Lielvārde
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2008-06-18T10:23:01Z
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{{Latvian Cities
|name=Lielvārde
|Coa=WappenLielvarde.png
|Flag=
|Image=
|Caption=
|citysince=1992
|location_map=Latvia city Lielvārde.png
|n1=56
|n2=42
|e1=24
|e2=50
|othernames={{lang-de|Lennewarden}}
|Mayor=
|nrofmembers=
|District=Ogre
|area=10
|Water=
|Rural=60
|Elevation=
|population= 6708<!-- 2006 -->
|density=671
|postcode=507(0-1)
|callcode=50
|webpage=http://www.lielvarde.lv/
}}
'''Lielvārde''' ({{audio|Lielvardepronunc.ogg|pronunciation}}), population 6328, is a town and rural district in [[Vidzeme]], [[Latvia]], on the right bank of the [[Daugava]] river, 52 km southeast of [[Riga]].
The area was a contact zone between the [[Finnic]] [[Livonians]] and the [[Balts]], and many prehistoric artifacts have been uncovered there. A [[Balts|Baltic]] hill-fort named Lennewarden being taken in fief by [[Albert of Buxhoeveden]] in [[1201]] is mentioned in the [[Chronicle of Henry of Livonia]]. This site is called ''Dievukalns'' (Hill of the Gods) in Latvian. A stone castle was constructed by the Riga diocese in [[1229]]; its ruins are still accessible today.
A parochial school was established when the area was part of [[Swedish Livonia]], but ca. 70% of the population perished in the Great Plague of [[1710]]. The opening of the Riga-[[Daugavpils]] railroad in [[1861]] led to the expansion of the town around the railway station Rembate. The town was entirely destroyed in [[World War I]] but was swiftly rebuilt after Latvia achieved independence.
After the [[occupation of Latvia]] and its incorporation into the [[Soviet Union]] as the [[Latvian SSR]], Edgars Kauliņš (1903-1979), the local [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Communist Party]] secretary, was able to save all of the farmers in the district from deportation during the period of forced [[Collectivisation in the USSR|collectivization]], declaring that there were no [[kulak]]s in the area and he would rather be deported himself. In 1948 Kauliņš became the founding chairman of the [[kolkhoz]] Lāčplēsis ("The Bear Slayer"), now part of Lielvārde. The kolkhoz became famous for its beer, still brewed in Lielvārde by AS Lāčplēša alus, part of the Scandinavian [[Royal Unibrew]] brewing group since [[2005]]. [[Lielvārde (air base)|Lielvārde air base]] was built by the Soviets in [[1970]]; the largest in the [[Baltic countries|Baltic States]], it was taken over by the [[Latvian Air Force]] in [[1994]].
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Lielvārde is renowned as the area that inspired the prominent Latvian poets [[Auseklis]] and [[Andrejs Pumpurs]], author of the epic [[Lāčplēsis|''Lāčplēsis'']] (''The Bear Slayer'', [[1888]]), and for the ''Lielvārdes josta'', a traditional woven belt with 22 ancient symbols. Portions of the belt's design are featured on [[Latvian lats|Latvian banknotes]], and its symbolism has inspired many artists and [[folklore]] enthusiasts, especially those associated with the pagan revival, [[dievturība]].
== References ==
*Arveds Švābe, ed.: ''Latvju enciklopēdija''. Stockholm: Trīs Zvaigznes, 1952-1953.
*Guntis Zemītis, ''Ornaments un simbols Latvijas aizvēsturē''. Rīga: Latvijas vēstures institūta apgāds, 2004. ISBN 9984-601-20-X
*[http://www.ogre.lv/news/10520.html Ogres rajona pašvaldību vortāls.] Retrieved 25. II. 2006.
*James A. Brundage, ''The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia''. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1961.
{{Latvian regional cities}}
{{coor title dms|56|43|21|N|24|48|18|E|region:LV_type:city}}
[[Category:Cities in Latvia]]
[[Category:Castles in Latvia]]
[[Category:Castles of the Livonian Order]]
[[de:Lielvārde]]
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[[ja:リェルヴァーデ]]
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[[ru:Лиелварде]]
[[uk:Лієлварде]]