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The former Memele. The only port city with a old town in Lithuania. |
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Valdemārpils is a small and quiet town along the shore of Lake Sasmaka. A village of craftsmen and merchants was established on the land of the Sasmaka Estate in the 17th century. There were quite a few Jewish merchants and craftsmen in towns in Kurzeme during the mid-19th century, and Sasmaka was known as their capital city. The city was named Valdemārpils in 1926. Its historical 19th century centre is a monument to urban construction. The town has a Lutheran church, an Orthodox church, a former synagogue, a monument to Krišjānis Valdemārs, and an outstanding linden tree. |
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This is an ancient populated area. There were 50 homesteads here during the 1930s, with only ten remaining in 1990. The Livonian scholar and entomologist Kārlis Princis (1893-1978) was born in Oviši. In 1944, he emigrated to Sweden. The Oviši lighthouse (1814) is 38 metres high and is the oldest functioning lighthouse in Latvia. There are lovely views from the top of the lighthouse. The building in which employees of the lighthouse used to live was erected in 1905 and has been preserved. A narrow-gauge train station was in the building at one time. The Oviši Lighthouse Museum is nearby, as is the metal Tree of Austra. Opposite Cape Oviši is a great place for bird watching. |
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In 1615, Courlandian Duke Friedrich Kettler (1569-1642) allowed Bauska to build a new city hall. At the beginning of the 17th century, Market Square in Bauska featured the largest city hall in the entire duchy. A lack of money led to the dismantling of the hall’s tower in 1852 and its second floor in 1871. A new city hall was built in 2011, and now Bauska can be proud of a new and outstanding tourist destination that can also be entered. The restored city hall offers a chance for people to weigh themselves and measure their height with old-time measurements. Each person who does so receives a certificate to attest to his or her height and weight. |
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Ģipka is a village that once was the site of the first maritime school in Kurzeme. It was opened in 1869, just a few years after a similar school in Ainaži. This was a Category 2 maritime school, which trained helmsmen for long-distance trips and captains for short-distance trips. The school was moved to Mazirbe in 1894. Before the maritime school, the building housed a different kind of school, and a second floor was added in 1867 specifically for the maritime school. Today this is a residential building. During 28 years, the school trained more than 200 professional sailors, and it was of great importance in facilitating ship building in shoreline Liv villages. (Source: Roja TIC) |
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Known as Alšvanga in the past, this place was mentioned for the first time in 1231 in an agreement that was signed between the deputy legate of the pope in Rome and the Courlandian tribes of the region. The Livonian Order ruled the territory until 1561, and from 1573 until 1738 the order’s castle belonged to the von Schwerin dynasty from Pomerania. It during the rule of this aristocratic family that a stone church was built in honour of Archangel Michael, and local residents began to convert to Catholicism. Alsunga became the Catholic centre for all of Kurzeme, and local residents became known as the Suiti (from the Schwerin suite). For nearly 400 years, Alsunga has been the historical centre of the Suiti territory. This is Latvia’s most conservative region and is widely known with unusual songs, colourful folk costumes and various folk traditions and beliefs. The Suiti have their own dialect, foods and many other things that have been long since abandoned or forgotten elsewhere in Latvia. The religious has commingled with the folk here in one unique whole. The Alsunga District covers 191 km2 and has some 1,500 residents. |
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Jurmala town (the second largest in Latvia) was founded in 1959, by combining Kemeri and Sloka towns in the Riga city Jurmala district. It stretches 32 km along the coastal line of Gulf of Riga. Jurmala resort once was one of the most important objects of this type in the Northern Europe. This was facilitated by the development of local and interstate transport and traffic (coaches, steamers, train). The first guests was accommodated in Dubulti, where in 1834 the first hotel was built, but in 1847 - The first wellness centre. In the 19th the first medical institution launched. Starting from 1834 the rapid construction of summer cottages began. Development of the resort was ended by the World War I. After the war the number of resort vacationers boomed from 12 thousand (in 1920) to 32 thousand (in 1935). Kemeri resort developed along with Jurmala, which received a massive of vacationers' amount during the Soviet period. |
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The Capital of Lithuania. One of the biggest East Europe's old towns (included in UNESCO World's Cultural Heritage list) where there is a lot of representation of various architecture styles like Classicism, Baroque, Gothique, etc. |
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An ancient Latgalian settlement. During the 10th century Kraslava district was under authority of the Prince of Polotsk, but the 13th century - under the authority of the Livonian Order. Until the beginning of 18th century it existed as a manor centre. In 1729 Kraslava was bought for 1400 thalers by Johan Ludvig Plater. Plater family ruled Kraslava for two centuries. In the of the18th century Platers began construction of Krāslava palace. After first division of Poland in 1772 Latgale was annexed to Russia. Kraslava began to perish. After construction of Riga - Daugavpils - Vitebsk railway (1865) economic life flourished again. Kraslava was little affected by the World War II, therefore, early wooden buildings of 20th century remained almost untouched. |
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Seda is one of the most unusual towns in Latvia. It began its life as a housing area for people from the local peat moss factory, and that happened in the 1950s and 1960s. This is a “vivid” example of Soviet architecture, with a central square (complete with a monument to the Leader) and streets radiating from it. Worth a visit is the cultural centre at the end of Uzvaras Street. It is a great example of so-called Stalinist Classicism architecture. |
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Most popular Estonian resort with wide range of leisures and SPA offers. One of the rare Estonian sandy beaches. The Old Town has the main walker street - Rüütli tee. |
