Lokstene Shrine of Dievturi

Lokstene Shrine of Dievturi (Latvian: Lokstenes dievturu svētnīca) is a Dievturi religious building in Pļaviņas Municipality, Latvia. It is used by the organization Latvijas Dievturu sadraudze for devotional ceremonies and annual celebrations.

Lokstene Shrine of Dievtur
Aerial view of Lokstene Shrine of Dievturi
Religion
AffiliationDievturība (Baltic neopaganism)
Governing bodyLatvijas Dievturu sadraudze
Location
LocationLiepsalas, Klintaine Parish
MunicipalityPļaviņas Municipality
CountryLatvia
Geographic coordinates56°35′58″N 25°39′27″E
Architecture
Architect(s)Ainārs Markvarts
Funded byDagnis Čākurs
Date established6 May 2017

Details

The building is located on a small island in the Daugava river, behind the Liepkalni bakery and café in Liepsalas, close to the town Pļaviņas.[1] It is named after the nearby Lokstene castle mound.[2]

The entire complex includes a shrine building, a ferry, an assembly and flag square, a monument to the ancestors, and a gate of the sun.[2]

Development
The shrine under construction on 6 March 2016

The project was financed by Dagnis Čākurs, owner of the Liepkalni bakery chain. Čākurs explained that as he had grown older, he had become more interested in questions about the soul and mortality. As the Latvian people had supported his business over the years, he wanted to give something in return, and hoped to do so with a house for the national gods and Latvian folk culture.[3]

The design was developed by Latvijas Dievturu sadraudze (LDS) under the leadership of Valdis Celms. The architect was Ainārs Markvarts. The interior design was done by Andrejs Broks and Egons Garklāvs. The sculptor was Jānis Karlovs.[4]

Activity

The island is owned by Čākurs and is leased by the LDS.[5] LDS began to use the building in the autumn of 2016, before the entire complex was finished.[1] The official opening took place on 6 May 2017.[4]

The building regularly hosts devotional ceremonies and celebrations, such as family celebrations, celebrations of moral and spiritual values, and celebration of the Latvian national day.[6]

Anita Liepiņa of the literary magazine Jaunā Gaita argued in 2017 that the building should receive state support just like churches receive support for maintenance.[5]

See also

References
  1. Dieziņa, Sandra (17 January 2017). ""Liepsalās" atklās dievturu svētnīcu". Latvijas Avīze (in Latvian). Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  2. "Uz salas Daugavā uzceļ dievturu svētnīcu". Latvijas Avīze. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  3. Lāce, Antra (8 May 2015). "Dagnis Čākurs: pienācis laiks dot citiem". eLiesma (in Latvian). Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  4. "Uz salas Daugavā atklāta dievturu svētnīca". Skaties (in Latvian). 11 May 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  5. Liepiņa, Anita (2017). "Latvijas Dievturu Sadraudzes (LDS) vieta Latvijā". Jaunā Gaita (in Latvian) (290). Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  6. Pumpure, Sandra (9 May 2017). "Atklāj Lokstenes svētnīcu". Staburags. Retrieved 24 October 2019.

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