruins for more than half a century. The congregation was re-established in 2001; the church was restored in 2009. A long history of the congregation and the building thus sits alongside its later restoration. Bērzaune Evangelical Lutheran Church is listed as open on Sundays from 15:45. Before your visit, check whether access is currently possible at that time.

The medieval castle ruins

Bērzaune’s medieval castle ruins date back to a castle built in the 14th century, before 1382. It belonged to the Tiesenhausen family, whose members were episcopal vassals. The castle is therefore connected to a specific family history and a medieval political role.

According to the Chronicle of Rusow, the castle was captured and plundered by Muscovite troops in 1577. The date when it was later abandoned cannot be pinpointed to a single moment: it is thought to have been abandoned either in the second half of the 17th century or during the Great Northern War. The 1577 capture should therefore be distinguished from the uncertain dating of its abandonment.

A farm excursion

Nearby, the Z/S Līvi farm offers excursions to a goat farm with almost 300 goats and a production facility. Advance booking is required. This is a different kind of excursion from the church and castle ruins: the focus here is on goat farming and production. If you would like to include this insight into regional agriculture in your plans, book the excursion in advance.

Discover more destinations: Sarkaņi, Dzelzava, Madona, Lautere, Tīrumskanuļi, Prauliena, Ozoli, Kalsnava

For the wider travel overview: Madonas Novads.