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Dagda is mentioned in the historical sources of 17th century as a trader village. In 1772, Dagda district was included the Pskov province, but in 1802 - Vitebsk province. In 1905 widespread peasant unrest took place here, during which many important architectural monuments were destroyed. Town was not spared also by the two world wars. What's to see for the tourist here? In the centre of Dagda historical buildings - houses, built of red brick - the so-called "Jewish tradesmen houses" are preserved. Dagda is the only place in the Latvia, where every year is celebrated Anne's Day in the town's park! |
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(formerly Pize and Pizā in Livonian). The current name of the village comes from a lighthouse (Mihailovskii majak) that was built during the age of the Russian Empire and named for the nephew of Tsar Alexander II. The lighthouse that is there now is the third one to be built on the site. It was built in 1957 and is the highest lighthouse in Latvia (57 m, can only be viewed from the outside). The Lutheran church in Mikeļtornis was built in 1893, and nearby is the Pize Saloon (1857), which is terrible condition. The saloon has a typical design from the 19th century and is the only venue of its type on the Livonian coastline. The first Livonian cultural activist, Jānis Princis (1796-1868), was born in Miķeļtornis, and he and son Jānis translated the Gospel of Matthew into the Western Livonian language. The two of them also wrote a collection of poetry, "Holy Songs and Prayers for Sailors." The only poetry book in Latvia prior to that was published by Blind Indriķis. A student of Vilhelms Purvītis, Livonian painter Andrejs Šulcs (1910-2006), was born at the Olmaņi homestead in Miķeļtornis. A monument to Livonian poets was installed at the local cemetery in 1978 and was the first monument dedicated to Livonians. There are plans to open an environmental object by artist Ģirts Burvis, "Century of Sailing Ships", in 2019. |
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Saldus is mentioned in the historical documents already in 1253. Until the 13th century an ancient Cours castle Salden was located here, which is also represented in the coat of arms of the town. Around the 1341 Livonian Order built a castle near the Cours hill fort, where settlement formed. Its peak of development, like the other settlements of Courland, was during the reign of Duke Jacob 1642 – 1682. 1856 is mentioned as the year of the foundation of Saldus, when restoration of town perished during the Northern War begun. At the end of the World War II a big fights took place at the town, but town remained in German-occupied part of Latvian until the May 8, 1945. Modern Saldus attracts with its activities - town days, the music festival "Saldus Saule", as well as a variety of sightseeing objects, among which A/S 'Druvas Partika" can be mentioned, where you can watch how the ice cream is made and Saldus Food Factory, where you can taste the delicious candy "Gotina" and watch the production process. |
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Aizputes pilsdrupas, akmens tilts pār Tebru, Jaunā pilsmuiža, ūdensdzirnavas un Sv. Jāņa luterāņu baznīca, kā arī 19. gs. beigās celtās koka ēkas starp Jāņa, Katoļu un Atmodas ielu veido neparastu pilsētbūvniecības kompleksu, kam piešķirts kultūras pieminekļa statuss. Staigājot pa vēsturisko centru, uzmanība jāpievērš ēku durvīm un to vērtnēm, logu ailēm, balkonu margām u.c. elementiem. |
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This village appears in historical documents from 1310. A census in 1582 and 1583 recorded eight farms in the village, while a 1731 census conducted by the Dundaga Estate found only three. In 1826, each farm had 16 or 17 people, with some 60 in total. A census in 1935 showed that all 49 Livonians in Saunags spoke the Lithuanian language, but only 11 of them spoke the language at home. There was a store that was owned by Kārlis Tilmanis, who also owned a factory where sprats were salted. Also born in Saunags was the seafaring captain Arvīds Ludeviks (1912-1996). In May 1945, he captained a tugboat, the Rota, in an attempt to bring Latvian refugees to Sweden. The ship was detained, and the captain was sent to Siberia. Another seafaring captain from Saunags was Visvaldis Feldmanis (1938-2017). |
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For the first time Valmiera is mentioned in the historical sources in 1323. Until the 13th century this place was in the composition of Talava, inhabited by Latgalians. Construction of Valmiera medieval castle began in the beginning of the 13th century, but in 1283, between the Gauja River and Rate River towered church. Location near to the Tartu-Pskov and Novgorod trade routes greatly facilitated the economic development of the populated area. During the 14th-16th century Valmiera was a part of the Hanseatic League. It suffered greatly from wars, epidemics and fires in 16th to 18th century. In the second half of the 19th century the economic boom started again. It was also facilitated by the building of wooden bridge across the Gauja in 1866 and Riga-Pskov railway opened in 1899. Historic centre is destroyed in 1944. During post-war years, large industrial companies such as - Valmiera glass fiber factory (to this day) are opeating in the town. Today, Valmiera is economic, educational and sports centre of Vidzeme. |
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Helsinki is the capital of Finland and the biggest city in Finland. It offers a lot to see as it is seaside city surrounded by islands but city itself is full of wonderful parks. This city has everything to attract all kinds of people - from architecture and culture to nature and even has wide range of places where to enjoy night-time Helsinki. |
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One of the youngest Latvian towns, in 2013 it will celebrate its twenty year anniversary. A number of significant scientific institutions in a Latvian scale is located in Salaspils (in Soviet times it was built as a science centre) - Institute of Biology, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Institute of Physics, National Botanic Gardens, former Salaspils nuclear reactor and the Forest Research Institute "Silava". Over the last decade the infrastructure has been developed, as well as wide areas of private houses are developed. In 1996 a new Catholic church was built in Salaspils. Most of the town residents commute each day to Riga for work. |
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Ein einzigartiges Örtchen beiderseits des Flusses Minija, wo der Fluss eine „Hauptstraße” ist. Litauens Venedig. |
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