Valāta Hillfort

Located 3 km from the center of Kazdanga, between Kazdanga Vecpils and Valāti, lies the Valāta Hillfort.

The 15-meter-high hillfort is one of the largest and most visually impressive Curonian fortifications. The steep hillfort is surrounded by the Alokste River. The flat top area of the hillfort covers 0.6 hectares (120×70 m). In ancient times, the entrance to the castle led along the eastern end of the hillfort. This entrance was later widened to allow carts to pass.

The hillfort is naturally protected on three sides, while on the northern side, two ramparts and two ditches were constructed. The southern slope of the hillfort is gentler compared to the particularly steep eastern and western slopes; therefore, it was artificially steepened by removing excess soil, creating a small terrace.

The hillfort is a typical corner fortification with a secondary entrance at its narrow end, as well as additional fortifications such as a rampart and terrace. It is believed that the hillfort had a defensive line at its base. Overall, the hillfort was a strong fortification in terms of size and the scale of earthworks, strategically positioned in a favorable location.

Kazdanga Hillfort was located in the Curonian land of Bandava. The cultural layer of the hillfort is about 1 meter thick, but it has been significantly damaged due to agricultural activities. Until the early 20th century, the flat top of the hillfort was intensively plowed. No extensive archaeological research has been conducted at the site.

In 1263, the Order’s army burned down the castles of Laža (Lasen), Markaiši (Merkes), and Grobiņa (Grubin) during a single campaign, as recorded in the Rhymed Chronicle.

Legends of Kazdanga Hillfort

More legends have been recorded about Kazdanga Hillfort than about many other hillforts in Courland. The most traditional tales speak of a sunken castle within the hill and a “chimney” through which people could descend into the castle. A. Bielenstein also documented stories about a treasure chest buried near the hillfort and events that occurred during the plague.

Another legend tells that if you sleep on the hill at night, you may see the lord of the castle, or in another version—a gray dog, a rider, and five singing people. Every 15 years, at the moment when the first rooster crows, five long-dead people rise from the underworld to attend a feast.

There is also a tale about a woman herding cows near the hillfort. An old man approached her, asking to be struck with a birch twig. The woman refused, and the old man sighed, saying that he would have to remain in the sunken castle for another 100 years because of her refusal.

The Devil's Stone

At the foot of Valāta Hillfort flows the Alokste River. A well-known legend speaks of a large stone on the eastern side of the hillfort, surrounded by the river's waters but with its surface above the waterline. On the stone’s surface, the imprints of animal footprints can be clearly seen—some resembling cow hoof prints.

How did these prints get there? According to legend, the devil himself is to blame. One night, the devil climbed Valāta Hillfort to scare the Curonians living there, causing great fear, especially among the children. The men of the hillfort decided to confront the devil or at least drive him away.

One night, armed with torches, they lay in wait. Around midnight, the devil appeared. The men rushed at him, and the devil fled the hillfort as fast as he could. The men gave chase. The devil dashed across a small meadow toward the Alokste River. Leaping from a large stone, he jumped over the river and disappeared into the forest. The men could not follow him further.

At dawn, the villagers went to the river where the devil had leaped. To their surprise, they found animal footprints on the surface of the stone, some clearly resembling cow hoof prints. It seemed the devil had one (or perhaps both) cow-like legs. From that day on, the large stone in the Alokste River became known as the Devil's Stone (Velnakmens).