Daugavpils

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Daugavpils


A view of Daugavpils in 1912.
Town rights	1275

Location of Daugavpils within Latvia
Location	55°53′N 26°32′E / 55.883°N 26.533°E / 55.883; 26.533
Mayor	Rihards Eigims
Number of city council members	15
Area	72.48 km² (28 sq mi)
Water	9.75 km² (4 sq mi)
Population	108,260
Density	1,494 /km² (3,869 /sq mi)
Postal code	LV-540(1-2); LV-540(4-5); LV-5410; LV-54(12-15); LV-54(17-20); LV-5422; LV-5465
Calling code	+371 654
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Homepage of Daugavpils

Daugavpils (pronounced [ˈdauɡaupils] ( listen)) is the second largest city in Latvia. It is located approximately 230 km south-east of the Latvian capital, Riga, on the banks of the Daugava River. Daugavpils has a favorable geographical position as it borders Belarus and Lithuania (distances of 33 and 25 km respectively). It is located some 120 km from the Latvian border with Russia. Daugavpils is a big railway junction and industry centre.

The city is surrounded by many lakes and nature parks.

[edit] Names

Daugavpils has been referred to by several historical names in various languages. Some are still in use today.

Belarusian: Дзьвінск (Dźvinsk)
German: Dünaburg
Finnish: Väinänlinna
Latgalian: Daugpiļs
Lithuanian: Daugpilis
Polish: Dyneburg, Dźwinów, Dźwińsk, with Dyneburg the only name still in use in Polish today
Russian: Даугавпилс, Борисоглебск (Borisoglebsk 1656–1667), Двинcк (Dvinsk)
Yiddish: דינעבורג (Dineburg)

Here is a chronology of name changes: Dinaburg (1275—1656) → Borisoglebsk (1656—1667) → Dinaburg (1667—1893) → Dvinsk (1893—1920) → Daugavpils (1920—today)

[edit] Demographics

As of 1 January 2006, the city had a population of 108 260.

Russians: 53.96% (58 414)
Latvians: 17.3% (18 725)
Poles: 14.9% (16 126)
Belarusians: 8.22% (8 897)
Ukrainians: 2.23% (2 417)
Lithuanians: 0.96% (1 041)
Jews: 0.45% (492)
Estonians: 0.03% (30)
Others: 1.96% (2 118).

[edit] History

The town's history began in 1275 when Dünaburg castle was built by the Livonian Order 20 km up the Daugava river from where now is Daugavpils. In 1561 it became part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (see: Duchy of Livonia) and in 1566 became capital of the Inflanty Voivodeship, which existed until the First Partition of Poland. In 1577 Dünaburg castle was captured and destroyed by Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible. In the same year new castle was built 20 km down the river. In 1582 Daugavpils get Magdeburg town rights. In the 17th century during Russo–Swedish War initiated by Alexis I of Russia the Russians captured Daugavpils, renamed the town into Borisoglebsk and controlled the region for 11 years between 1656 and 1667. Russia had to give back the area to Poland following the Treaty of Andrusovo.

Downtown Daugavpils (Dvinsk) at the beginning of the 20 century

From 1784 onwards, the city had a large and active Jewish population ^[1] with proeminent personalities. According to Russian census of 1897, out of the total population of 69,700, Jews constituted 32,400 (so around 44% percent).^[2]

As part of the Russian Empire it was called Dvinsk (1893-1920). The town was renamed Daugavpils in 1920 as part of independent Latvia. The city was the site of the Battle of Daugavpils from 1919 to 1920. Daugavpils was part of the Soviet Union 1940-41 and 1944-1991 and Nazi occupied from 1941-44. Nazis created the Daugavpils ghetto for the Jews. The town was the scene of fierce Jewish resistance during those years^{[citation needed]}. During the Cold War it was the site of the Lociki air base, 12 km northeast of the town itself.

[edit] Art, architecture, and culture

Ss Boris and Gleb Orthodox Cathedral – the biggest Orthodox church in Latvia

Daugavpils is an important cultural center in eastern Latvia. There are 22 primary and secondary schools, four vocational schools, and the Saules College of Art. More than 1,000 teachers and engineers graduate from Daugavpils Pedagogical University (now Daugavpils University) and the local branch of Riga Technical University annually.

The city theatre was restored a couple of years ago. There is also one cinema as well as other cultural institutions. The city exhibition center offers many cultural activities.

There are also several architectural, historical, and cultural monuments in Daugavpils. The most prominent is the Daugavpils fortress of the late 18th-19th centuries.

[edit] Airport

Daugavpils International Airport is located 12 km northeast of Daugavpils, near the village of Lociki. The airport is currently under development to allow both international and domestic passenger traffic, as well as international and domestic cargo transport and charter flights. It is expected to be operational by 2013.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Sports

See also: Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia

The football clubs Dinaburg FC and FK Daugava Daugavpils play at Celtnieks Stadium in Daugavpils. There is also a hockey team called DHK Latgale, which currently plays in Belarusian Extraliga. In 2008 the construction of the Daugavpils Multifunctional Sports Centre was started. It is going to be completed in September 2009.