Mound Neikenkalns and the nature concert hall in Neikenkalns

The newly built Neikenkalns' nature concert hall will allow you to enjoy the special aura in the joy of singing and power of song. This open-air stage is a new project in Latvia and highlights the heritage value of Dikļi being the origin of the tradition.

The nature concert hall is built as an amphitheatre. Its unique acoustic features are developed with a water mirror, wooden structures, greenery in the park, terraces, and slopes.

Next to the mound Neikenkalns there are impressive outdoor objects. In the „Silver grove crown“ there is the „Grove of sounds“, where both children and adults can play music and study sound on a xylophone, metallophone, wind-instruments, and bells.

The first Latvian singing festival was organised in summer of 1864 in Dikļi. The organiser of the festival was Juris Neikens – a famous writer, teacher, and priest.

He gathered six choirs with 120 singers in Dikļi; the choirs were coming from nearby parishes of Vidzeme. Later, the mound on which the festival was organised was called Mound Neikenkalns.

The first singing festival inspired the next in Bauņi, Rūjiena, and other places and soon turned in to the Overall Latvian Song Festival in Riga, in 1873. Nowadays, thousands of choir singers take part in the festival.

Free entrance

Facts and figures

• The nature concert hall in Neikenkalns was established in 2014. It was awarded the 1st place in the contest „Building of the year in Latvia 2014“, in the category „Landscape“.
• The nature concert hall of Neikenkalns is located on the banks of the river Mazbriede, which is the only river in Latvia flowing in the direction towards the sun.
• Next to mound Neikenkalns, in 1973, a memorial stone in honour of the first municipal Song Festival was installed.
• The first Song Festival exposition in Dikļi was opened in 1984. The exposition was improved in 2014. It is located in the Club House of Dikļi.

Extra services

• The nature concert hall can be rented for various events The nature concert hall can accommodate up to 5000 participants and viewers
• Guide services are subject to prior reservation at the Valmiera Tourism Information Centre

For your conveniences

• Free parking
• Free picnic site
• Access for disabled persons