Zvārtes Rock

Zvārtes rock is one of the most beautiful sandstone outcrops in Latvia. It is more than 350 million years old, its height measures 20m. In order to save the famous rock, in 1939. the riverbed of Amata was straightened.

Next to the rock there is another outcrop – 200m long and up to 44m high. It is very steep, subjected to overground and underground water, frost, sun and wind, therefore landslips and wash-outs develop there.

Folk tales tell that Zvārtes rock used to be a meeting place of witches on Whitsunday, St. John’s Day and Christmas. On those days they rushed on brooms from pine forests of the surroundings.

Opposite to the Zvārtes rock, at the edge of the meadow there is another outcrop – Miglas (Fog) rock. Locals used to call it also the Rock of the Meadow and, because it continues in the forest, the Čūsku (Snake) rock as well.

There is a story that in 1872 during a big storm the threshing barn from the “Zvārtes” farm house, that laid on the bank of the river, was brought to the meadow of the “Vieļas” farm house, where you can see it today. The barn has been restored in 1986.

former times very wise women were called witches – they were fortune-tellers, sorceress, as well as extraordinary beautiful or very ugly women. Witches possessed unusual abilities. Just with a look or with words they could do good or evil. They were met mostly in meadows and forests in a very early morning or very late at night. There they were looking for various plants and other unusual things. People were afraid of them and therefore ascribed witchcraft and strange behaviour.