Ludza[pic][lud2.jpg]Ludza City that is the centre of the Ludza Region is situated in the Eastern part of Latvia at four lakes. The biggest of them is the Big Ludza Lake (846.4 ha). Southwards from Ludza stretches the charming Northern part of the Latgale highlands. Ludza City lies in the distance of 272 km from Riga (motorways A6, A12 and rail Riga-Zilupe 248 km). Ludza’s territory is 10 sq. km and its population is about 11,450 inhabitants (52.9 % Latvian, 39.8 % Russian, 2.8 % Belarus, 1.5 % Ukraine, 1.5 % Polish). Locality of Ludza was inhabited already in Mesolithic (the 8th till the 5th Millenary BC, Middle Stone Age) that is proved by analysis of the finds of bone objects at the margin of Big Ludza Lake. Settlements from the Neolithic Epoch (the 5th till the middle of the 2nd Millenary BC, Late Stone Age) were found at the Budjanka peninsula of the Big Ludza Lake and also at Jurizdika Horn. There also is Kisukalna hillfort with the graveyard and ancient burial field at Odulkalns. Firstly in the written documents Ludza is mentioned in 1177 (ancient Russian chronicles of Kiev and Ipathy). At that time there was the castle with fortified settlement of ancient Latgallians. The Order of Livonia on the place of Latgallians’ castle between the Big and the Small Ludza Lakes bedded new Ludza castle. This was boulder stone- and-brick building with six towers, three gates and two foreparts of a castle with defensive system. As this castle was built near the border with Pleskava principality, so in 1463 from the Russian side opposite the German castle was built a fortress called Krasny Gorodoc. In 1481 Russians raided in Latgale and Ludza castle was partly destroyed, but in 1525 it was reconstructed again. After the Livonian War (1558-1583) Ludza became the part of Pardaugava Dukedom, but after the Swedish-Polish War (1600- 1629) Ludza together with Latgale was incorporated in domain of Poland. When army of Russian Tsar Alexey Michailovich led the siege on Ludza, they undermined the castle. Soon after the attack just ruins remained from the Ludza castle. In 1765 the settlement at the old castle got the status of hamlet. After the first dividing of Poland (1772) Ludza became the part of Russia. In 1777 Latgale lands were separated in three districts – Daugavpils, Rezekne and Ludza, so the hamlet got the status of the city and became the centre of Ludza district. In 1778 this district was incorporated in Polock Governory, but in 1796 the district and the city of Ludza became the part of Belarus Governory. When in 1802 this Governory was split in Mogilova and Vitebsk Governories, Ludza with remain localities was incorporated in the last one as a part of Latgale. In 1842 Russian Tsar Nicolay the 1st accepted the urban plan for Ludza. In the 19th century soon grew the importance of commerce, the mane trade commodity was flax. In 1896 there were 242 commerce and manufacturing establishments. Till the 2nd half of the 19th century Ludza was the second biggest town in Latgale right after Daugavpils City. The inhabitants mainly were hucksters and craftsmen. In 1904 was opened the Ludza depot on the rail Moscow-Ventspils (established in 1895-1900). At the end of the World War I Ludza was controlled by Bolsheviks: from the November of 1917 till the February of 1918 and from the December of 1918 till the 26th of January, 1920, when at the time of National Freedom Fights Ludza was liberated by Latvian Army. After the war there were traditional eight fairs for a year, and the mane métier the locals have found in commerce. At the time of World War II on the 3rd of July, 1941 Ludza was occupied by the German Nazis Army, but on the 23rd of July, 1944 Russian Red Army overtook the region and the retaliatory politics against the civilians started. In the Soviet times Ludza the same as the other biggest cities of Latvia was made to a part of immeasurable industry system of Soviet Union. All industrial estate mainly was working on imported raw materials and workforces but the production was exported to other economic districts of the USSR. Most noticeable sights in Ludza City and its locality are the old castle ruins (from the 14th century) on Jurizdika hillfort, octagonal Chapel of the St. Tadeush (the end of the 18th – beginning of the 19th century), Evangelic- Lutheran Church (1866), Russian-Orthodox Church of the Ascension (built in 1843, Late Classicism Style) and the Museum of Local History with its ethnographic open-air exposition. There also are nice relaxation places at the all of lakes that are near to the city. Especially picturesque sights are at the margins of Zvirgzdene Lake (134.2 ha). Its six islets are vegetation reserves with the rare kinds of herbs. Karsava Town is situated in the Northern part of the Ludza Region, at the Eastern border of Latvia where it lies in the distance of 280 km from Riga (motorways A6, A12, A13) and of 28 km from Ludza (motorway P49). Town’s area is 3.9 sq. km, but its population is about 2,850 inhabitants (63.9 % Latvian, 33 % Russian). Karsava