Kaupo Ala

Kaupo Cave - Kubeseles cave

Useful Information

Location:	South of Krimulda church.
Open:	No restrictions. [2010]
Fee:	free. [2010]
Classification:	sandstone cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
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As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

Kaupo Ala (Kaupo Cave) was named after the Latvian chief Kaupo.

In the Middle Ages, around 1200 AD, the area was inhabited by Finnish speaking tribes. But the times changed when German merchants of the Hanse started to explore the eastern Baltic Sea. They were followed by Christian crusading knights which tried to convert the pagan locals, even with force if necessary. Chief Kaupo was baptized and befriended Bishop Albert of Riga. To the dismay of other Livonians he became an enthusiastic supporter of Christianity. The result was an uprise against Kaupo, who faught against the rebells with Albert and his knights. The rebells withdrew to the wooden Turaida Castle (God's Garden) near Sigulda. They were finally defeated and the wooden castle destroyed. The German knights built a brick fortress at the same place, known as Treiden, a Germanised version of the Lithuanian name Turaida.

The small cave is actually not connected with the story of Kaupo. It is a small erosional cave located in one of the sandstone cliffs along Gauja river. The originally naturally cave was probably manually enlarged.