Discover Matīši: Nature, History and Festivals

Matīši combines nature observation with historical remembrance and vibrant Latvian tradition. The surrounding area includes the former Bauņi Manor Park with Jēkabkalns, a striking white stork colony and the Pučurgas dižakmens. There is also St Matthew’s Church, a local history centre and recurring events. Those looking for an apartment or holiday home can therefore plan their stay according to their preferred focus: nature, history or cultural events.

Landscape and nature around Matīši

Jēkabkalns is part of the former Bauņi Manor Park. Its varied relief and dendrological plantings give this landscape a distinctive character. Its historical connection to the park remains an important part of its identity, linking nature with the history of the surrounding area.

Another natural attraction is the white stork colony in Matīšu parish. It is located in an old larch avenue along the Valmiera–Matīši–Mazsalaca road (P16). The colony comprises more than 30 nests and is the largest in the Baltic states. For planning your trip, this place is particularly interesting if you want to choose a landscape not only by what you can see, but also by distinctive wildlife and natural features.

The Pučurgas dižakmens is also located in the area around Matīši. Its volume is 12 m³. The stone has been made accessible for visitors; paths and an information board have been installed for this purpose. It therefore adds a clearly identified destination to the natural experiences that you can include in your day plan.

History and cultural traces

St Matthew’s Church in Matīši was consecrated on 21 September 1687. This specific date makes the church an important historical reference point for the area.

The Matīšu novadpētniecības centrs provides information about the history of Matīši from the year the parish was founded. Those who want to understand the area better can connect this historical focus with the memorial sites in the surrounding area. The second Latvian Song Festival was held at Jēkabkalns in 1865 and is also referred to as the Vidzeme Latvian Song Days. The hill therefore represents not only parkland, but also an important chapter in Latvian choral tradition.

Festivals and events

The Matīši parish festival takes place every year on the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August. If you want to plan your trip around a local event, this weekend provides a fixed point of reference. At the end of May, the folk dance group concert “Naktsputni” also takes place at the Matīši open-air stage. The two events have different emphases: the August festival lasts three days, while the concert is a single cultural event in the annual calendar.

When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether you want to visit Matīši primarily for nature observation, its historical themes or a specific event period. An apartment in Matīši is particularly suitable as a starting point when searching for accommodation if you do not want to reduce the area to a single attraction, but instead want to combine several of these themes.

More places in the selection

If you want to continue your search within the same selection of locations, you can also visit Vecate, Mīlīte and Burtnieki. This allows you to assess which location best matches your preferred balance of nature, history and event dates.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Burtnieku Municipality.