Gulbene
Encyclopedia
Gulbene and the surrounding Gulbene municipality
are located in North-eastern Latvia
and adjoin the Alūksne
, Balvi, Madona, Cēsis
and Valka
regions.
The area of this region is 11.898 km², with a population of 29,797 inhabitants (10,015 urban, 19,782 rural population).
and the Bishop
of Riga
. In the 14th century the Archbishop of Riga
built a stone castle
around which a populated area was formed.
Vecgulbene (Old Gulbene) estate complex was built in the middle and second half of the 19th century. The most significant buildings are the White Palace (Brivibas St. 12), the Red Palace (Parka St. 1) and the magazine granary (Brivibas St. 9). Both palaces have been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Since 1924 the elementary school of the city occupies the Red Palace.
After the construction of the Stukmani to Valka narrow-gauge railway in 1903 and subsequent broad-gauge line construction during World War I
, Vecgulbene was established as an important railway junction, and in 1920 it was given the rights of a small village. During the first period of Latvian independence, besides those employed by the railways, small business, trades and crafts were the most important economic activities in the town. After World War II
, during the Soviet occupation, Gulbene initially became a district, and later, in 1950, a regional centre. In the 1960s and 1970s branches of several major industrial companies were established in the city. Local enterprise was mainly involved with wood processing.
The most architecturally significant building in the area is the passenger building at Gulbene railway station, built in 1926 by the well-known professor of architecture Peteris Feders (1868 - 1936). It is one of the largest and most magnificent railway station buildings in Latvia.
The Evangelical
Lutheran church of Gulbene (Brivibas St. 13) was built on the ancient Latgalian castle mound in place of the later Middle Age brick castle from 1838–1843. The church is built in the Classical style.
and water-sports, but once these were famous places for harvesting river-pearls. Cycling is enjoyed on local country paths.
Gulbene has a basketball
team, Gulbenes Buki, playing in the higher division of the Latvian basketball league.
Gulbene municipality
Gulbene municipality is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Beļava parish, Dauksti parish, Druviena parish, Galgauska parish, Jaungulbene parish, Lejasciems parish, Litene parish, Lizums parish, Līgo parish, Ranka parish, Stāmeriena parish, Stradi...
are located in North-eastern Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and adjoin the Alūksne
Aluksne
Alūksne is a town on the shores of Lake Alūksne in northeastern Latvia near the borders with Estonia and Russia. It is the seat of Alūksne municipality.- History :...
, Balvi, Madona, Cēsis
Cesis
Cēsis , is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges above the river overlooking the woods below...
and Valka
Valka
Valka is a town in northern Latvia, on the border with Estonia.Valka and the Estonian town Valga are twins, separated by the Estonian/Latvian border but using the slogan "One Town, Two States". The border dividing the Livonian town of Walk was marked out in 1920 by an international jury headed by...
regions.
The area of this region is 11.898 km², with a population of 29,797 inhabitants (10,015 urban, 19,782 rural population).
History
Historical documents first mention the 1224 land division act between the Order of the Sword BrothersLivonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
and the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. In the 14th century the Archbishop of Riga
Archbishop of Riga
The Archbishopric of Riga was an archbishopric in Medieval Livonia, a subject to the Holy See. It was established in 1186 as the bishopric of Livonia at Üxküll, then after moving to Riga it became the bishopric of Riga in 1202 and was elevated to an archbishopric in 1255.- Archbishops of Riga :The...
built a stone castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
around which a populated area was formed.
Vecgulbene (Old Gulbene) estate complex was built in the middle and second half of the 19th century. The most significant buildings are the White Palace (Brivibas St. 12), the Red Palace (Parka St. 1) and the magazine granary (Brivibas St. 9). Both palaces have been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Since 1924 the elementary school of the city occupies the Red Palace.
After the construction of the Stukmani to Valka narrow-gauge railway in 1903 and subsequent broad-gauge line construction during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Vecgulbene was established as an important railway junction, and in 1920 it was given the rights of a small village. During the first period of Latvian independence, besides those employed by the railways, small business, trades and crafts were the most important economic activities in the town. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, during the Soviet occupation, Gulbene initially became a district, and later, in 1950, a regional centre. In the 1960s and 1970s branches of several major industrial companies were established in the city. Local enterprise was mainly involved with wood processing.
The most architecturally significant building in the area is the passenger building at Gulbene railway station, built in 1926 by the well-known professor of architecture Peteris Feders (1868 - 1936). It is one of the largest and most magnificent railway station buildings in Latvia.
The Evangelical
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
Lutheran church of Gulbene (Brivibas St. 13) was built on the ancient Latgalian castle mound in place of the later Middle Age brick castle from 1838–1843. The church is built in the Classical style.
Geography
There is one major town in the Gulbene District, and the region is separated into 13 smaller rural parishes. Gulbene is being developed as an environmentally-friendly territory.Sports
The Gulbene Region's biggest rivers (Gauja, Tirza and Pededze) are currently popular locations for nature tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and water-sports, but once these were famous places for harvesting river-pearls. Cycling is enjoyed on local country paths.
Gulbene has a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team, Gulbenes Buki, playing in the higher division of the Latvian basketball league.
Notable people
- Aiva Viksna, chairperson of the association LIDERE.
- Valdis Zilveris, composer.
- Inguna Sudraba, Latvia's Auditor General.
- Uldis Anze, actor.
- Jevgenijs Augustinovics, precentor.
- Oto Bertins, painter, black-and-white artist.
- Imants Cepitis, precentor.
- Aija Dzerve, actress.
- Leonids Grabovskis, actor.
- Gido Kokars, precentor.
- Imants KokarsImants KokarsImants Kokars was a Latvian pedagogue and conductor. His twin brother Gido Kokars is conductor, too. He has been chief conductor of several Latvian Song and Dance Festivals.- References :...
, precentor. - Augusts Malvess, architect.
- Ingus Petersons, operatic singer.
- Ralfs Rubenis, musician and composer.
- Dzintra Zilde, circus artist.
- Nauris Indzeris, operatic singer.