Varakļāni Municipality: Castle, Park and Teiči Nature Reserve

Castle history, sacred architecture and protected landscapes give Varakļāni Municipality a range of distinct highlights. The castle park and local history museum explore themes related to Count Michael Jan von der Borch and the history of the area. The Teiči Nature Reserve offers a different kind of visit, where guided access and visitor requirements are important. A tasting at VARA KLĀNU also offers its own themes and a specific booking requirement.

Castle Park and Local History Museum

Varakļāni Castle was built between 1783 and 1789 for Count Michael Jan von der Borch. The park was created alongside the castle at the end of the 18th century. It is one of Latvia’s first landscape parks in the Romantic style to have a documented date. The history of the building and the design of the landscape are thus part of a shared historical story. In the park, on the bank of the Kažava stream, stands a large stone known locally as the “Lovers’ Stone.”

The Varakļāni Local History Museum has been housed in the castle since 1997. Its modernized permanent exhibition focuses on the life and scientific work of M. Borch, as well as the history of the town of Varakļāni and Varakļāni Municipality. The museum also features several exhibitions and thematic displays. These include 18th- and 19th-century wall and ceiling paintings, the castle’s interiors and a chapel. A museum visit therefore brings together the story of the count and scientist with local and regional history.

The museum regularly organizes exhibitions and thematic events. It also offers museum education, environmental research and recreation programs. A tourist information center is located in the Local History Museum, offering guided tours and organizing excursions around Varakļāni Municipality. Your visit can therefore extend beyond the exhibition rooms to guided activities and other destinations in the area.

Sacred Architecture and Local Remembrance

The Chapel of Saint Victor was built in 1814 in the Classical style, modeled on the Pantheon in ancient Rome. Relics of Saint Victor are housed in the Roman Catholic Church of Varakļāni. Its interior contains three altars, most of which are clad in colorful Italian marble. The chapel and the church have distinct points of emphasis: the chapel is notable for its ancient architectural model, while the church’s appearance is shaped by its altars and relics.

The Lutheran cemetery also has a varied ensemble. It includes an Art Deco-style entrance gate, the family chapel of the P. Mucenieks family and several sculpturally interesting monuments. Another monument commemorates community members who fell in the First World War and in Latvia’s War of Independence. The different elements bring architecture, family history and remembrance to the fore as distinct aspects of the site.

Teiči Nature Reserve and Guided Visits

The Teiči Strict Nature Reserve extends into the Murmastiene and Varakļāni rural parishes of Varakļāni Municipality. It is designated as an Important Bird Area, a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, and a Natura 2000 site. These protected-area designations set this natural environment apart from the cultural sites around the castle and museum.

The designated Sildas (Krastmaļi)–Siksala visitor route channels regulated visitor traffic through the reserve. Siksala is an island of dry land surrounded by bogs in Varakļāni Municipality and can only be visited with a guide from the Teiči Nature Reserve. Check the applicable access and booking arrangements before your visit. This way, the conditions for this nature experience are part of your plans rather than a surprise when you arrive.

Tastings and Trip Planning

A tasting at VARA KLĀNU requires a booking. It includes nine drinks with different flavors, snacks, a visit to the production facility and the family story behind the business. This experience differs both from the castle and museum’s focus on cultural history and from a guided visit to the Teiči Nature Reserve: here, flavors, the production facility and the company’s story are all central.

The requirements vary depending on which activities you choose: a booking is required for the tasting, and Siksala must be visited with a guide from the reserve. The castle, museum and sacred architecture, on the other hand, offer historical and artistic themes. As you plan your hotel stay, you can use these different highlights to guide your trip planning and check the requirements for the activities that interest you in advance.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Varakļānu pilsēta, Murmastienes pagasts, Varakļānu pagasts, Gārsenes pagasts, Brocēnu Novads, Ērgļu Novads, Dagdas Novads, Kandavas Novads.

Back to the main travel overview: Latvia.