Vilani
Encyclopedia
Viļāni is a town
in Eastern Latvia
, situated in the western part of Rēzekne District
. The railway line Riga
-Moscow
, and the motor highway Riga-Moscow, and the road Preiļi-Balvi cross Viļāni. The Malta river
flows through the town.
The town was mentioned for the first time in 1495 with the name Wielona. In 1507, the largest estate of Latgale
region became the property of de Overlak. In 1752, M. Riks, who was the ruler of Inflanty
, bought the Viļāni estate. He was the first landlord
who very positively influenced the development of the region. The monastery
and the St. Michael
church in the baroque
style were built under his leadership. The monks of the Bernardine Order were housed in the monastery. Because of the revolt of the Poles
in 1830, the monastery had a library with 463 church books in Latin
and Polish
.
The location on the trade road Riga-Rēzekne favoured the development of Viļāni. In 1839, the Viļāni estate became the property of Vincent Janovskis. At the beginning of 1850s, Janovskis built a three-storied flax
mill. There were only three such flax mills in Russian Empire at that time. In Viļāni there was the largest leather
production factory
in Russia. It supplied the tsar
ist army with belt
s, bags, footwear
, saddle
s and leather accessories. In the estate, there were also several small factories, for example two limekiln
s, a brick
factory, mills
, breweries
. In 1852, Viļāni was called a hamlet
. There were 12 houses, the two-storied White tavern
(once a horses' post station), and several shops and baker
ies. In 1862, Viļāni received the official right of a hamlet.
In 1924, monks and priests B. Skrinda and B. Valpirts of the Marijani Congregation arrived to Viļāni. They revived the abbey
, restored the monastery, adding the second floor to the building. In 1925, there were 4 schools in Viļāni. When Viļāni got the town right on February 25, 1928, it had a territory of 1.63 square kilometres and 65 trade enterprises. About a half of inhabitants of Viļāni was killed in World War II
by the Nazis
. The town was also destroyed.
There are 58 enterprises, including 8 branch offices, now in Viļāni. The woodworking
enterprise, the charcoal
producing enterprise and the printing
house “Katoļu dzeive” are the largest of those. The local television
was established in 1992. The Viļāni hydroelectric power
station, built in 1950 and renewed in 1994, is the first renewed private hydroelectric power station in Latvia.
The Viļāni Catholic church, the monastery building, both built in 18th century, and the manor
house of the Viļāni estate with the park are the most remarkable architectural
monuments of the town. The complex of the monastery buildings with the inner yard, an excellent example of the monasteries of Bernardian Order, belongs to the most unusual architectural monuments of Latvia.
The Viļāni railway station is also an architecture monument that is worth seeing. The interior of this building in neo-eclectic
traditions is well preserved.
The Lakstīgalu sala ('island of nightingales') with an open-air stage, located not far from the Viļāni estate, is a favourite recreation place of the inhabitants of Viļāni.
The Viļāni museum tells about the history of Viļāni from the ancient times to nowadays. Approximately 100 animals, which are living in the forests of Latgale region, are exhibited in the Viļāni forest museum.
The memorial plaque
for the victims of totalitarian regime
was unveiled in 1995, the memorial plaque of the liberators of Viļāni on January 11, 1920, and the memorial cross of the national fighters against the Soviet regime
in 1999.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in 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...
, situated in the western part of Rēzekne District
Rezekne District
Rēzekne District was an administrative division of Latvia, located in Latgale region, in the country's east.Districts were eliminated during the administrative-territorial reform in 2009.-Cities:*Rēzekne*Viļāni...
. The railway line 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,...
-Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, and the motor highway Riga-Moscow, and the road Preiļi-Balvi cross Viļāni. The Malta river
Malta River
Malta River is a river of Latvia. It flows for 105 kilometres....
flows through the town.
The town was mentioned for the first time in 1495 with the name Wielona. In 1507, the largest estate of Latgale
Latgale
Latgale is one of the four historical and cultural regions of Latvia recognised in the Constitution of the Latvian Republic. It is the easternmost region north of the Daugava River...
region became the property of de Overlak. In 1752, M. Riks, who was the ruler of Inflanty
Livonia
Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...
