Discover Zūras: manor avenue, park and local history to experience

• The avenue of Zūru Manor is a protected natural monument of national importance and Latvia’s longest double-row avenue.
• The park of Zūru Manor covers 5.8 hectares and is home to 37 non-native tree and shrub species.
• The Zūru Local History Exhibition, formerly the Zūru Museum, opened in 1998.
• Local stories cover, among other things, sheep farming, flax cultivation, bread, sweets and sugar production.

The avenue is a distinctive natural and cultural heritage feature of the village. Two rows of lime trees grow on each side of the road; ash trees and horse chestnuts are also planted at certain intervals. Those interested in avenues and historic landscapes will find a specific point of interest here: the avenue is shaped not only by its length but also by its planting, which features several tree species.

The park also has its own botanical and historical details. Its 5.8 hectares are home to 37 non-native tree and shrub species. Baronial graves lie in the southern part, with cork oaks growing beside them. The size of the park, the number of species and this distinctive combination offer different points of interest, without reducing its character to a single tree or historical trace.

The Zūru Local History Exhibition opened in 1998 and was formerly known as the Zūru Museum. Its displays include old work tools, as well as household and furnishing items. Other materials tell of events in Vārves Parish and Ventspils Municipality. Everyday objects are thus presented alongside local and regional events. Latvia’s first sugar factory was also established in Zūras, offering a distinct link to the history of sugar production.

The exhibition can therefore be explored from a range of perspectives: you can focus on earlier work tools, look at household and furnishing items, or turn your attention to the events described in the materials. The history of the sugar factory adds a special connection to the production of an everyday product.

“From Fibre to Fabric” introduces sheep farming and flax cultivation. Visitors can try carding, spinning, plying, winding and weaving for themselves. The sequence takes you through several stages of textile production, from working the material to weaving. If you are interested in crafts, this story offers more than an explanation of wool and flax: you can try the activities mentioned for yourself.

Food is also explored through practical activities. At the “Rūķu darbnīca” workshop, visitors can grind grain, knead white bread and bake it themselves. In the “Cukurgalvas” story, they can make different kinds of sweets using old recipes. These activities have different themes and tasks: one focuses on grain and bread, the other on sweets and old recipes. The “Cukurgalvas” story also traces the transformation of a sugar beet seed into white sugar.

The story “The Glory and Decline of Zūru Manor” offers a walking tour of the village of Zūras. Visitors can see the double-row avenue, the manor buildings and the park. This tour therefore has a different focus from the exhibition or the hands-on stories: it takes you through the village, with a focus on the avenue, manor buildings and park. To reach the Zūru Local History Exhibition, turn towards Zūru and follow Latvia’s longest double-row avenue.

If you would like to compare other destinations, you can also find information about Ventspils, Vārve, Pope, Miķeļtornis, Ventava, Ugāle, Pasiekste and Leči.

What is the Zūru Local History Exhibition?

It opened in 1998 and was formerly known as the Zūru Museum. It displays old work tools, as well as household and furnishing items, and includes materials about events in Vārves Parish and Ventspils Municipality.

What activities can visitors try in the stories?

“From Fibre to Fabric” offers carding, spinning, plying, winding and weaving. At the “Rūķu darbnīca”, visitors can grind grain, knead and bake white bread; at “Cukurgalvas”, they can make sweets using old recipes.

What can visitors see on a tour of Zūras?

The “The Glory and Decline of Zūru Manor” tour takes visitors through the village and includes the double-row avenue, the manor buildings and the park.

For the broader travel overview: Ventspils.