Turaida Museum Reserve and Folk Song Park
Dainu Hill - Song Garden
10, Turaidas Str.
Turaida, LV - 2147
Latvia
Contact: Anna Jurkane
Tel: (371-2) 9 71402
Fax: (371-2) 9 71797
E-mail: turaida@lis.lv

Turaida Museum Reserve is the the first specially commended museum of European Museums of the Year Award in Baltics, is located in a small town Sigulda, 50 minutes north of Riga, the capital of Latvia. Folk Song Park is a part of Turaida Museum Reserve, which comprises historical center of Turaida with its natural and cultural monuments, which tells us about the events in the course of 1000 years starting with 11^th century. Total area of Turaida Museum Reserve is 41 ha. Its 18.5 ha Folk Song Park provides a permament exhibition of Indulis Ranka sculpture, with 25 works dedicated to Latvian folk song on display.

First part of the Folk Song Park - the Dainu Hill (Hill of folk-songs) was open in 1985 and was dedicated to Krisjanis Barons, a well-known Latvian folklorist, the most significant work of which in Latvian culture was publication of Latvian folk songs. It included about 218 000 songs consisting of four lines. 40 years he worked selflessly to gather folk songs and on his 150^th aniversary a sculpture exposition with 17 sculptures was open.

Song Garden was open in 1990 during XXth General Latvian Song Festival with open-air estrade - natural amphitheatre. The Park is formed and kept like natural environment with footpaths, tracks and wooden stair system. Its value is enhanced by the unique nature of the Gauja valley - the steep banks with sandstone outcrops, the river bends - they are seen from the specially made view places.

Folk Song Park has been established to symbolize nation`s mentality, poetical mind as well as the order and harmony that are rooted in Latvian culture.

In summer Latvian and other ethnographical or folk groups often perform on Dainu Hill and in Song Garden. Museum Reserve regularly organizes various activities - festivals, concerts, open-air art campaigns, exhibitions.

Next to Folk Song Park there is a castle mound with a brick-walled castle, the monument of the medieval architecture. The archaeological investigation and restauration work is still going on. The castle invites you to expositions on historical events in Latvia from 11th to 18th century.

On the way to Folk Song Park there is the church hill. It is a place in which the church and cemetery were arranged for the first baptisized Livs. The burial in the graveyard was interrupted in 1772. The symbolical tomb of Roze from Turaida is situated at the oldest lime-tree. Roze was a girl who sacrificed herself in the name of love. Turaida church - one of the oldest wooden churches in Latvia built by the native rural craftsmen - is situated there.

Besides Turaida Museum Reserve offers a survey of Turaida estate - its buildings, basement for fish, bath-house (sauna), smithy, stable and system of ponds.

Admission is 1 Ls in summer season , 0.80 Ls in winter season per person, 0.40 Ls for senior citizens, students and pupils. Children age 5 and under are admitted free. The Folk Song Park - 0.40 Ls.

Turaida Museum Reserve is open from Monday - Sunday; May 1- September 30 :

from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; October 1 - May 1: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Folk Song Park is open year round.

Visitors can call the main number (+371-2) 9 71402 and they have the option of speaking with a secretary to receive further directions, if needed.

Turaida Museum Reserve provides parking in a parking lot from May 1 - October 31.

Time is not limited. Services are to be paid.

Special guided tours of the Museum and Folk Song Park led by Turaida Museum Reserve guides can be arranged in English, German and Russian for 1 person and in groups - 10 Ls. Turaida Museum Reserve does not offer acoustiguides tours.

Located within the museum are souvenir shops and art gallery, which are open Monday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Restrooms are located within the Museum near the museum`s front entrance.

Indulis Ranka

Indulis Ranka

Folklore Group

Indulis Ranka

Indulis Ranka

Indulis Ranka