Gauja National Park
The Gauja National Park is the largest and oldest of the national parks in Latvia, characterized by great biological diversity, variety of landforms, natural springs, sandstone outcrops, picturesque views and unique natural, cultural and historical monuments.
The Gauja National Park was established in 1973. It stretches over more than 90,000 hectares, protecting the most beautiful section of the Gauja Valley along the Gauja River between Valmiera and Murjani.
One day will not be enough to enjoy in full all the charms of the national park!
Outcrops, cliffs and caves
Magnificent sandstone outcrops, rocks, cliffs and caves are among the park’s major attractions. The reddish, yellow and grayish sandstones were formed 350-370 million years ago.
There is a variety of caverns in the Gauja National Park – Gutmanala, the most spacious grotto in the Baltic states; Kalejala, which is the longest; the unique Liela Ellite; and also Velnala in Sigulda, one of the most popular caverns.
The Erglu Cliffs, the Kuku Cliffs, the Licu-Langu Cliffs and the Sietiniezis Ridge sit on the banks of the Gauja River, and one can find outstanding cliffs of sedimentary rock composed of sandstone and dolomite – the Zvartes Rock, the Dzilnas Ridge, the Kaubju Ridge, the Ainavu Scarp – on the banks of the Amata River. Reddish sandstone cliffs – the Lustuzis Ridge and the Anfabrika Cliffs – can be admired on the banks of the Ligatne River in Lejasligatne.
Cultural and historical monuments
There are over 500 cultural and historical monuments in the territory of the Gauja National Park – castle mounds, brick castles, churches, manor houses, watermills, windmills and other archaeological, architectural and art monuments.
Scattered along the Gauja River, there are 19 ancient castle mounds, six Medieval castles and three towns – Straupe, Sigulda un Cesis.