Mazsalaca

Mazsalaca (Salisburg in German) developed into a densely populated settlement following 1864, when the owner of the Valtenberģi estate Arnold Fietinghof leased out first 42 building plots to peasants. The first bridge was built over the River Salaca at the time, and the village thrived due to crafts and commerce.

The charm of Mazsalaca and the surrounding area lies not only in natural beauty but also in its history and cultural monuments, from sacred sites of ancient Livs to the heritage of the five centuries old baronial estate and religious buildings of those epochs.

The Skaņaiskalns Nature Park is one of the most spectacular venues spreading for 3 km along the right bank of the River Salaca downstream from Mzasalaca. Here a visitor can take a walk along the Kurbads trail and follow the story that 50 wooden sculptural images tell about the legendary strongman. The path leads up to the Skaņaiskalns Cliff. If you are not afraid of the Old Nick, come and see the 14 m long Devil's Cave and the Devil's Boulder.

A clear spring flows out of the Skābumbaļļa (Sourtub) cave by the very Salaca, and spectacular outcrops of the Neļķu Cliffs rise not far away.

The vicinity of Mazasalaca abounds in heritage sites related to ancient Latvian, Livonians and Estonians: the Zvejnieki Stone Age burial ground, the Riņņi hill, the Livonian sacrificial caves and a hill-fort, the Pujēni Sacred Field, and the Vīkšēni hill-fort.