Limbaži | |
|---|---|
Town | |
 Limbaži old town | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Limbaži Location in Latvia | |
| Coordinates:57°31′N24°43′E / 57.517°N 24.717°E /57.517; 24.717 | |
| Country |  Latvia |
| District | Limbaži municipality |
| City status | 1385 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Juris Žūriņš |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.29 km2 (3.59 sq mi) |
| • Land | 8.35 km2 (3.22 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.94 km2 (0.36 sq mi) |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• Total | 6,613 |
| • Density | 710/km2 (1,800/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | LV-4001 |
| Calling code | 640 |
| Website | http://www.limbazi.lv |
Limbaži (pronunciationⓘ,Estonian:Lemsalu,German:Lemsal,Livonian:Limbaž[3]) is a town in theVidzeme region of northernLatvia, with a population of 6,888. Limbaži is located 90 km northeast of the capitalRiga. During theMiddle Ages, as part ofLivonia, Limbaži was a fortified town with stonewalls, second in importance only toRiga.
The name is believed to be a Latvianised version (hence the-aži ending) of theLivonian wordLembsel (Lemesel) meaning "wide isle in a forest swamp". The GermanLemsahl (Lemsal) is derived from the Livonian name.[4]
According tofolk etymology, the nameLimbaži originated sometime in the 17th century. A recently arrived Swedishminister overheard the words "Limba" and "āži" (Latvian for 'male goats'). Mistakenly, he assumed this was the name of the place, and so the town was called "Limbaži".
In ancient times, Limbaži was aLivonian settlement known asLemisele, part ofMetsepole. In the early 13th century,Bishop Albert and theTeutonic knights destroyed the village while conquering Metsepole, and built a castle, around which formed the new city,Lemsahl.
Until the beginning of the 16th century, Lemsahl could be reached by seagoing vessels travelling up the Svētupe. Ships came from as far asLübeck andCopenhagen to trade for honey, wax, lumber, grain, and furs. The small trading camp surrounding the castle grew into a large town, and was admitted to theHanseatic League. Each year, Lemsahl hosted a conference attended by barons from all over Livonia, and the city hosted at least three other fairs throughout the year as well. During these fairs, the town may have held as many as 20,000 people at once. In addition, theArchbishops of Riga made Lemsahl his spring residence, which became a walled city to protect both the bishop and the trading center. At the time, in population Lemsahl was second only toRiga. The Limbaži Castle is one of the oldest fortified buildings in Latvia.[5]
By 1500, however, the Svētupe became too shallow to navigate. Goods were sent elsewhere, and Lemsahl began a century long decline. During theLivonian War,Ivan the Terrible's forces burned down Lemsahl in 1558, while its residents fled to the nearby forests and marshes for shelter. The city was burned down by the Swedes in 1567, and again by the Russians in 1575. In 1602, the Swedes and Poles fought yet again for the city, completely demolishing its fortifications and walls. By the time the wars had ended, the city was so demolished, only three houses and a handful of residents remained.
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While underSwedish rule, the village was renamed Limbaži sometime in the 17th century. During theGreat Northern War, Vidzeme was totally ravaged byPeter the Great's forces. But, as the story goes, while searching for Limbaži, the Russian army got lost in a heavy fog. After repeatedly going around in circles, the soldiers began to believe such a village may not exist after all, and moved on. Limbaži survived the war unscathed.
The city completely burned down again in 1747, after which today's city layout began to develop. In the 19th century, the city began to grow again. In 1821 there were 674 inhabitants, but by 1900 there were about 2000. In 1876, hat-maker A. Tīls opened "Limbažu filcs" (LimbažiFelt), the town's oldest company, which also secured jobs for generations of the city's inhabitants. The first town library was built in the late 19th century, and several publishing houses were opened, the largest of which was K. Paucīsis Press.
After World War I Limbaži continued to grow as a center of commerce and crafts. The long-awaited rail line to Riga opened in 1934, and a 50-bed hospital opened in 1936. The House of Unity (Latvian:Vienības nams) cultural center was unveiled in 1939. DuringWorld War II, Limbaži was underGerman occupation from 4 July 1941 until 26 September 1944.[6] During theSoviet occupation the population increased to 8,000, with many five-storey Soviet-style apartments appearing in the 1960s. During the Soviet period, Limbaži became a factory-town with the "Lauktehnika" farm machinery center, "Limbažu filcs" felt hat factory and "Limbažu piens" – one of the largest milk processors in Latvia – all based there.[7]
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