The Smiltene Manor Complex is located on the steep banks of Vidusezers. It is called Kalnamuiza. The Manor buildings where built between 1767-1771 during the ownership of Governor General Brown of Vidzeme. Later on the Manor was sold to a trader Bandau in Riga. Prince Paul von Liven`s mother bought it in  1893 and gave it to her son as a present. The following years brought a rapid development of Smiltene under Prince Paul von Liven.

There are several buildings that can be seen nowadays, such as: steward`s house, ice-cellar, hunter`s and dog lodge, stable, silo, barn with old weather- vanes and ruins of the German Order Castle with cheese house (1763). Govermment of Latvia nationalized the Manor and there was set up a one- year school of dairing in 1922. Smiltene tehnikums has been teaching young people from all regions of Latvia so far.

Foto Inga Zaļkalne

The castle was built in 1370 and owned my Riga Archbishop. You can  see only some separate fragments of stone wall on the top of steep banks of Vidusezers.

Foto Agita Ļeļeva

The cheese house like this is the only one in Latvia. There was a cellar for storage of milk but upstairs was e place for drying small, flat pieces of cheese made of cottage cheese and caravay seeds. The first floor was made of boards with different holes to secure the correct drying process but later these holes were walled up. Cheese was sold at Riga markets. On the roof of the cheese house you can notice a weather- vane Anno 1768 that gives the correct information of its building time.

Sightseeing around  Smiltene and Kalnamuiza, delicacy degustation. If you want to know more about  Smiltene and its history, book a sightseeing walk by Madame Lily or a guide. Madame has organized degustation of different kind local delicacy.

https://visit.smiltene.lv/list-of-adventures/