Location
State: Latvia
Region: Riga
Town: Engure
Other references to the location
In the centre of Engure at the Engure River, port and fish processing plant.
Coordinates
lat=57.1663888889, lon=23.2283333333
57° 9′ 59″ N, 23° 13′ 41″ E
Description
Engure River, which is getting rather wide on its approach to the sea. On the sides and slopes of the hill there are many excavated pits and landslides; at the S foot there are several old stone-cast fish cellars dug into the hill. The Church Hill does not feature a real plateau; the existing one is small and levelled off. Next to the relatively main plateau there are some other hill peaks or elevations. All together, although the hill is detached its borders are still rather variable, it is rather high, dune-type, it has no ancient relief transformations and its possible sacred role is unclear and might be insignificant because the hill is more likely to form a part of an ancient port and its surroundings rather than could be viewed as an ancient shrine. At the same time rather many legends have been recorded about the Church Hill: about a castle that sank in the hill, about maid Marija who, while sledging down the hill, fell under the ice and got drawned; about a cellar under the hill where the baron’s daughter together with a Swedish officer were locked etc. In the S side valley there are family gardens, on the sea side there is a widening in the Engure River which is considered the ancient port place of Engure.
Narrative
In Engure at a small river there is a hill, which is called Marija Hill. On the current Marija Hill there used to be a castle where Marija, king’s daughter, lived. Once the castle sank with the queen in it. The hill had got its name from the queen’s name. Still today, on one side of the hill excavated pits can be seen. During the world war some bold people dug the hill and found several doors and some keys, but the digging was stopped. There are several entrances leading into the pit. The entrances have filled up with sand. In the evening after the sunset spirits can be seen exiting from the side of the doors. Somebody else has seen the spirit in the form of a bird flying around the hill until it disappeared in one of the entrances. (Latvian Folklore Repository pa2 828, 18693. Rec. by: M. Poča Rīga Teachers’ Institute, 1934. Told by Antonija Gricmane Tk)
Attraction
Unatrractive, there would be nice views from the hill if it was cleaned.
Availability
On the side of the road
Infrastructure, management, facilities
None
Local info
None
Capacity
0 – 9
Publicity
Unknown
Legal Status
Property of State
Comments
There are no directions to the Church Hill in Engure Centre. There are no signs even at the hill, however, for the person who knows the place the driving to the hill is simple. Next to the hill there is a fish-processing plant which creates the corresponding smell.
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