Nereta: Churches, Museums and Local History

• The Nereta Lutheran Church has been listed in Latvia’s state register of protected cultural monuments since 1998.
• The Nereta Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church was consecrated on October 8, 2000, after three years of construction.
• The “Riekstiņi” Museum is located in an outbuilding of a 200-year-old farmstead that is a cultural monument of national significance.
• Nereta Park is well suited to leisurely walks and connects the town center with Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš Nereta Secondary School.
• Boating is possible on the Dienvidsusēja River near Nereta; conditions and launch options may vary seasonally.

The two churches represent different historical periods in the town’s past. The Nereta Lutheran Church has been listed as a protected cultural monument since 1998. A description dated November 20, 2024, notes that the stained-glass window “Sens stāsts” by Luda Ludviga Bērziņa can be seen in the church. Visiting was noted as possible during services and concerts, or by prior arrangement. As this information dates from November 2024, please arrange your visit in advance.

The Holy Spirit Catholic Church was consecrated on October 8, 2000, after three years of construction. Another trace of local history is Pētera Lodziņa Street: it developed from Ķesteru ceļš, which is about 500 years old, and is among Nereta’s oldest streets. The approximate age refers to the former road, not to a precise construction date for the present-day street.

At the Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš Museum “Riekstiņi,” books, photographs, works of art, documents and personal belongings illustrate the writer’s life. The collection also includes old tools and ethnographic objects that show rural life in Selonia around the turn of the 20th century. It brings together personal accounts and objects from everyday rural life.

The museum is located in an outbuilding of the 200-year-old “Riekstiņi” farmstead, a cultural monument of national significance. Guided tours of the permanent exhibitions and presentations are offered in Latvian, Russian, Lithuanian and English; check the arrangements before you travel. The museum also offers the activity “Trail of cultural objects – see, hear, feel.”

The Nereta Museum of Local History collects materials about the area and the people of Nereta. It regularly displays works by people from the region or exhibits from local residents’ private collections. Alongside the rural history of “Riekstiņi,” the focus also extends to regional people and collections.

Nereta Park offers an option for leisurely walks. Its connection between the town center and Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš Nereta Secondary School also makes it part of the town’s layout. For water activities, consider boating on the Dienvidsusēja near Nereta. As conditions and launch points can vary seasonally, it is advisable to check the specific options in advance.

This gives you a concrete starting point for finding suitable accommodation for your stay.

The former Bērziņš bakery was a local meeting place and is associated with homemade cakes, pastries and the especially popular ūdenskliņģeris. This culinary history describes a former part of local life, not a bakery operating today.

A new tourist information point opened in Nereta in June 2025. At the opening, it offered tourism information, souvenirs and work by local craftspeople. If you would like to include the information point in your plans, check in advance whether it is currently available.

Discover more destinations: Pilskalne.

In which languages are guided tours at the “Riekstiņi” Museum offered?

Guided tours of the permanent exhibitions and presentations are listed as available in Latvian, Russian, Lithuanian and English. Check the arrangements before you travel.

Can visitors tour the Nereta Lutheran Church?

Visiting was noted as possible during services and concerts, or by prior arrangement. This information dates from November 2024, so please arrange your visit in advance.

Is boating on the Dienvidsusēja possible at any time?

Boating is possible near Nereta, but conditions and launch options may vary seasonally. Check them in advance for your planned visit.

For the broader travel overview: Neretas Novads.