was the settlement place of the ancient Latgallians. There are several hillforts in its locality. About 4 km from Karsava at Naudaskalns was excavated and studied the ancient settlement with the burial field (6th century BC – 9th century AD). At the near Lukstenieki village was found 12th century’s burial field (Late Iron Age). Present Karsava Town developed on the lands separated from the Malnava Manor as the local centre of commerce and craftsmanship in the 18th century. Here the owner of the manor built the wooden Catholic church. In 1825 Karsava got the rights of hamlet and permit for four traditional fairs a year. The progress of this place was facilitated by rail St. Petersburg-Warsaw that was crossing the appanage in 1859-1861. After the World War I, in the time of Latvian Freedom Fights (1919) against the Bolsheviks Karsava hamlet was going from hand to hand. On the 10th of January, 1920 units of the Latvian Army wholly consolidated in Karsava. In 1928 Karsava got the status of the town. In 1935 there were 218 different commerce and 102 industrial establishments. Mane vocations of the local inhabitants for that time were commerce (flax), small-scale production and also agriculture. Many of the locals suffered because of the arrests and deportations of Soviets. In the World War II 80 % of all buildings in Karsava were destroyed, so present Karsava is almost rebuilt. The noticeable sights in Karsava Town and its localities are the Museum of the Karsava Local History and the Karsava depot that is the eldest in Latvia (built in the 60-s of the 19th century). Interesting examples of local sacral architecture are the Malnava Rome-Catholic Church of the Rosary Our Lady (built in 1741-1763) and Evangelic-Lutheran Church, but in the distance of 1.5 km on the East from the Town one can visit the Malnava Manor complex with the park from the beginning of the 19th century. [pic][lud3.jpg]Zilupe Town is situated almost on the border with Russia in the woods of Latvia’s Eastern part, at the left bank of the Zilupe (translated from Latvian it means “the blue river”) River that gave the place-name for the town. The town is located in the distance of 304 km from Riga (motorways A6, A12) and of 35 km from Ludza. Zilupe’s area is 5 sq. km, but the population of this town is about 2,220 (23 % Latvian, 59.5 % Russian, 12.3 % Belarus, 2.1 % Polish and 1.9 % Ukraine). There were found four barrow burials from the 10th – 12th centuries that proved the ancient density of population in this area. Present Zilupe Town developed about the 1900 apropos of establishing of Ventspils-Moscow-Ribinsk rail. At the Zilupe depot settled railwaymen, salaried personnel and trades- people. As the depot was built on the lands that once were owned by baron Von Rosen, in the infancy town’s name was Rosenow. In 1908 there already were post and police offices, school, pharmacy and many commerce establishments. The World War I interrupted the development of the town. The railway bridge was blasted, level crossings were disassembled and so the traffic with the distal ambiences was discontinued. Starting from the November of 1918 till the January of 1920 there functioned the Bolsheviks’ regime. At the time of first independent Republic of Latvia started a new economic upsurge. In 1931 Zilupe got the status of the Town. The mane vocations of the local inhabitants for that time were commerce, agriculture and small-scale production. In the June of 1940 Zilupe was occupied by the Russian Army and started the repressive politics of Soviet organs, many locals were suspected in activities detrimental to the interests of the Soviet regulations. On the first dates of July, 1941 Zilupe was undertaken by Nazis Army. At the time of the World War II on the 17th of June, 1944 Soviets again came to the Zilupe Town. In the arrests and deportation done by Soviets were harmed many of local inhabitants. Remarkable objects of architecture, art and history in Zilupe Town are the small wooden church in Savelenki graveyard (the Savelenki mortuary - building from the beginning of the 19th century with three Baroque Style altars) and the Rome-Catholic Church that was built in 1883 in Raipole village, but in 1932 was brought to Zilupe and enlarged. [pic][lud4.jpg]Noteworthy places, monuments of the architecture and history in other rural communes of Ludza Region are Pilda Rome-Catholic Church (1926, altars from the 18th century) in Nuksas parish, Istalsna Catholic Church (1800, rebuilt in 1938) in Isnauda parish, Eversmuiza Catholic Church (1771, renovated in 1871) in Cibla parish, Catholic Church (1880) in Brigi parish. There still are preserved marvellous small wooden churches in Lauderi (Russian-Orthodox Church from the beginning of the 18th century) and Pudinova parishes. In Salnava parish still is preserved the complex of the manor (18th century), including the manor-house (1770), Catholic chapel and the park (8.6 ha). In Ruskulova parish also is preserved the former manor buildings and the historic manor park. 2004-09-20 |