Aglona (Latgalian: Aglyuna) is a settlement in Latgale, the
center of Aglona county and parish. Located between Lakes Ciriša and
Aglona at the intersection of highways P60 and P62 234 km from
Riga.
Aglona is home to the Aglona Basilica, which is an important Latvian
Catholic religious center.
Aglona consists of three parts:
Aglona south of the basilica, Somerset on the Ciriša shore and
Jaunciems by the Aglona-Preiļi road. Aglona began to form at the
turn of the 17th and 18th centuries, when monks of the Dominican
Order built a monastery and church here. In 1883, Roseters, the
owner of the Noviyev manor, founded the village of Somerset, naming
it after his wife's family. In 1925, Somerset was granted the status
of a densely populated area (village). In 1935, Somerset had a
population of 282. In 1968, Aglona and Somerset were
administratively merged into one village.
Aglona has county
administrative institutions, secondary school, boarding secondary
school, Catholic gymnasium, cultural center, open-air stage, Bread
Museum, World War II exposition, health and social care center, post
office.
The pilgrimage site is located on a narrow strip of land between the Cirišs and Egles lakes and was created from a merger of the settlements of Aglona, Somerseta and Jaunciems. The nearby Sacrifice Island (Latvian: Upursala), Devil's Lake (Latvian: Velnezers), Madelan Castle (Latvian: Madelāņu pilskalns) and the surrounding pine forests make Aglona a popular excursion destination. Traditionally, many families from Russia also spend their summer holidays here.
In 1699 the Dominican Order founded a monastery in Aglona. The
miraculous image of Our Lady of Aglona, which the Dominicans probably
brought here from Lithuania, is significantly older. Since it attracted
more and more pilgrims, today's Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin
Mary was built between 1768 and 1780, with the icon of the Virgin Mary
added to the high altar. The hill is the spiritual center of Catholics
in Latvia, which is otherwise predominantly Lutheran, and the pilgrimage
basilica is the most important Catholic church in the country. The
interior of the baroque basilica is decorated with grisaille paintings
in the Rococo style. It is visited by up to 300,000 pilgrims every year,
especially for the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August
15th, when over 50,000 believers often come to Aglona. Many votive
offerings testify to answered prayers. The basilica is located on a
spring that is said to have healing powers.
In 1980 the church
celebrated its 200th consecration day and Pope John Paul II awarded it
the rank of a minor basilica. In 1986 the 800th anniversary of Latvia's
Christianization was celebrated here. Pope John Paul II visited the
pilgrimage site in September 1993, accompanied by 300,000 pilgrims from
Latvia and neighboring countries. It is one of eight international
Catholic shrines in the world.
Ancient and Early Medieval Roots (Pre-17th Century)
Archaeological and local tradition indicate the Aglona area served
as a settlement and worship site for the Latgallian Baltic tribes as
early as 1800–500 BC. The name “Aglona” (Latgalian: Aglyuna) likely
derives from “egle” (fir or spruce tree), evoking the ancient dense
forests that once blanketed the region. Nearby pagan
landmarks—Sacrifice Island (Upursala) in Lake Cirišs, Devil’s Lake
(Velnezers), and Madelanu Castle Mound—underscore its pre-Christian
spiritual importance.
The first documented link to Christianity
appears in 1263, when Lithuanian King Mindaugas and his sons Ruklys
and Rupeikis were assassinated here amid power struggles (a monument
to Mindaugas and his wife Queen Morta was erected in 2015). While
historians debate the exact site, local tradition firmly associates
Aglona with this early Christian-era tragedy in the Baltic lands.
Christianity arrived more broadly in Livonia via 13th-century
crusaders, but Latgale retained strong pagan influences longer due
to its position.
Founding of the Dominican Monastery and
Wooden Church (Late 17th–Mid-18th Century)
Aglona’s rise as
Latvia’s premier Catholic shrine began under the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth. In 1697, Polish noblewoman Ewa Justyna Szostowicka
(Jeta-Justīna Šostovicka) and her husband, supported by Livonian
Bishop Mikołaj Popławski, invited Dominican friars from Vilnius to
build a monastery and school “for God’s glory and the blessing of
Latvians.” They donated 17 villages with 90 homesteads. Dominican
prior Remigiusz Mosokowski selected the lakeside site in 1688.
