Ventspils, North Courland
Location and history
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.
Hafen von Ventspils
Photo: © Wikimedia / Algirdas CC BY-SA3.0
Ventspils (German: Windau)
The city was first mentioned in the 13th century and gained importance as a port, especially under Russian rule from 1850 onwards. To this day, Ventspils benefits from its important port, which also provides ferry services to Nynäshamn (Sweden), St. Petersburg and Travemünde . The 13th-century castle of the Livonian Order is the oldest surviving building in the city. It now houses the city museum, complemented by an open-air museum featuring historic buildings. Ventspils Old Town, with its market square, offers a glimpse into the city’s past. Maritime charm defines the western edge of the city, with the West Pier and the beaches south of the harbour entrance. Inland from the beach, the Beach Park beckons with its anchor trail and jungle trail.
Places of interest in North Courland
Kolka occupies a prominent location at the northern tip of the Courland Peninsula, where the Baltic Sea meets the Gulf of Riga. Along the coast, several lighthouses send their signals across the surrounding area, including those at Uzava to the south and at Ovisi and Mikelis north of Ventspils. North Courland is home to several richly decorated Catholic and Protestant churches. The region’s only larger inland lake lies near the town of Ugale, east of Ventspils, amid an extensive forest landscape.
With its natural diversity and few urban centres, North Courland offers an attractive blend of tradition and modernity and is particularly well suited to a family holiday.
You can book a hotel in Ventspils directly.
