Gutman's Cave

Coordinates: 57°09′56″N 24°50′45″E / 57.16556°N 24.84583°E / 57.16556; 24.84583
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Gutmanis Cave

Gutmanis Cave (Latvian: Gūtmaņa ala) is the deepest cave in the Baltic countries,[1] located on the Gauja River bank in the National Park of Sigulda, Latvia.

Size and legend

It is 19 meters deep, 12 meters wide and 10 meters high. The cave is connected with the old Latvian story of Maija, the Rose of Turaida (1601-1620). According to legend she was an orphan girl discovered after a battle and raised by the staff at Turaida Castle. She fell in love with the gardener and they used to meet in the cave. A Polish soldier fell in love with her, but she turned him down as she was already engaged. The soldier then tricked her to the cave using a forged letter and there he planned on raping her. In exchange for letting her go she offered him a "magical scarf" that supposedly was impossible to cut through. She offered to demonstrate it and put it around her neck. The soldier cut through it with his sword killing her. According to documents in Sigulda's archives the soldier was later caught, tried and hanged for his crime.

References

  1. ^ Easy Voyage. "Gutmanis cave". Easy Voyage.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2012.

57°09′56″N 24°50′45″E / 57.16556°N 24.84583°E / 57.16556; 24.84583


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