Rundēni parish is located in a southwest of Ludza District in Latvia, it borders on the Pildas, Nirza, Lauderu and Istras parishes, the Škaunes and Ezernieku parishes and the Kaunatas parish. Distances: from parish centre - village of Rundēni up to District centre - Ludza is 33 km, up to the Capital of Latvia - Riga - 315 km.
Population and national structure
In the Census of 2000, from a population of 800, there were 231 residents of Latvian nationality, 522 Russians, and 23 Belarussians.
Rundēni parish is located on the height of Latgale. Most of the parish is covered by the hills of Razna, and in the south-east by hills of Dagda. The highest part of Rundēni parish is the northern part, which forms a watershedbetween the riversDaugava and Velikaya. The western part of the parish is close to the massif of Lielais Liepukalns. The highest hills are Pentjušu Hill, and also hills to the north at Kovaļiški, Sūnupļava and Rudzīši. The biggest lake is Lake Bižas. Smaller lakes include Bezersļesjes, Aunejas, Testečkovas, Kazeņa and Rudzīšu. The Saryanka River, a tributary of the Daugava, flows through the parish. Other small rivers of the parish are the Kazeņa, Siņica, Volčica, Vonogupīte.
Early in its history, the parish included the manors Rundēni, Viktorinavas un Bišu and smaller half-manors Zuranpole, Čuhnova, and Lielā Kriņņica un Zaķu. During an agrarian reform, the manors were divided into land lots. The Pakalnu manor house is a private property, its architectural style is neo-romanticism] and park of Rundēni manor. Until 1938 there were schools: in Ruleva, Drozdovka, Rudzīši, Pakalni, Vertulova and Rundēni. In 1939 the Rundēni secondary school was constructed. In 1920-1930 in rural community were some companies are formed: agricultural, credit-savings and cattle breeding. There were two flour mills, a dairy, twelve grocery shops, two bakeries, shop of wine and vodka, and also shop of manufactory and leather products. During the Soviet era, the state farm at Rundēni was the largest in Ludza District.
The Bull-stone in Kazici is a big, ancient cult stone of the Baltic tribes. long, wide and tall. The Bull-stone may have served to designate an ancient border. According to local legends, it the stone is touched it will - that it takes away ailments and gives energy. Rundēni Devil’s Pits is a natural monument covering at Height of Latgale, north-east of Rundēni near the Rundēni-Lauderi road. Since 1997 the Devil's Pits are a protected geomorphological object and are unique in the Baltic states. There are five pits of an unknown origin; one is filled with water and the others with raspberry bushes. The pits may have been caused by a meteorite or may be karstic formations.
The memorial ensemble was created in memory of eleven heroes of different nationalities, of World War II on Height of Sūnupļava. It is on a roadside of the Rundēni-Lauderi road. The memorial ensemble is created from greater boulders.
