Gūtmaņala – the widest and highest cave in Latvia and the whole Baltic Sea, or, to be more precise, a niche or grotto of the cave type. The cave is 18.8 metres long, 12 metres wide and has a maximum ceiling height of 10 metres. Gūtmanis Cave is formed in the yellowish-red sandstone of the Gauja Suite, the result of several thousand years of activity by the Gauja stream and an underground spring. The cave is considered to be the oldest tourist attraction in Latvia; since ancient times, visitors to the cave have wanted to “decorate” its walls with their names and year numbers. The oldest inscriptions on the cave walls date back to the 17th century. The names of barons and lords of the manor can also be read in the sandstone. They were engraved on their instructions and orders by the craftsmen who waited for wealthy visitors and kept watch near the cave with ladders, stencils and engraving tools. Names, coats of arms and annual numbers were engraved for a fee.

The spring that flows from the cave is said to be the tears of the wife of the Liv chieftain Rindaug. The unfaithful wife was buried alive on the banks of the Gauja River by her husband, and the unhappy wife wept so bitterly in anguish of conscience that her tears washed away the vast cave. To this day, the spring is said to have healing properties.

Another story tells how the name of the cave came about. In ancient times, a good man lived in the cave and treated people with the spring water, the name of the cave comes from the German “gut Mann”, which means “good man”. In the 1930s, it was proposed to change the name of the cave to Labvīra Cave, but this proposal was not accepted.

Gūtmanis Cave is an ancient cult site and until the early 19th century, people made secret offerings to their idol gods here. However, the story of the unhappy love between Turaida Rose and Maija is the most vivid in people’s memories.

Right next to the Gutmanis Cave is the small Viktor’s Cave, this cave was supposedly carved by Viktor Heil for his bride – Turaida Rose, so that she could look out over the gardens of Sigulda Castle, where he worked.

DETAILEDINFORMATION

Prices for parking

01.05.-30.09. From Mon.-Sun. 9.00 – 19.00

01.10.-30.04.Mon. – Sun. 9.00 – 17.00

Car – 2.50 EUR
Minibus – 5.00 EUR
Bus -7.00 EUR

Photos from Sigulda TIC archive.