Valmiera

Valmiera (German: Wolmar) is the largest city of Vidzeme region, Latvia with a total area of 18.1 km?. It is the center of Valmieras county. As of 2002 Valmiera had a population of 27,323.

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It lies on the crossroads of several important motorways, being 100 km from Riga, the capital of Latvia, and 50 km from the border of Estonia. Valmiera lies on both banks of the Gauja River.

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Valmiera and its surroundings have been one of the longest-inhabited regions of Latvia. Archeological evidence indicates the site was inhabited 9,000 years ago. Valmiera was first mentioned as a town in a chronicle dating back to 1323. The actual founding of the town probably occurred at least 40 years earlier when the master of the Livonian Order Wilken von Endorp constructed a castle (Wolmar) and Catholic church on the banks of the river Gauja. Valmiera was a member of the Hanseatic League from the 14th-16th centuries. Involvement in the Hansa brought significant trade and movement into the town?s life.

German: German may mean:...

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. Sometimes in German it is also known as Livland- German form from Latin Livonia, though it comprises only a small part of medieval L...

Latvia: The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia has land borders with its two fellow Baltic states ? Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south ? and Russia and Belarus to the east. In the west Latvia shares a maritime border with Sweden. The capital...