Lielā Ellīte, Rūpnīcas iela, Liepa, Liepas pagasts, Cēsu novads, Latvija
Lielā Ellīte
The Great Ellīte (also known as Liepa’s Ellīte or Devil’s Furnace) features the only natural sandstone arches in Latvia. This geological formation includes a 23-metre-long cave, a graceful arcade of three arches, and a spring. The cave floor covers an area of 55 m².
Estimated to be 6,500–7,000 years old, the cave and its spring have long been revered as a sacred site. The unique structure of Ellīte was created by underground water flowing along impermeable clay, gradually shaping the sandstone as it emerged.
Located in Gauja National Park, the Great Ellīte is a protected natural monument and a rare geological treasure in the Baltic region.
