The thickest secular linden in Latvia: the circumference of 8.60 m. It is presumed that it is also the greatest linden in the Baltic States as there are no thicker lindens known in Lithuania and Estonia; the closest “competitors” are growing in Poland. A remarkable secular tree regaling one’s eyes as a real natural wonder. In the course of time this secular tree has been called the Valdemārpils Linden or Valdemārpils Idols’ Linden. Although the most correct name would be the not-so-euphonic name of Sasmaka Linden, because it is situated in front of the Sasmaka manor house, in its park, near the Sasmaka Lake. The Linden is growing in the outskirts of modern Valdemārpils. It is noteworthy that during the last decades the increase of the trunk is no longer significantly changing. Already in 1974, the secular tree researcher S. Saliņš published news that the circumference of the linden then was 8.5 m, which is almost the same as nowadays. In 1980s the linden’s circumference had reached even 8.80 m, but after some storm’s devastations and trunk’s splits its circumference had become smaller again. Lindens are very vivacious and, taken that it is not devastated by some natural disaster, its increase would continue.
Narrative
According to tales the linden used to be an ancient cult tree, Idol Linden, and its age could be about 400–500 years. Although it is doubtful if a pagan idol tree can be located right in front of the manor house’s doors, because the manor house’s age is also estimated at about 400 years. The Valdemārpils Idols’ Linden is one of the most known and popular secular trees in Latvia. An astonishing linden that is taking your breath away not only due to its thickness but also when looking at the mighty forked branches bending on the ground and rising up into the heaven.You enter into the thick trunks of the old Idol Lindens just like into small shrines, art workshops created by the nature itself. Do not hurry to leave the tree’s hollow, instead inspect carefully the odd sculptures made by lumps, concrescences and knots appearing when the huge pipe of the crooked tree trunk is overgrown with the wood of the new strong offsprings. The new offsprings just as a puzzle overflown with vitality roll over the inner part of the old trunk lumpily having yet not resolved whether to turn into roots or branches. There you see such fantastic plastic figures that you cannot stop wondering. Like owls frozen in a sleep, sleeping hedgehogs and turtles, large lizards and snakes, sod pops and huge toads. In the hollow you feel oneself just like in a magic lodge where phantoms and spirits dwell.
In Latvian mythology a beautiful maiden is compared with a linden with dense foliage. The linden is a women’s tree. Latvians used to carve the cradle’s pole for girls out of linden wood. Bathhouses for girls were heated with linden wood. At baptizing, when raising a girl up, they used to say, “Let you be as gorgeous as a linden!” Ancient Latvians made children’s cradles and kokles (a Latvian national musical instrument similar to the harp), carved spoons, ladles, kneading troughs, dowries and bast baskets, made tables, chairs, clothing mace and mill maceration of linden wood.
