14 • 12 • 2015
Feel history at Ložmetējkalns hill
Next year will mark 100 years since the historic Christmas Battles of World War I that took place at Ložmetējkalns Hill. In order to explore and experience historical accounts, any enthusiast can observe the ancient battle grounds from a 27-meter watchtower, as well as go on an educational walk through a 7.2 meter long trail. At the time, the pine forest used to be a clearing filled with few trees and barbed wire.
Climbing the Ložmetējkalns watchtower, which was restored in 2005, these memorial grounds of the 1916 clashes can be seen from high above, however, when on ground, there is a chance to walk through Russian and German entrenchments, see memorial plaques at the front gaps, and the cemetery. Furthermore, a map can come in handy, providing point-to-point accounts about specific locations. This two-hour walk can turn out to be a lesson and exploration of historic events, or “quality time” spent in a Latvian state forest.
Ložmetējkalns at Tīreļpurvs bog today is preserved as a historic monument of national importance, where memorial events dedicated to Latvian Riflemen are held every year in January.