The monastery was founded around 1699–1700. A wooden church was
erected and housed a 17th-century icon of the Virgin Mary — a copy
of the renowned Trakai Virgin (with possible Byzantine origins via
Grand Duke Vytautas). The icon, known as Our Miraculous Lady of
Aglona (Aglonas brīnumdarītāja Dievmāte), was quickly credited with
healings. The wooden church was consecrated in 1751 by Bishop Józef
Dominik Puzyna. A sacred healing spring by Lake Egles (whose waters
were scientifically tested in St. Petersburg in 1824 and confirmed
medicinal) further enhanced the site’s reputation. Legends include a
peasant’s child miraculously rescued from drowning in Lake Cirišs
after the father invoked the icon.
Construction of the
Current Basilica and 19th-Century Challenges (1760s–1890s)
The
wooden church burned around 1766 (some traditions cite a vision by a
maid named Anna prompting the rebuild). Construction of the present
Late Baroque (Italian-influenced) brick basilica and monastery began
in 1768 and finished in 1780. Bishop Jan Benisławski consecrated it
in 1800. The majestic structure features two 60-meter twin towers,
cross vaults, Rococo ornaments, marble imitations, and a grand
altar. Key 18th-century elements include the pulpit, organ, and
confessionals; side altars date to the early 19th century. The icon
received a silver-gilt riza (covering) and has attracted hundreds of
ex-votos (oldest from 1812).
Under the Russian Empire (Latgale
annexed 1772), the 19th century brought restrictions. The Dominicans
could not accept new members; the last friar died around 1895, after
which diocesan priests continued ministry. Russification intensified
after the 1830–31 and 1863 uprisings (e.g., temporary closure of the
seminary founded ~1820, Latin script ban 1865–1904 affecting
Latgalian culture, library losses). Yet pilgrimage and devotion to
the miraculous icon grew stronger among Latgale’s Catholics, who
preserved their faith amid pressure toward Orthodoxy. A small
hospital operated near the healing spring.
20th Century:
Independence, Wars, and Soviet Repression (1918–1991)
After
Latvian independence, Aglona briefly served as the seat of the Riga
bishop (1920–1924) under Archbishop Antonijs Springovičs
(consecrated here in 1920). The former monastery hosted a
theological seminary and Catholic gymnasiums (opened 1921 and 1928).
A small Jewish community existed (57 recorded in 1935); nearly all
were killed during the 1941 Nazi occupation (memorial at the
Brethren Cemetery).
Soviet rule (1940–1941 and 1945–1991)
suppressed religion: buildings were nationalized, the seminary and
schools closed, and the library reportedly burned in 1960.
Pilgrimages were restricted, but secret Masses and faith
transmission in homes and forests persisted. Remarkably, the shrine
endured as a symbol of resilience.
In 1980 (200th anniversary of
the basilica), Pope John Paul II granted it the title of Basilica
minoris — Latvia’s only one. In 1986 it hosted celebrations of the
800th anniversary of Christianity in Latvia.
Post-Independence Revival and Papal Visits (1991–Present)
After
Latvia regained independence in 1991, Aglona flourished. Major
renovations (1992 onward) prepared for Pope John Paul II’s historic
visit on 9 September 1993, when over 300,000 pilgrims gathered — a
defining moment for national identity. A large sacred square was
created in front of the basilica for processions. The Latvian
Parliament declared Aglona a “Sacred Site of National Importance” in
1995.
Further restoration occurred 2011–2013 under Bishop Jānis
Bulis (new copper roof, warmer interior colors preserving
Baroque/Rococo style). Pope Francis visited on 24 September 2018,
celebrating Mass in the square despite rain — another powerful
affirmation.
Today, Aglona remains Latvia’s Catholic heart.
Annual Assumption Day pilgrimages draw walkers from across Latvia
(some from Liepāja taking over a week), Lithuania, Poland, and
beyond. The icon is unveiled only on major feasts. The site includes
Stations of the Cross, modern sculptures, and nature attractions.
Aglona symbolizes cultural survival in Latgale, a region
distinguished by its Catholic, Latgalian identity amid Latvia’s
predominantly Lutheran north.
