On 24-25 September, as part of the Explore Balts project, tourism specialists from Kurzeme and representatives of the cultural route’s – Balts' Road – Couronian Loop Segment visited Zemgale and Sēlija to meet with colleagues of Semigallian and Selonian Route Segments to share experience, get acquainted with the tourism offers provided and get insight into the common Balts’ history.
On the trip participants visited a number of ancient hillforts which once served as fortifications and were important centres of local settlements, as well as museums that preserve archaeological evidence of the life of ancient Semigallians and Selonians. It was especially exciting to meet the hosts at various craft centres and creative houses, who put a lot of efforts in safeguarding the old traditions and provide an opportunity to learn ancient crafts. At the Craft Centre Rūme in Zasa participants got acquainted with the reconstructions of the archaeological Selonian traditional costumes and each made its own unique leather bracelet. At the Selonian farmstead of Jēkabpils Open-air Museum participants got to know how the ancient houses and rural buildings looked like and tried their skills in making sauna scrubs. At the Creative House Baltaine participants learned of Selonian songs and were involved in various fun games with traditional elements. Participants also met with Normunds Jērums – a prominent Balts’ history enthusiast and the father of the reconstruction of the Tērvete Wooden Castle of 12th century who told about the lifestyle of ancient Semigallians and introduced with the archaeological enidences related to material culture of Semigallians
Project activities are being implemented with the support of the Interreg V-A Latvia-Lithuania Programme 2014-2020.
Information provided by:
Alise Lūse,
Explore Balts Project Manager
Kurzeme Planning Region
Tel.: + 371 26567874, [email protected]
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