Ludza

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for the river see Ludza River
Ludza
Lucyn
Town
Ludza skyline
Ludza skyline
Coat of arms of Ludza
Coat of arms
Ludza is located in Latvia
Ludza
Ludza
Location in Latvia
Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Country  Latvia
Town rights 1777
Government
 • Mayor Alīna Gendele
Population (20119)
 • Total 8,931
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 • Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code LV-570(1-2)
Calling code +371 657
Number of Municipality council members 15

Ludza (Audio file "Lv-Ludza.ogg" not found) is a town in the Latgalia region of eastern Latvia. It is located on the main Riga - Moscow road, part of European route E22, and only 30 km from the Latvian-Russian border. The population as of 2011 was 8,931.

History

Ludza, the oldest town in Latvia, was first mentioned in Russian chronicles dating to 1173 or 1177. In 1399 the Livonian Order built a stone fortress atop an older Latgalian fortress and used Ludza as an eastern outpost in Livonia. Ludza Castle ruins can be visited nowadays. After the dissolution of the Livonian Order in 1561, Ludza was incorporated to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and became part of Wenden Voivodeship. After the first partition of Poland in 1772 was taken over by the Russian Empire and added to Vitebsk governorate. Ludza received town rights in 1777 from Catherine II of Russia.

Until July 1, 2009 Ludza was the administrative centre of Ludza District. On July 1, 2009 due to the introduction of the new administrative division in Latvia it became the centre of Ludza municipality.

Tourism

Ludza Museum and Ludza Tourism Information Centre offer excursions around the town. The most visited sights are:

Several lakes offer fishing and water tourism possibilities.

Education

The children of Ludza may attend three pre-school educational institutions - "Rūķītis", "Pasaciņa" and "Namiņš". Elementary and secondary education curricula are provided by Ludza Gymnasium and Ludza Secondary School #2, as well as by Ludza Evening Secondary School. Additional out of school activities are offered at:

  • Ludza Music Primary School (music school with integrated primary school)
  • Ludza Art School
  • Ludza Children and Youth Centre
  • Ludza Sport School

Demographics

As of 2011, the town had a population of 8931, of which 5175 (57.9%) were ethnic Latvians, 3259 (36.5%) were ethnic Russians, 192 (2.1%) were Belarusians, 103 (1.2%) were Ukrainians, 84 (0.9%) were Poles, 23 (0.3%) were Lithuanians, and 95 (1.1%) belonging to other ethnic groups.[1]

Notable people

Twinning and international cooperation

Ludza municipality has several cooperation partners abroad.

Ludza municipality takes part in the Euroregions Pskov, Livonija,[2] and Country of Lakes.[3]

Gallery

  • Ludza Castle.jpg

    Ruins of the castle

  • Kulnev.jpg

    Yakov Kulnev

  • Chashnik Suprematism.jpg

    "Suprematism" by Ilya Chashnik, 1923

  • Ludza Catholic Church.JPG

    Ludza Catholic Church

  • Orthodox.jpg

    Russian Orthodox church in Ludza

  • Ludza music school.JPG

    Ludza Music Primary School

  • Ludza-synagogue 02.JPG

    Former synagogue

  • Ludza-jewish-cemetery-4.JPG

    Jewish cemetery across Little Lake Ludza

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://pop-stat.mashke.org/latvia-ethnic-comm2011.htm
  2. ↑ Pskov, Livonija
  3. ↑ Country of Lakes

External links

Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Ludza&oldid=153893"