Discover Medumi: Park, Lake and History

Medumi offers several ways to explore: the park’s dendrological diversity, a protected lake landscape and tangible traces of history. Nature and cultural experiences each have their own focus here. You can shape your stay around your interests, whether they lie particularly in trees and landscapes, traces of the First World War or sacred architecture.

Park, Lake and Protected Landscape

Medumi Park is a dendrological planting of national importance and has been on the list of protected sites since 15 April 1977. It is home to 31 protected tree species. As you walk through the park, you will pass a small artificial waterfall—a distinctive feature that sets the park apart in addition to its botanical character.

The Medumu Ezeraine Nature Park is a separate site, covering 1,375 hectares. Lake Medumi lies within both this nature park and the Augšzeme protected landscape area. Its islands form a botanical reserve, which has been protected since 1987. For those interested in the landscape, this brings together several aspects: the lake, its protected islands and the larger protected areas in which the lake is situated.

The highest elevations in the nature park include Medumu, Samanku, Skirstenu and Ziedinu. A hiking trail of about two kilometres also runs through the nature park. Near its route are First World War bunkers, old trenches and the site of a manor house cellar. The approximate length and the historical traces mentioned here give you a concrete point of reference when choosing between a short stretch of the trail and a day focused more on cultural history.

There is also a beach at Lake Medumi, in Medumi Park. It is accessible to people with reduced mobility. This information may be important when planning if access to the beach is a consideration for you.

Explore War and Sacred History

The First World War Museum covers the fiercest battles of 1915 in the highlands around Ilūkste and Medumi, near Daugavpils. Its exhibition covers 113 m² and is divided into two thematic sections. A replica of a Russian bunker includes a section of trench, a small shelter, equipment from everyday life at the front and soldier figures. Audio and video technology is intended to convey the atmosphere of a battlefield. The exhibition thus presents both tangible objects and a spatial depiction of life at the front.

A private collection on the heritage of the First World War and regional history displays parts of soldiers’ equipment, household objects, historical photographs and maps. It presents historical evidence from Medumu Parish and its surroundings. The focus is therefore not solely on military equipment: photographs, maps and household items are also among the traces of regional history on display.

Another historical focus is the prayer house complex of the Medumi Old Believer community. It consists of a church, a separate bell tower and the priest’s residence. The prayer house offers an impression of the appearance of Old Believer sacred buildings before 1905. The site and the collection thus lead to different questions: one concerns religious architecture, the other war and regional history.

Find the Right Holiday Rental for Your Interests

If you are looking for a holiday rental in Medumi, first consider which themes you would like to shape your stay. The park and lake offer a nature-focused experience; the hiking trail combines its approximate length with nearby historical traces. The museum and prayer house, in turn, offer their own reasons to explore the history of the area.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Mīšteļi, Svente, Kumbuļi, Naujene, Vabole, Saliena, Ezeriņi, Šengeida.

For the broader travel overview: Daugavpils Municipality.