History of Riga
(text from Riga800.lv)



From its earliest beginnings Riga developed as a typical North European medieval town and so don’t be surprised if you unexpectedly find you recognise it. With the help of crusaders, the German bishop Albert subjugated the indigenous population and is credited with the founding of Riga. Riga became a member of the Hanseatic League and developed as a dynamic trading town until the 16th century. However her strategic position between East and West has always kept Riga in the sights of her neighbours. Thus Riga has been under German, Polish, Swedish and Russian rule for shorter or longer periods.

In the second half of the 19th century Riga began to be transformed from a bustling harbour town into a modern European town. It was a time of rapid economic progress that continued right up to the First World War. The celebrations of the 700 years anniversary with a grand jubilee exhibition sparked off great changes in economic life. You will be fascinated by the ring of boulevards around Riga created in the early 20th century. Its art nouveau houses are a reflection of world experience and local traditions. The heart of Riga art nouveau is Albert Street, birthplace of two outstanding personalities - film director Sergei Eisenstein and the father of the history of ideas, Isaiah Berlin. Nowadays Riga Jugendstil has an international dimension having been listed in the UNESCO European cultural heritage.

In 1918 Riga became the capital of the newly independent Latvia. Until the Soviet occupation in 1940, Riga had developed into one of the most elegant cities in Europe and was often referred to as the Northern or Little Paris.

The years of independence between the wars were so prosperous for Riga and Latvia that the myth of this golden age has persisted, but from the autumn of 1944 Riga was a Soviet town and had to endure both degradation and stagnation. The inhabitants were also subject to very hard times.

Independence was renewed in 1991 and work began on the renovation and modernisation of Riga. As a desirable trading centre the town has undergone rapid development and now, just as in times gone by, one can feel the spirit of mercantilism, which is enrced by the people’s love for their town. Riga is regaining its good name and influence in the world of today.

History of Ventspils
(Text from ventspils.lv)

Ventspils is one of the oldest cities of Latvia. The Castle of the Livonian Order, first mentioned in historical documents of 1290, is considered to be the first building in the present territory of Ventspils. Near the castle, that was built in an economically and strategically important place, the camp of the German colonists and later the city of Ventspils gradually formed. Ventspils was known as a port city during the rule of the Livonian Order – it became a member of the Hanseatic League of trading cities.

The first economic boom of Ventspils dates back to the time of the Duke of Kurzeme Jacob (1642-1682) when the city was known as the main port of the Duchy and as an important centre of shipbuilding and handwork. Dozens of trading vessels and warships were built at the time. The ships of the Duke sailed to the colonies of the Duchy in Gambia and Tobago.

During the Polish-Swedish War Ventspils was almost completely burnt down. The majority of the residents died in 1710 due to the plague brought to Ventspils during the Northern War. The Duchy was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1795. The activity of the port and the shipbuilding facility started anew in the middle of the 19th century. The Naval Academy of Ventspils started functioning in 1870. At the end of the 19th century Russia decided to build a modern port in Ventspils, as well as the railway route Ventspils-Moscow-Ribinsk. A rapid growth of Ventspils could be observed at the time, but the process was interrupted by World War I. During the independence years of Latvia (1919-1940) the port of Ventspils could not reach the level of the pre-war cargo turnover.

In accordance with the agreement between Latvia and the Soviet Union signed in 1939 Soviet troops came to Ventspils the same year. The occupation and annexation of Latvia into the Soviet Union in 1940 affected the residents of Ventspils like the rest of the population of Latvia. The largest industrial and trade enterprises, as well as the largest dwelling houses were nationalised in 1940. The structure and number of the residents of Ventspils has changed considerably due to the Second World War, repressions and emigration. Significant years in Ventspils were the sixties and seventies when the city became the largest oil and oil product export port of the Soviet Union.

Since the renewal of independence of Latvia (1991) enormous political and economic changes have taken place. As a result, a rapid flourishing of the city and the port of Ventspils can be observed.

Many historical objects of the city, including the former dwelling-houses, have been renovated and are open to the public now.