Skrīveri is famous for its natural formations, thanks to its magnificent topography – mountains of local importance and ancient troughs and depressions. This time the story is about the Great Andrew – the oak tree, to which a well-kept path leads up the Sprūds Hill.

In the summer of 1977, Imants Ziedonis visited Skrīveri with his son Rimantas. The great poet asked the museum guide if there were any beech trees in Skrīveri. A long conversation took place, and people discussed and thought about where they could be. Several places were named, the first being the large oak trees on the bank of the Brasla river near Līči, in the area of the former Finnish bathhouse, but Imants Ziedonis was not impressed by these large trees. On the way back from Līči, Imants Ziedonis had seen the huge oak in the alder bushes and realised that it could be the biggest oak, which it turned out to be – it was nearly 6 metres in circumference at the time. A month later, Imants Ziedonis was there with a group of Dagerians called the Beech Tree Liberation Group – famous artists, composers, poets, active students and other members of the group, dressed in work clothes, rubber boots on their feet, with fuchsia in their hands, having received permission from the Skrīveri Executive Committee, set to work and cleared the great oak. Later, Imants Ziedonis decided that, in honour of the centenary of Andrejs Upītis, this big, beautiful oak tree should be named Big Andrejs!
The oak tree is located at the top of Sprūdas Hill, it has grown more than six metres in circumference, and there is a well-maintained path leading to it, from which – at the very top of the hill near Lielā Andreja – you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Dīvajas valley, the Daugava Valley Nature Park and Jaunjelgava.

Photos from the Aizkraukle TIC archive.