Poprags (24 trunk) Linden

A very interesting and extraordinary tree with multiple trunks. This is possibly a tree with the most trunks in Latvia. It is mentioned most often that the total number of trunks is 24. The tree is considered a wonderful nature object with a possible cultic meaning in the ancient times.

There are stories in which this linden is believed to be an ancient cult tree. In a story it is said that “the old Poprags linden was a sacrificial tree for the ancestors. The old people have said that the baron ordered the linden to be cut down to prevent the local residents from the pagan religion. But two new trunks grew from the old linden stump. Baron ordered to cut these trunks down also. After a few years the baron saw that from the old stump green, lively shoots similar to countless beams have grown against the sky with a great strength and in every direction. The shoots were so strong that the baron got scared and realized that the linden indeed has an extraordinary power.” Seeing how the ancient sacred lindens reborn with new shoots in other parts of Courland, one would like to think that this linden also had some special meaning in the ancient times. There are many examples, where we can see that the old sacrificial lindens and idols’ lindens do not die. If a storm breaks off the hollow trunk, the remaining side branches grow with triple strength, and the additional wood rushes to secure the remains of the hollow stump.