, bought the Viļāni estate. He was the first landlord
Landlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
who very positively influenced the development of the region. The monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
and the St. Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
church in the baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style were built under his leadership. The monks of the Bernardine Order were housed in the monastery. Because of the revolt of the Poles
November Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
in 1830, the monastery had a library with 463 church books in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
.
The location on the trade road Riga-Rēzekne favoured the development of Viļāni. In 1839, the Viļāni estate became the property of Vincent Janovskis. At the beginning of 1850s, Janovskis built a three-storied flax
Flax
Flax is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent...
mill. There were only three such flax mills in Russian Empire at that time. In Viļāni there was the largest leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
production factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
in Russia. It supplied the tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
ist army with belt
Belt (clothing)
A belt is a flexible band or strap, typically made of leather or heavy cloth, and worn around the waist. A belt supports trousers or other articles of clothing.-History:...
s, bags, footwear
Footwear
Footwear consists of garments worn on the feet, for fashion, protection against the environment, and adornment. Being barefoot is commonly associated with poverty, but some cultures chose not to wear footwear at least in some situations....
, saddle
Saddle
A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...
s and leather accessories. In the estate, there were also several small factories, for example two limekiln
Limekiln
A lime kiln is used to produce quicklime through the calcination of limestone . The chemical equation for this reaction is...
s, a brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
factory, mills
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
, breweries
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
. In 1852, Viļāni was called a hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
. There were 12 houses, the two-storied White tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
(once a horses' post station), and several shops and baker
Baker
A baker is someone who bakes and sells bread, Cakes and similar foods may also be produced, as the traditional boundaries between what is produced by a baker as opposed to a pastry chef have blurred in recent decades...
ies. In 1862, Viļāni received the official right of a hamlet.
In 1924, monks and priests B. Skrinda and B. Valpirts of the Marijani Congregation arrived to Viļāni. They revived the abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
, restored the monastery, adding the second floor to the building. In 1925, there were 4 schools in Viļāni. When Viļāni got the town right on February 25, 1928, it had a territory of 1.63 square kilometres and 65 trade enterprises. About a half of inhabitants of Viļāni was killed in 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...
by the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. The town was also destroyed.
There are 58 enterprises, including 8 branch offices, now in Viļāni. The woodworking
Woodworking
Woodworking is the process of building, making or carving something using wood.-History:Along with stone, mud, and animal parts, wood was one of the first materials worked by early humans. Microwear analysis of the Mousterian stone tools used by the Neanderthals show that many were used to work wood...
enterprise, the charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
producing enterprise and the printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
house “Katoļu dzeive” are the largest of those. The local television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
was established in 1992. The Viļāni hydroelectric power
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
station, built in 1950 and renewed in 1994, is the first renewed private hydroelectric power station in Latvia.
The Viļāni Catholic church, the monastery building, both built in 18th century, and the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
house of the Viļāni estate with the park are the most remarkable architectural
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
monuments of the town. The complex of the monastery buildings with the inner yard, an excellent example of the monasteries of Bernardian Order, belongs to the most unusual architectural monuments of Latvia.
The Viļāni railway station is also an architecture monument that is worth seeing. The interior of this building in neo-eclectic
Eclecticism in art
Eclecticism is a kind of mixed style in the fine arts: "the borrowing of a variety of styles from different sources and combining them" . Significantly, Eclecticism hardly ever constituted a specific style in art: it is characterized by the fact that it was not a particular style...
traditions is well preserved.
The Lakstīgalu sala ('island of nightingales') with an open-air stage, located not far from the Viļāni estate, is a favourite recreation place of the inhabitants of Viļāni.
The Viļāni museum tells about the history of Viļāni from the ancient times to nowadays. Approximately 100 animals, which are living in the forests of Latgale region, are exhibited in the Viļāni forest museum.
The memorial plaque
Commemorative plaque
A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
for the victims of totalitarian regime
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
was unveiled in 1995, the memorial plaque of the liberators of Viļāni on January 11, 1920, and the memorial cross of the national fighters against the Soviet regime
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1999.