Balvi Municipality
Northern Latgale since 1224. A Polish noblewoman built the first manor (1765). Now: world's largest wind chime ensemble, dairy farms, and population decline.
Balvi municipality contains the world's largest wind chime ensemble (installed 2018)—a peculiar claim to fame for a region first mentioned in 1224. But Balvi has always been peripheral territory: northern Latgale, where farms and forests dominate and populations disperse.
A Polish noblewoman, Konstancija Hilsena, built a small wooden church and manor here around 1765. The name derives from the Bolupīte stream and adjacent lake. Fragments of Marienhausen Castle still lie in Lake Viļaka, connected to shore by oak piles that once supported a bridge.
The 2021 administrative reform expanded Balvi significantly by merging in Baltinava, Rugāji, and Viļaka municipalities. The resulting unit is heavily agricultural: dairy farming, crops, and forest logging constitute the economic base. Several lakes and extensive forests make Balvi a destination for nature enthusiasts—though few tourists venture this far into northern Latgale.
By 2026, Balvi's challenge is whether agricultural modernization can retain population or whether the municipality continues losing young people. Wind chimes at the manor are pleasant. They don't generate employment.