Bauska | |
---|---|
District | |
Country | Latvia |
Area | |
• Total | 1,880 km2 (730 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Total | 50,811 |
• Density | 27/km2 (70/sq mi) |
Website | bauskarp.lv/ |
Bauska District (Latvian : Bauskas rajons) was an administrative division of Latvia, located in Semigallia region, in the country's centre. It was organized into a city, a municipality and fifteen parishes, each with a local government authority. [2] The principal city was Bauska.
In the 15th century, Bauska Castle was built as a stronghold of the Livonian Order and a settlement developed around the fortification, called Vairogmiests. In 1584, Gotthard Kettler instituted a plan to remove the settlement and organize streets for a new town of Bauska, which received its town charter in 1609. The area was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1795, and an administrative unit was formed 1819 as Kreis Bauske (Russian : Бауский уезд). When Latvian independence was declared on 18 November 1918 the kreis was renamed, reorganized and included territory which is now part of Lithuania. By 1920, Bauska County (Latvian : Bauskas apriņķis) included: Bauska Town and 20 parishes: Bauska, Bārbele, Brukna, Ceraukste, Code, Iecava, Īslīce, Jaunsaule, Kurmene, Mežotne, Misa, Panemune, Rundāle, Skaistkalne, Stelpe, Svitene, Taurkalne, Vecsaule, Vecumnieki, and Zālīte. [3]
During World War II Bauska was occupied by Soviet forces and heavy fighting destroyed many of the structures of the main town. The Jewish Latvian population of the area were largely exterminated by Nazi forces and several thousand residents of the district were deported in 1941 and 1949 during political unrest. Reoccupation of Latvia by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II resulted in creation of the Bauska District (Latvian : Bauskas rajons) in 1949. The Baldone parish took over administration of Iecava, Misa, Stelpe, Vecumnieki and Zālīte parishes. The Eleja parish absorbed Svitene Parish and Jaunjelgava parish added the territories of Kurmene and Taurkalne parishes. [3]
Latvia regained its independence in 1991. The Districts of Latvia were reformed in 2009 and Bauska District was rendered defunct. It was split between the Bauska, Iecava, Rundāle and Vecumnieki municipalities.
Jēkabpils district was an administrative division of Latvia, located in Latgale region, in the country's east. It was organized into three cities and twenty one parishes, each with a local government authority. The main city in the district was Jēkabpils.
Riga District was an administrative division of Latvia, located in Semigallia and Vidzeme regions, in the centre of the country. The district had the two cities of Riga and Jūrmala with the Gulf of Riga to the north. Beginning from the west and counterclockwise to the east, Riga District had Tukums, Jelgava, Bauska, Ogre, Cēsis and Limbaži former districts as neighbours. The area of the district was 3,058 km² with a population of 159,247.
Historical Latvian Lands or formerly Cultural regions of Latvia are several areas within Latvia formally recognised as distinct from the rest of the country. While some of these regions are seen purely as culturally distinct, others have historically been parts of different countries and have been used to divide the country for administrative and other purposes. The Constitution of Latvia recognises four distinct regions: Kurzeme, Zemgale, Latgale and Vidzeme.
Rundāle Palace is one of the two major baroque palaces built for the Dukes of Courland in what is now Latvia, the other being Jelgava Palace. The palace was built in two periods, from 1736 until 1740 and from 1764 until 1768. It is situated at Pilsrundāle, 12 km west of Bauska.
Iecava is a town on the via Baltica in Iecava municipality, in the Zemgale region of southern Latvia. The town has a population of around 5500 people. Iecava lies 40 km south of Riga and 23 km north of Bauska and was mentioned in historical documents as early as 1492. Till 1 july 2021 Iecava was a village.
Until 2009 the districts of Latvia were divided into 77 cities, 10 amalgamated municipalities, 24 rural territories and 475 parishes.
Iecava Municipality is a municipality in the historical region of Zemgale, and the Zemgale Planning Region in Latvia. The municipality was formed 2003 by a reorganization of Iecava Parish, the administrative centre being Iecava. The municipality consists of the following villages: Audrupi, Dimzukalns, Dzelzāmurs, Dzimtmisa, Iecava, Rosme, Zālīte, Zorģi. The population in 2020 was 8,353.
Skaistkalne parish is an administrative unit of Vecumnieki Municipality, Latvia. Prior to the 2009 administrative reforms it was part of Bauska District.
Vecsaule Parish is an administrative unit of Bauska Municipality, Latvia. Through the parish flows Lambārtes, Iecava and Mēmele River.
Ozolnieki Municipality is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2003 by merging Ozolnieki Parish and Cena Parish; the administrative centre being Ozolnieki. In 2009 municipality absorbed Sidrabene parish, too. The population in 2020 was 10,019.
Kurmāle Parish is an administrative unit of Kuldīga Municipality, Latvia. The parish has a population of 2209 and covers an area of 113.68 km2.
Bauska Municipality is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Brunava parish, Ceraukste parish, Code parish, Dāviņi parish, Gailīši parish, Īslīce parish, Mežotne parish, Vecsaule parish and Bauska town the administrative centre being Bauska.
Rundāle Municipality is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Rundāle Parish, Svitene Parish and Viesturi Parish, the administrative centre being Pilsrundāle. The population in 2020 was 3,307.
Vecumnieki Municipality is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Bārbele parish, Kurmene parish, Skaistkalne parish, Stelpe parish, Valle parish and Vecumnieki parish; the administrative centre being Vecumnieki. The population in 2020 was 7,665.
Valkas apriņķis was a historic county in the Governorate of Livonia, and in the Republic of Latvia dissolved during the administrative territorial reform of the Latvian SSR in 1949. Its capital was Valka (Walk).
Valmieras apriņķis was a historic county of Latvia. Its capital was Valmiera (Wolmar).
Bauskas apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Bauska (Bauske).
Ilūkstes apriņķis was a historic county of the Courland Governorate and of the Republic of Latvia. Its capital was Ilūkste (Illuxt), but the most populous settlement was Grīva (Griwa-Semgallen) immediately south of Daugavpils (Dünaburg).
The history of Bauska, a city in southern Latvia, dates back to the 13th century. Its early history was driven by its location on the trade road from Zemgale to Lithuania. Over the centuries, Bauska has experienced periods of prosperity, destruction and war, followed by growth.