When for various reasons it is impossible to make a long trip, a short trip helps to unwind and change the picture outside the window. And you don't have to go far: it happens that pearls are literally scattered under your feet. One of them is the Luznava estate of the Rezekne region, which is less than an hour to get from Daugavpils.
According to local historians, the first information about this estate dates back to the 1870s. The estate belonged to the Polish landowners brothers Julia and Peter Dluzhnevsky. At the end of the 19th century, it was bought by General Stanislav Kerbedz (1810 - 1899), also a Pole, an engineer, a specialist in the construction of railway bridges, paying a huge sum for those times - 80 thousand rubles. They say that he did not bargain - he was so captivated by the Latgale nature, although he himself spent a little time in Latgale, on duty he was often in St. Petersburg, and after retirement he settled in Warsaw. The general built many bridges, there is reason to believe that the railway bridge across the Daugava in Dinaburg.
The red-brick house that has survived to this day and is now restored, an example of Art Nouveau, began to be built in 1905 by one of S. Kerbedz's daughters - Eugene - after the death of her father. Construction work was completed in 1911, and the house, surrounded by an excellent park with ponds, for several years was a significant cultural center of Latgale, a summer residence of musicians, writers, artists. Evgenia Kerbedz loved art and was a patron of the arts.
However, the idyll did not last long: the First World War began, the owners of the estate left for Italy. At the beginning, the estate housed the headquarters of the Russian imperial army, then the headquarters of the Red Army. During the years of the First Latvian Republic, the only school for the deaf and dumb in Latgale worked in the Luznava Manor. The Second World War again brought the military to the estate: the headquarters of the German and Soviet armies were located here in turn. In 1946, the Maltsky state farm-technical school began to work in the Luznava estate, in 1993 it was replaced by the administration of the Luznava volost, a little later - the Luznava basic school and library. From 2011 to 2014, the estate underwent a large-scale reconstruction; at the beginning of 2015, the old house opened its doors to visitors: exhibitions, creative workshops, seminars, chamber concerts, etc. are held here; art residences work. Art returned to the estate.
The statue of the Madonna was created in 1911. During the Soviet era, the statue was damaged and drowned in a pond. After restoration (in 1991) it was installed in the park of the Luznava estate.
The old park, as it should be, is shrouded in legends. But let's start not with them, but with the statue of the Madonna. According to one version, its author is an unknown Italian sculptor. The statue was erected on the spot where General Kerbedz planned to build a church. The plans were not realized, but for many years the locals went (and still do) to the statue to pray. In the 50s of the last century, when rampant atheism reigned, the authorities removed the statue from the pedestal and threw it into a nearby pond. Naturally, this wild deed was not forgotten: during the Atmoda, the Virgin Mary was taken out of the water and restored, and on June 14, 1991, the statue was erected in a historical place and consecrated. There is also a second version, according to which the author of the statue is the Polish sculptor Julia Stabrowskaya. YU. Stabrowskaya, together with her husband - the famous Polish artist Kazimir Stabrowski - worked in the Luznavsky estate since 1906.
The legend accompanies the multi-stemmed linden tree growing in the park. At first, the tree had 21 forks, of which 12 remained. The story is as follows. In those days, when artists came here, they asked to pose for them a local beauty. As usual, one of the painters broke the girl's heart. In the fall, he left, and the girl began to wait for her lover and planted yellow tulips in the meadow - a symbol of sadness. But spring passed, followed by the next, the artist did not return, and a linden tree with 21 trunks grew in a meadow covered with tulips as evidence of the feelings of a 21-year-old girl. If you want true and strong love, climb between the trunks of this linden tree, and you will be happy …
According to another legend, the hostess, leaving the estate at the beginning of the First World War, thought about returning and hid money and jewelry in one of the ponds. If you carefully observe the water at night, you can see the flickering reflection of light - this is what the hidden wealth makes itself felt.
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According to legend, this multi-stemmed linden tree in the park of the estate grew on the site of yellow tulips planted by a young girl who is unrequitedly in love with the artist.
Well, how can a big and old house do without ghosts? The question is rhetorical. It is said that the Good Lady lives in the Luznava estate, her steps are sometimes heard in the evenings. Maybe this is the former Mrs. Eugene just walking around and checking if everything is in order. Perhaps thanks to her invisible presence, the estate survived wars and changes of government and was reborn for a new interesting life.
Finally, the author of these lines in the book Latvijas pērles (Spoku stāsti un teikas par Latvijas pilīm) came across a completely fresh legend that appeared at the beginning of this century, when the main school was located in the estate. Three boys disliked the strict algebra teacher and decided to scare her, knowing that she often stays up late at school, checking notebooks. But the insidious plan failed: the teacher turned … a ghost and turned negligent students … also into ghosts. The guys with all their might wanted to regain their human appearance, but they did not know the laws of witchcraft, therefore they finally turned into … frogs of Luznava Park. At least they didn't have to learn algebra anymore. And in general - do not dare to offend teachers!
I'll end on a more serious note. I visited the estate on the opening day of the exhibition of the French ceramist Annie Bouchey. This exposition is part of an extensive program dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the French Institute in Latvia, which is celebrated this fall. Annie Bushi lived for some time in the artistic residence of the Luznava estate, worked with Latgalian ceramics, got acquainted with Latgalian life. All the exhibits of the exhibition are for sale, and the artist promises to spend part of the proceeds on charity: in particular, to help the children's village in Grashi (Cesvaine region), where orphans live. So the Good Lady can be calm: her traditions are not forgotten and are developing.
Author: Lyudmila Wessel. Photo: Ilona Kravchenok
