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Tourist information |
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HISTORY
Nature and history have created Kuldiga as one of the most beautiful towns of Latvia.
The echoes of Livonian chronicles narrate that the castle of the Order was built in Kuldiga during the reign of Dietrich Von Grüningen, the grand master of Livonian Order (1242-1245). At the beginning the castle was called Jesusburg later Goldingen. This name can be read in the documents written before the free state was formed and it still exists in the lexis of the ancient Baltic - German emigrants.
Since 1368 Kuldiga has been a member of the Hanseatic League. Since 1991, when the independence was restored in Latvia, Kuldiga has taken part in modern Hanseatic days.
After collapsing of Livonian Order in 1561 Kuldiga became the residence of Duke Jakob and from 1587 till 1671 it was the capital of Courland. Duke Jakob Ketler, who was born in Kuldiga, had the old castle of the Order rebuilt considering his demands, it was modern according to the understanding of those times. During the reign of Duke Jakob the Duchy of Courland and Kuldiga experienced the economic boom – a ship building factory, a saltpetre mill and brick-kilns, etc. were opened. Kuldiga had trade connections with many countries.
During the time of the Duchy of Courland Kuldiga suffered both from wars and plundering. From 1653 till 1667 there was the Polish – Swedish War and from 1700 till 1721 there was the Great Northern war. Kuldiga suffered severely during the Great Plague, too, and it did not regain its former prosperity.
In 1795 the Duchy of Courland was incorporated into Russian Empire and Kuldiga became a provincial centre. In the closing decades of the 19th century crafts and manufacturing started to flourish. The biggest factories were Meteors, a needle factory, a leather factory and Vulkāns, a safety matches factory. The number of inhabitants increased.
In 1886 the Baltic Teachers Seminary was moved from Riga to Kuldiga, and in 1896 the first social democratic group was formed.
In the days of the revolution in 1905 the students of the Baltic Teachers Seminary were the first to start the strike, later they were joined by workers of the town and the peasants from surrounding estates. The revolutionaries were punished by punitive expeditions.
Already during the time of the Order Kuldiga had its own seal featuring the figure of St Catherine holding a torture wheel with six spikes in one hand and a sword in the other one. In the medieval time St Catherine was considered to be a teologyst, a philosopher, a lawyer and the defender of students. Kuldiga has been able to retain its Saint patroness in the Coat-of-Arms throughout the years until now.
For every visitor it is interesting to see the old town that is rich in traditions of history and culture. The historical centre of Kuldiga is an architecture monument with original buildings, narrow streets and tiled roofs. 
The proud of Kuldiga is the fascinating Waterfall Rumba – the widest waterfall in Europe (249m). The highest waterfall in Latvia on the River Alekupīte (4,5 m) is also situated here. One of the widest brick bridges in Europe has always attracted the visitors of Kuldiga. It was built in 1874 over the River Venta.
KULDIGA – THE TOWN OF THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE
This union of German trade cities started to form in the XII century and they existed from the XII till XVII century to form foreign affairs. The security agreements which were concluded between the cities of North Germany – Lubbeck, Bremen and Hamburg could be considered to be the beginning of this union. The Hanseatic League had political and military authority that was showed in the struggle for trade monopoly in some regions of Germany, capturing roads and independence from the feudal seniors.
For the first time the name of Kuldiga appeared in the documents of this league in 1368.
Every three years a meeting of the members of the Hanseatic League was called in Lubeck. The Mayor of Lubeck chaired the meeting. External and internal trade and political issues were discussed here. The decisions made at the meeting were binding to all the Hanseatic cities, ignoring the decisions could result in expelling. The period of the prosperity of the Hanseatic League was in the 13th, 14th and partly the 15th centuries.
The Modern Hanseatic League was restored in 1980.
In 1991 the official delegation from Kuldiga arrived in Vesel (Germany). This was the first time when Kuldiga took part in Modern Hanseatic Days after the independence was restored in Latvia. During the Hanseatic Days in Stade (1994) and Soest (1995) the delegation was accompanied by ethnographical group of “suiti” singers from Alsunga. The Dance group “Bandava” performed in Bergen (Norway) in 1996 and Gdansk (Poland) in 1997. The rock group “Reptiles and Birds” performed in Visby (Sweden) in 1998. The Dance group “Bandava” performed their nimble dance steps in Oldenzaal (Netherlands) in the summer of 1999. The delegation of Kuldiga did not take part in Hanseatic Days in Zwolle (Netherlands).
“Living history. Living spirit.” This was the motto of Hanseatic Days in Riga from 7.-10. July, 2001. All the Hanseatic cities of Latia prepared carefully for this event organising meetings and a market in Dome Square.
Now we are getting ready for the Hanseatic Days in Brugge (Belgium). The Hanseatic cities of Latvia came together in the autumn of 2001.
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Jautājiet priekšsēdētājai |
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Jaunākās "Kuldīgas Novada Vēstis" 
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