Bērzaune: Church and Castle History

• The small tourist information point of the Bērzaunes pagasts administration is located in the building at Gaiziņa iela 7. The building is 200 m from the P81 Bērzaune–Vestiena–Ērgļi road.
• The Lutheran church was built in 1881; the congregation was founded in 1334 and re-established in 2001.
• The altar area is approximately 600 years old. The church also contains a 16th-century tombstone of the Tiesenhausen family, which is considered a cultural monument of national importance.
• The medieval castle ruins date back to a castle built by the Tiesenhausen family before 1382.
• A protected avenue has been designated in Bērzaune. Gaiziņkalns is located in Gaiziņkalns Nature Park and extends across the municipalities of Vestiena, Bērzaune, and Arona.
• Nearby, Z/S Līvi offers excursions to a goat farm with almost 300 goats and a production facility; booking is required.

The dates associated with Bērzaune’s Lutheran church point to different historical periods. The congregation was founded as early as 1334 and re-established in 2001. The church building itself dates from 1881. It had previously stood in ruins for more than half a century and was restored in 2009.

Different dates also come together inside the church: the altar area is approximately 600 years old, while the Tiesenhausen family tombstone dates from the 16th century. It is considered a cultural monument of national importance. The construction date, the congregation’s history, and these older artifacts are distinct points of reference for understanding the church’s history.

The castle ruins lead back to a medieval castle belonging to the Tiesenhausen family, built in the 14th century before 1382. Members of the family were vassals of the bishop. The site therefore represents a different historical perspective from the later construction history of the Lutheran church.

According to Rusow’s chronicle, the castle was captured and plundered by Muscovite troops in 1577. Two possible dates are proposed for its later abandonment: the second half of the 17th century or the time of the Great Northern War. The medieval construction, the reported event of 1577, and the abandonment, whose date is uncertain, can thus be considered as separate stages.

The designated protected avenue is a natural feature in Bērzaune. Gaiziņkalns offers a different geographical perspective: the mountain is in the nature park of the same name and extends across Vestiena, Bērzaune, and Arona. This extent describes the mountain, not the nature park.

It is helpful to distinguish the different scales: on one hand, there is a protected avenue in Bērzaune; on the other, Gaiziņkalns extends across several municipalities. Together, these details offer different points of reference for viewing nature and landscape in the wider context of the pagasts.

The tourist information point of the Bērzaunes pagasts administration is located in the building at Gaiziņa iela 7. Since the building is 200 m from the P81 Bērzaune–Vestiena–Ērgļi road, the road offers a practical reference point for finding your way.

The church is listed as open on Sundays from 15:45. Before your visit, check whether access is possible at your preferred time. The excursion offered by Z/S Līvi has a different condition: booking is required. The farm, with almost 300 goats and a production facility, is a separate excursion destination nearby, alongside the historical sites of the church and castle.

When choosing Bērzaune for a trip, you can weigh these interests separately: church history, the medieval castle ruins, the natural setting of Gaiziņkalns, or the farm excursion, which requires booking. The location and time details can help you identify your priorities and plan your next steps accordingly.

Discover more travel destinations: Tīrumskanuļi, Lautere, Ozoli, Dzelzava, Madona, Jaunlubāna, Kalsnava, Sarkaņi.

Where is the tourist information point?

In the building at Gaiziņa iela 7, which is 200 m from the P81 Bērzaune–Vestiena–Ērgļi road.

Does the goat farm excursion need to be booked?

Yes. Z/S Līvi offers excursions nearby, and booking is required.

What opening hours are listed for the church?

The church is listed as open on Sundays from 15:45. Before your visit, check whether the church will be accessible at your chosen time.

Go to the main travel overview: Madonas Novads.