The Mara’s Chamber Caves – a cult site located in the south-western corner of Ģibuli municipality, is a naturally formed system of caves in a sandstone outcrop on the right bank of the Abava valley, about 2 km south-west of the former Kalesi manor.

It has been suggested that these caves are related to a shrine in Sabile municipality mentioned in a document from 1462. Various stories about the chambers of Mara have been published since the middle of the last century. One of them is related to the “holy daughters” who used to live here and used to roll laundry on Friday nights, which made the chambers very smoky.

A comprehensive description of the chambers of Mara was published in 1907 by traveller Oskars Emils Šmits, who also heard stories that robbers used to hide in the caves. In 1903, the then owner of Kalesi Manor had the caves excavated in search of hidden treasures of robbers, but nothing was found.

O.E.Šmits also explains the name of the cave logically. He believes that Catholic clergy once attached an image of St Mary to the ancient cult cave. The ancient name of the cave disappeared and was replaced by the Latvian version of Mary’s name – Māra kambari.

Photos from the Talsi TIC archive