Kolka
Encyclopedia
Kolka is a village
in Kolka parish
, Dundaga municipality
on the tip of Cape Kolka
in Courland
in Latvia
, on the coast of the Gulf of Riga
in ancient Livonia
. It is home to the last remnants of Latvia's Livonian
ethnic group, whose Livonian language
is highly endangered. The village has highest number of Livonians in the historical area of Livonian coast
. In 1995 of total 186 Livonians in Latvia, 53 lived in Kolka.
Kolka is possibly the place where Danish archbishop Absalon
built the first church in Baltic area. First mentions of it are from 1387, when it was called Domesnes which may refer to Danish or Finnish background. Livonian name Kūolka means "corner" in English.
Kolka has three picturesque old churches (all in service now): Lutheran, Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic (trinity of largest religious groups in Latvia). The old church seminary building is located between the first two churches. Kolka has a small hotel, restaurant, several shops and a petrol station. An old fish processing factory (now closed) is located in the port harbour. Strategically located on the cape, the lighthouse was built in 1864 and it has been renovated twice (in 1975 and in 1985). Additionally, there are some ruins of the old lighthouse which was built in 14th century.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Kolka parish
Kolka parish
- Villages of Kolka parish :* Kolka...
, Dundaga municipality
Dundaga municipality
Dundaga municipality is a municipality in Courland, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Dundaga parish and Kolka parish, the administrative centre being Dundaga.- References :...
on the tip of Cape Kolka
Cape Kolka
Cape Kolka - cape on the Baltic Sea, near the entry to Gulf of Riga, in Livonian coast, in the Courland historical region of Latvia. The cape is surrounded by the Irbe Strait which serves as the natural border with Estonia. Cape Kolka represents the southwestern limit of the Gulf of Riga.Cape...
in 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 :...
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...
, on the coast of the Gulf of Riga
Gulf of Riga
The Gulf of Riga, or Bay of Riga, is a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia. According to C.Michael Hogan, a saline stratification layer is found at a depth of approximately seventy metres....
in ancient Livonia
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...
. It is home to the last remnants of Latvia's Livonian
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...
ethnic group, whose Livonian language
Livonian language
Livonian belongs to the Finnic branch of the Uralic languages. It is a nearly extinct language, with one of its last native speakers having died in February 2009. It is closely related to Estonian...
is highly endangered. The village has highest number of Livonians in the historical area of Livonian coast
Livonian coast
Livonian Coast is a territory of Latvia inhabited by Livonian people. It is located in Northern Courland and encompasses twelve Livonian villages...
. In 1995 of total 186 Livonians in Latvia, 53 lived in Kolka.
Kolka is possibly the place where Danish archbishop Absalon
Absalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
built the first church in Baltic area. First mentions of it are from 1387, when it was called Domesnes which may refer to Danish or Finnish background. Livonian name Kūolka means "corner" in English.
Kolka has three picturesque old churches (all in service now): Lutheran, Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic (trinity of largest religious groups in Latvia). The old church seminary building is located between the first two churches. Kolka has a small hotel, restaurant, several shops and a petrol station. An old fish processing factory (now closed) is located in the port harbour. Strategically located on the cape, the lighthouse was built in 1864 and it has been renovated twice (in 1975 and in 1985). Additionally, there are some ruins of the old lighthouse which was built in 14th century.