Ainaži
Encyclopedia
Ainaži is a harbour town
in the Vidzeme
region of Latvia
. The town is located near the Estonia
n border on the site of an ancient Liv
fishing village. Before 1917, it was known by its German name Haynasch (in Estonian Heinaste, in Russian, Gainash).
word hainaste meaning "hay-road". Other possibilities include the Livonian
words aaina meaning "hay", or ainagi meaning "lonely". In the Middle Ages
, the town was in German
as Haynasch.
fishing village. The town itself was first mentioned in 1564, and through the ages, changed hands among various barons and estates.
Ainaži entered a great period of growth in the 1870s, when its history of shipbuilding and seafaring began.
In the 19th century, Vidzeme
and Courland
were covered with vast forests of pine trees. Ainaži's strategic position on the sea and proximity to lumber made it a perfect place for ship building. In 1864 Krišjānis Valdemārs
sponsored the first nautical school in Latvia
, training young Estonian and Latvian farmers to become ship captains for free. The school stood for 50 years until it was destroyed in World War I
. With the opening of the school and shipbuilding industry, Ainaži grew for the rest of the 19th century. From 1857 to 1913, over 50 seaworthy vessels were built in the town, and in 1902 a working port and railway station opened. By World War I, Ainaži was the fourth largest port in all of Latvia and chief in Vidzeme, overtaking neighboring Salacgrīva
. The town also had its own windmills, fish-processing plant, and brick kiln.
In World War I
Ainaži was heavily damaged. The port was ruined and the entire shipping fleet destroyed. In February 1919, the Estonian army drove the Germans from Ainaži and subsequently occupied it. After the war, Ainaži fell into Latvian territory, even though the majority of the population was Estonian, but Estonia
's troops remained stationed there until 1920 and Estonia kept the northern section "Ikla".
In the first Republic of Latvia (1918–1940) Ainaži was revitalized. The Ainaži fleet, sunken in the war, had completely barricaded the harbor and had to be removed. The harbor was then deepened, and the port was rebuilt in 1923 with new breakers. In 1930 the Ainaži lighthouse was built.
In World War II
, however, Ainaži was destroyed again. The second naval academy burned down, the port was bombed, and the warehouses were plundered. Though the port was partially rebuilt in Soviet times, Ainaži was overshadowed by nearby Pärnu
, and lost its fish-processing factory to Salacgrīva
.
After Latvia's independence was restored in 1991, a wind turbine
was built in Ainaži as well as a customs
house on the Estonian border. Today the building of the nautical school hosts a museum, the Ainažu Jūrskolas Muzejs, dedicated to the history of the school and the tradition of shipbuilding along the Vidzeme
coast.
international highway favours transit/transport industries.
. Latvians made up 92% of the inhabitants, Russians 3%, Estonians 2%, and others 4%. From 2004 the population had decreased by 5.08% (96 inhabitants).http://www.ainazi.lv/?s=55354
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 the Vidzeme
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
region of 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...
. The town is located near the Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n border on the site of an ancient Liv
Livonian people
The Livonians or Livs are the indigenous inhabitants of Livonia, a large part of what is today northwestern Latvia and southwestern Estonia. They spoke the Uralic Livonian language, a language which is closely related to Estonian and Finnish...
fishing village. Before 1917, it was known by its German name Haynasch (in Estonian Heinaste, in Russian, Gainash).
Etymology
"Ainaži " may be derived from the EstonianEstonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
word hainaste meaning "hay-road". Other possibilities include the Livonian
Livonian
Livonian can refer to one of the following.*Livonian people*Livonian language*Anything else pertaining to Livonia...
words aaina meaning "hay", or ainagi meaning "lonely". In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the town was in German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
as Haynasch.
History
Ainaži existed for centuries as a LivonianLivonian
Livonian can refer to one of the following.*Livonian people*Livonian language*Anything else pertaining to Livonia...
fishing village. The town itself was first mentioned in 1564, and through the ages, changed hands among various barons and estates.
Ainaži entered a great period of growth in the 1870s, when its history of shipbuilding and seafaring began.
In the 19th century, Vidzeme
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
and Courland
Courland
Courland is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland.- Geography and climate :...
were covered with vast forests of pine trees. Ainaži's strategic position on the sea and proximity to lumber made it a perfect place for ship building. In 1864 Krišjānis Valdemārs
Krišjanis Valdemars
Krišjānis Valdemārs was a writer, editor, educator, politician, lexicographer, folklorist and economist, the spiritual leader of the first Latvian National Awakening and the most prominent member of the Young Latvia...
sponsored the first nautical school in 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...
, training young Estonian and Latvian farmers to become ship captains for free. The school stood for 50 years until it was destroyed in 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...
. With the opening of the school and shipbuilding industry, Ainaži grew for the rest of the 19th century. From 1857 to 1913, over 50 seaworthy vessels were built in the town, and in 1902 a working port and railway station opened. By World War I, Ainaži was the fourth largest port in all of Latvia and chief in Vidzeme, overtaking neighboring Salacgrīva
Salacgriva
Salacgrīva is a town in Limbaži County, in the Vidzeme region of northern Latvia. The town has a port, situated on the mouth of the Salaca river and the Gulf of Riga...
. The town also had its own windmills, fish-processing plant, and brick kiln.
In 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...
Ainaži was heavily damaged. The port was ruined and the entire shipping fleet destroyed. In February 1919, the Estonian army drove the Germans from Ainaži and subsequently occupied it. After the war, Ainaži fell into Latvian territory, even though the majority of the population was Estonian, but Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
's troops remained stationed there until 1920 and Estonia kept the northern section "Ikla".
In the first Republic of Latvia (1918–1940) Ainaži was revitalized. The Ainaži fleet, sunken in the war, had completely barricaded the harbor and had to be removed. The harbor was then deepened, and the port was rebuilt in 1923 with new breakers. In 1930 the Ainaži lighthouse was built.
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...
, however, Ainaži was destroyed again. The second naval academy burned down, the port was bombed, and the warehouses were plundered. Though the port was partially rebuilt in Soviet times, Ainaži was overshadowed by nearby Pärnu
Pärnu
Pärnu is a city in southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. It is a popular summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants, and large beaches. The Pärnu River flows through the city and drains into the Gulf of Riga...
, and lost its fish-processing factory to Salacgrīva
Salacgriva
Salacgrīva is a town in Limbaži County, in the Vidzeme region of northern Latvia. The town has a port, situated on the mouth of the Salaca river and the Gulf of Riga...
.
After Latvia's independence was restored in 1991, a wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
was built in Ainaži as well as a customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
house on the Estonian border. Today the building of the nautical school hosts a museum, the Ainažu Jūrskolas Muzejs, dedicated to the history of the school and the tradition of shipbuilding along the Vidzeme
Vidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
coast.
Economy
The most important industries are forestry, woodworking and trade. In addition, its location at the Latvia-Estonia border on the Via BalticaEuropean route E67
European route E 67 is a E-road running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Helsinki in Finland by way of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia....
international highway favours transit/transport industries.
Demographics
The population of Ainaži and the surrounding area in 2005 was 1794 people, the smallest official town of VidzemeVidzeme
Vidzeme is one of the historical and cultural regions of Latvia. Literally meaning "the Middle Land" it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River...
. Latvians made up 92% of the inhabitants, Russians 3%, Estonians 2%, and others 4%. From 2004 the population had decreased by 5.08% (96 inhabitants).http://www.ainazi.lv/?s=55354
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