Lielvārde 4192498 220114964 2008-06-18T10:23:01Z Sfan00 IMG 4906524 Remove link : duplicated by geo-coding {{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]]. Ṇ 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]] [[et:Lielvārde]] [[lv:Lielvārde]] [[lt:Lielvardė]] [[ja:リェルヴァーデ]] [[pl:Lielvārde]] [[ru:Лиелварде]] [[uk:Лієлварде]]