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Ventspils is a state city in northwestern Latvia on the Venta River and the Baltic Sea. It was historically known as Windau in German and has a rich history of shipbuilding, trade, and Soviet oil export.
Ventspils is a city in Latvia where you can enjoy leisure activities, historical attractions, and natural beauty. Explore the Adventure Park, the Livonian Order Castle, the Seaside Open-Air Museum, and more.
- Ventspils Within German Duchies
- Ventspils in The Russian Empire
- Ventspils in Free Interwar Latvia
- Ventspils Under Soviet Occupaton
- Ventspils in Restored Latvia
Originally chartered in 1314 it was an important mercantile city of the German Hanseatic League. At the time Livonian Order was the ruling power, having built a castle in Ventspils center. Germans used to call the city “Windau”. In 1565 the Order secularized becoming the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. Ventspils importance remained however as the...
The new overlords Russians saw no use for Ventspils port for a long time. By 1863 Ventspils had merely 4000 inhabitants, some 50% of them the descendants of Courland-Semigallia’s German elite. The tides of fortune turned again in the 1890s, as the railway from Riga reached Ventspils, allowing the port to be used to export goods from the entire Russ...
After Latvia became independent (1918) Ventspils continued to be one of the most ethnically Latvian cities. By 1935 some 84% of its population were Latvians (Germans – ~7%). However, independent Latvia may have had too many ports for what was a rather small country. With less need for freight shipping the number of Ventspils inhabitants declined to...
In 1940 Ventspils was overrun by Soviet Union forces, only to be taken by Germans in 1941. Interestingly, by the time Berlin fell in 1945, German troops still held Ventspils, sparing the city from destruction associated with Soviet reconquest. After German surrender Soviets received the city peacefully. The main use Soviets had for Ventspils port w...
After Latvia regained independence (1990) Ventspils became its success story. One of the richest cities, it is also extremely stable politically (having had the same mayor since 1988). The port became one of the most important in the Baltic Sea. Vast resources and ideas have been unleashed in order to bring tourists into Ventspils, ranging from a l...
Find out things to do, where to stay, events and news in Ventspils, the westernmost city of Latvia. Use Google maps or Waze to navigate to Ventspils and explore its attractions.
17. Ventspils Park – Ventspils Park is a great place to relax and enjoy nature. The park is home to a variety of plants and animals, and there are plenty of walking trails to explore. 18. Ventspils City Hall – Ventspils City Hall is a great place to explore the city’s government and politics.
Ventspils (pop. 39 000) is a massive port and the commercial hub of northwestern Latvia (Courland).The docks are seamlessly integrated into city downtown, ships mooring right next to the historic buildings, never allowing one to forget that this is one of the Baltic Sea's largest ports.S
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Find out the best attractions and activities in Ventspils, a coastal city in the Kurzeme region. Explore beaches, castles, museums, parks, lighthouses and more with traveler reviews and ratings.
