#MagneticLatvia – Experiential Hubs for Rebuilding, Architecture and Design: Edole Palace in Kurzeme, West Lavia.
Only about 20 km drive from Kuldiga and less than 20 km away from the coast, Edoles Pils (Pils standing for Castle in Latvian) is a well-fortified castle like from a picture book. It is hidden away in the forest on a lake and surrounded by a moat, can be rented for various events and has a total of 8 guest rooms for overnight, a restaurant for the house guests and for visitors from outside.
It is a very special site and cultural heritage — looked after a young couple from Kuldiga, experienced in the restaurant and catering business. The bigger part of the construction houses a museum of the Behr Family who lived here for a long time. Edole Castle is a Gothic Revival castle situated on the banks of Ēdole Lake, Ēdole parish, in the historical region of Courland, western Latvia. Originally consisting of two residential buildings linked by a stone wall, the castle is surrounded by landscape park. It is considered an architectural and archaeological monument of national importance.
With a special appointment, a tour around the museum can be arranged and wow, that is an unexpected beauty! Wonderfully appointed rooms, full of antiques, paintings, and — typical for all of Latvia — the most beautiful wooden floors! I recommend putting particular attention to all wood craftwork in the country — it is truly amazing. The castle is visited by many German families somehow related to the former owners.
Edole castle is opened for individual overnight guests in the summer months June-July–August. However, the hosts are very flexible, and they open the castle also during restaurant weeks and for Christmas Parties or corporate events –talk to them if you plan to organize a special event or meeting there.
A small cultural detour: the Suiti community in Alsunga
In the Alsunga community, near to Kuldiga and Edole, a small catholic community in midst of a predominantly protestant area is at home — the Suiti. Their traditions and culture have endured through religious and other conflicts, and they are still a community with a unique language and culture. https://www.suitunovads.lv/en/Who_are_Suiti/
The religious differences and sometimes even violent conflicts resulted in a high degree of self-isolation. This allowed the Suiti community to preserve in this small area unique traditional culture, rich with songs, dances, beliefs, traditions and many other elements-long abandoned and forgotten in other, more modern parts of Latvia.
In the 20th century, Alsunga was the last place where traditional dresses were still used, where traditional music instruments such as bagpipes, kokles and horns were played in normal everyday life of the Suiti community. Attempts are made to preserve Suiti language — an old dialect of Latvian language.
The very specific style of women singing, believed to origin in pre-Christian period, is today used more and more. Altogether 52 813 folk songs and variations have been recorded in this small area.
Suiti have very special marriage traditions, well recorded, elements of which are widely used.
The very uniqueness of this small Catholic enclave has also been recognized by UNESCO in 2009. The Fourth Intergovernmental Committee in Abu Dhabi inscribed Suiti Cultural Space on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Today only about 3000 people live in the historic Suiti region, two-thirds of whom are of Suiti descendants.
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Following are the topics that you will read about in the ongoing series on Latvia and Riga — it is worthwhile to explore them and pick those which are most relevant to your kind of business. You will be able to source some true gems for fresh and new destinations for your Incentive trips or Meetings!
- Latvia for Intl. Congresses and Conferences
- Magnetic Latvia – Experiential Hubs for Rebuilding, Architecture and Design
- Destination Latvia – an abundance of water and nature
- Sport in Latvia: infrastructure, events and education
- Arts and Artists — experiencing, discovering and learning about art in Latvia
- New hotels and restaurants open in Riga and across the country
For any requests you have or help that you require for putting together a MICE program for your clients, contact:
Ieva Gredzena, LIAA (Investment and Development Agency of Latvia) email: Ieva.Gredzena@liaa.gov.lv
Aigars Smiltans of MeetRiga, email: aigars.smiltans@liveriga.lv
Or contact me at tmf dialogue marketing, Johanna Fischer email j.fischer@tmf-dialogue.com