Topography and Geological Origins
Aglona occupies the Latgale
Upland (Latgales augstiene), part of Latvia’s Eastern Uplands — a
morainic landscape sculpted by multiple advances and retreats of the
Scandinavian Ice Sheet during the Pleistocene epoch. The terrain
consists of gently rolling hills, drumlins, eskers, and kettle-hole
depressions, creating a fragmented pattern of low ridges, shallow
valleys, and abundant lake basins. Local relief is modest: elevations
typically range from 138 m (453 ft) to 174 m (571 ft) in the immediate
vicinity, with an average around 153 m (502 ft). This fits Latvia’s
overall low-lying profile (98 % of the country lies below 200 m), yet
the upland character produces a scenic, undulating countryside of small
hillocks and moist ravines.
The broader Latgale region is often
called the “Land of Blue Lakes” because glacial meltwater and ice-block
depressions left behind one of Europe’s highest densities of small lakes
(over 1,200 in Latgale alone).
Hydrology: Lakes, Islands, and
Water Bodies
Water defines Aglona’s geography more than any other
element. The parish contains approximately 14.5 km² of water surface
within its 132 km² total area; the former municipality had dozens of
lakes.
Lake Cirišs (Cirīša ezers): The larger northern lake (area
6.3 km² / 630.6 ha, average depth 4.1 m, maximum depth 10 m). It
features eight islands (total 39 ha), the most famous being Upursala
(Sacrifice Island) — a protected botanical and archaeological reserve
with a 1.8 km nature trail, ancient hillfort remains, and over 260 plant
species. The lake has sandy/rocky shores in places, some silted bays,
and supports 20 fish species (including sturgeon). It is part of the
Cirīša ezera dabas parks (nature park established 1977) and lies at
143.5 m a.s.l. with an outflow via the Tartaks River. The Aglona
Basilica sits directly on its shore, its towers famously reflected in
the water.
Lake Egles (Egles ezers): The smaller southern lake that
completes the isthmus. It hosts a sacred healing spring on its shore
near the basilica, long venerated for its spiritual and reputed
medicinal properties. A prominent hill with Christ the King sculptures
rises on its opposite bank.
Velnezers (Devil’s Lake / Čertoks): About
12 km southeast in the Grāveri pine forest (technically in neighboring
Krāslava district but strongly associated with Aglona tourism). This
small (≈1.9 ha), round, funnel-shaped suffusion lake reaches 17 m depth.
Its water is famously crystal-clear bluish-green (visibility to 12 m),
with almost no fish or aquatic plants — legends attribute this to
mystical or radioactive gas properties. It is a protected natural
monument surrounded by bilberry-rich pine forest and equipped with
boardwalks and viewing platforms.
Climate
Aglona has a humid
continental climate (Dfb classification) — long, cold, snowy winters and
mild, comfortable summers, moderated slightly by its inland but not
extreme position. Using data centered on coordinates 56.13°N 27.01°E and
elevation ≈180 m:
Annual mean temperature: 7.42 °C (45.4 °F).
Winter: January average high ≈ –4.9 °C (23 °F), low ≈ –8.9 °C (16 °F);
heavy snow cover and overcast skies from November to March.
Summer:
July average high ≈ 22.9 °C (73 °F), low ≈ 13 °C (55 °F); partly cloudy
and pleasant.
Precipitation: Approximately 600–1,000 mm annually
(monthly data show peaks in summer: July ≈139 mm, June ≈120 mm; drier
winter months ≈57–68 mm). About 174 rainy days per year, with
significant snowfall October–April.
Humidity: High year-round (annual
average ≈85 %, peaking near 94 % in winter).
The climate supports
lush vegetation but limits agriculture on the morainic soils.
Vegetation, Land Use, and Environment
Dense pine and spruce forests
(with birch and some broadleaf species) dominate the surroundings — the
very name “Aglona” derives from the Latvian word egle (spruce/fir).
Forests historically covered much of the area and still form a major
part of the landscape (roughly one-third of the parish), interspersed
with rolling agricultural fields, meadows, and wetlands. The region is
rich in berries, mushrooms, and protected species; islands in Lake
Cirišs are botanical reserves. Recent decades have seen excessive
logging in some pine stands, but protected areas (Natura 2000 sites and
nature parks) preserve biodiversity. Glacial soils (till, sand, gravel,
loam) create a patchwork of fertile patches and poorer upland areas.
Legend of the grave of the King of
Lithuania Mindaugas in Aglona after his death.
The legend about
the preserved original of the Aglona Icon of Our Lady (XIII
century), which resides in the altar of the Aglona Basilica.
The
holy spring behind the basilica.