Aglona Basilica

Aglona is the spiritual heart of Catholic Latgale, a twin-towered white baroque basilica beside a lake, home to a venerated icon of the Virgin. On the Feast of the Assumption on 15 August, tens of thousands of pilgrims fill the great square before it in one of the largest religious gatherings in the Baltics.

What you actually see

• The basilica - the white twin-towered baroque church above its lakeside square.
• The pilgrimage square - the vast open space built to hold the August crowds.
• The miraculous icon - the venerated image of the Virgin inside.
• The lakeside setting - the church looks over a quiet Latgale lake.

When to go

Around 15 August for the pilgrimage and its atmosphere, if you want the spectacle; any other time for a quiet, near-empty church and lake. The interior is open daily.

Honest expectations

Outside the August feast it is a calm, rather remote parish church - moving in its setting but quiet, so time your visit for the experience you want. It is a long drive into Latgale for a single stop, so pair it with the lakes or Daugavpils. It remains an active place of worship, so dress and behave accordingly.

Nearby

Lake Razna and Daugavpils fortress are both within a manageable drive across Latgale.