The Daugavpils legend “Dine – the soul of the city”

Long, long ago, when the blue lakes of Latgale still held countless secrets and the cities were just waiting to be born, there lived three beautiful sisters – Luķe, Rase and Dine. Each of them was blessed with a unique beauty and character. The sisters lived in different places, yet they were united by a strong bond and a shared dream – to one day create something that would be remembered long after they were gone.

One day, they happened to meet a skilled master mason who was planning to build three magnificent castles. The sisters had so enchanted him that the master promised to build a castle for each of them exactly where she wished. However, the sisters could not agree, so they devised an unusual test – the master had to lay the bricks by passing them from one place to another until all three castles were complete.
Thus, three towns were founded. The first – Ludza, named after Luķe; the second – Rēzekne, named after Rase; and the third – Dine’s town, which we know today as Daugavpils.
Each of the sisters had chosen her own special place in Latgale – the land of blue lakes, where hills meet the water and nature retains its unique beauty. Luķe and Rase had fallen in love with the tranquillity of the lakes and the beauty of the calm waters. Dine, however, had a completely different nature. Her heart was as swift as a river, but her spirit was as strong and unyielding as the flow of the Daugava. She chose to make her home by the mighty river, where the waters never stand still, where roads and people meet, and where new stories are born every day. Dine wanted her city to be as strong and vibrant as the Daugava itself.
Dine was the youngest of the sisters, yet her heart was the biggest. She wanted her city not only to be beautiful, but for everyone to feel welcome there, and for its name to be passed down from generation to generation.
As the years passed, Dine’s town grew and changed. Majestic red-brick houses, churches and other splendid buildings rose up along its streets. Brick by brick, the town’s character took shape, whilst the red hue became its distinctive feature.

It is said that Dine herself once touched every single brick to imbue it with a little of the warmth of her heart. Perhaps that is precisely why Daugavpils’ red-brick buildings still hold so many stories today.
Dine was convinced that the city also needed its own flower. She chose the lily – a noble and graceful, yet resilient flower, capable of blooming even after a long winter. Since then, lilies have become a symbol of Daugavpils’ beauty and resilience.
But why was Dine herself a woman with red hair?
Legend has it that, as the city grew ever more beautiful, Dine dyed her hair the colour of Daugavpils’ red bricks. She wanted everyone who looked at her to immediately recognise the city she loved so dearly. That is why her hair shone in the red colour of the bricks, reminiscent of the city’s historic buildings, which have retained their pride and strength through the ages.
And so Dine became Daugavpils itself – a woman in whom the city’s soul resides. The city’s architectural motifs are woven into her dress, its most notable landmarks are reflected in her jewellery, whilst the story of the red bricks shimmers in her hair. Lilies are always by her side, reminding us that true beauty lies not only in outward appearance, but also in the ability to grow, change and remain true to one’s essence.
Legends tell us that Dine still lives in Daugavpils. You might come across her on the city’s streets, on the façades of historic buildings, and in places where people gather. Sometimes she hides in an architectural detail, sometimes she blossoms in a lily, but most often she reveals herself to those who know how to see the city’s beauty.
For Daugavpils is not merely a place on a map. It is a city with the heart of a woman, the strength of the Daugava, the durability of red brick and the beauty of a lily.

The legend is based on the tale ‘The Tale of the Origins of the Names Ludza, Rēzekne and Daugavpils’ / 1925, 1429. Matilde Lamba of Dricēni, Rēzekne, aged 41; as recorded by I. Mūrniece 1955. (https://teikas.lv/teika-ko-rodusis-ludzas-rezeknes-un-daugavpils-nusaukumi)