Latvia

History – a pawn of foreign powers

Like the neighboring coastal regions of the Baltic Sea, Latvia was settled by Baltic tribes during the Migration Period. One of them, the Curonians, soon gained a reputation as a warlike tribe, with conquests extending as far as Denmark. The eastern part of the country is still called Courland today. Together with Livonia, which borders it to the northeast, the region was subsequently fought over by Germans, Swedes, and Poles, before what is now Latvia came under Russian rule in the 18th century. Between 1920 and 1940, and again since 1991, Latvia has been a sovereign state.

Modernes Riga Photo: © Dieter Schütz / pixelio.de

A mediator in the Baltic region

One-Man Church near Riga Some 2.2 million people live in an area of about 65,000 square kilometers. The capital, Riga, is the largest city in the Baltic states, with a population of over 700,000. Situated on the Gulf of Riga, from which it takes its name, and on the Daugava River, Riga long served as a link between northern and southern, western and eastern Europe. Today, Riga still blends tradition and modernity. The former Hanseatic city is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with numerous Art Nouveau buildings as well as churches and wooden houses. Its proximity to the Baltic Sea and the elegant seaside resort of Jurmala also makes Riga a great base for an eventful beach holiday.

Rich culture

As a meeting place for many centuries, Latvia has preserved traces of a range of cultures. Even pagan customs dating back to pre-Christian times are still alive today. Folklore traditions have endured, along with old farmhouses and manor houses, as well as places of worship belonging to different religions. As in other Baltic countries, the singing tradition is particularly vibrant.

Unique nature

Guthmann’s Cave Almost half of the country is covered by largely untouched forest. Other natural features that might not be expected in this region also attract many visitors. These include Gauja National Park, northeast of Riga and not far from the Baltic Sea, with its sandstone formations and caves. There are also unique remnants from more recent times, such as military bunkers, some of which can also be visited. The coastal Salacgriva nature reserve offers impressive cliffs that are still changing over time.

The Baltic coast

Melecu Licis Beach Along Latvia’s 500-kilometer Baltic coastline, old fishing villages alternate with modern seaside resorts. Latvians speak of two seas: the open Baltic Sea to the west, off the region of Courland, and the broad Gulf of Riga in the north of the country. While the west coast is dominated by unspoiled nature and was a restricted military zone for a long time, the seaside resort of Jurmala is the main attraction on the Gulf of Riga. The two “seas” meet spectacularly at Cape Kolka.

Photos (top to bottom):

Dieter Schütz / pixelio.de
christiaaane / pixelio.de
Dieter Schütz / pixelio.de
bretagne_32 / pixelio.de (2)

Jurmala

Today, the city of Jurmala is considered the seaside resort of the Latvian capital Riga, but it also has a history of its own. Jurmala stretches northwest of Riga along the mouth of the Lielupe River, which runs parallel to the Baltic Sea, at the southern end of the Gulf of Riga. Several adjoining districts extend over a total length of 40 kilometers. At 30 kilometers long, the continuous beach is one of the longest of its kind on the Baltic Sea.

Liepaja

The city of Liepaja (German: Libau), in southwestern Latvia, is one of the country’s most important places. It is shaped above all by its maritime industry and a large historic military base. Liepaja is one of the centers of the historic region of Courland, one of Latvia’s four regions.

Northern Latvia: Salacgriva – Saulkrasti – Gauja National Park

The eastern shore of the Gulf of Riga features both coastal towns with a long history, such as Salacgriva and Saulkrasti, and long stretches of untouched coastline. The hinterland is an especially attractive destination for excursions, thanks in particular to Gauja National Park.

Riga

The capital of Latvia, with a population of 700,000, is the largest city in the Baltic states and also one of the most steeped in tradition. The Baltic Sea metropolis of Riga is also Latvia’s most important tourist destination, a modern city, a long-established trading center, a place for recreation, and a transport hub.

Ventspils, North Courland

The Baltic Sea city of Ventspils is one of the key places in the western part of the historic region of Courland. Courland covers the entire western part of Latvia and is named after the Baltic Curonian people, who have been documented since the 7th century. In the centuries that followed, the region became embroiled in conflicts involving Vikings, Swedes, Danes and the Livonian Order. German settlers brought the German language to the region, where it continued to predominate among the upper classes for a long time. After coming under Polish and Swedish rule, the region became part of Russia at the end of the 18th century.