Aizkraukle

Aizkraukle (German: Ascheraden) is a town in Vidzeme region in Latvia, the administrative centre of Aizkraukle Municipality on the right bank of the Daugava River.

Aizkraukle
Town
Flag
Coat of arms
Aizkraukle
Location in Latvia
Coordinates: 56°36′15″N 25°15′14″E
Country Latvia
MunicipalityAizkraukle Municipality
Town rights1967
Area
 • Total12.9 km2 (5.0 sq mi)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total7,018
 • Density727/km2 (1,880/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
LV-510(1-3)
Calling code+371 651
Websitewww.aizkraukle.lv

History

In the second half of the 14th century Livonian Order built the Aizkraukle Castle, a few kilometres downstream from the ancient hillfort of Livs. The ruins of the castle still remain today. Before World War I, the settlement that stood near the site of modern-day Aizkraukle was known by its German name of Ascheraden.

The modern town was established in 1961 as a settlement to house the builders of the nearby hydroelectric power plant of Pļaviņas.[1] It was originally called Stučka[2] (or "Стучка", Stuchka[3] and "имени Петра Стучки", imeni Petra Stuchki[1] in Russian), for Pēteris Stučka, a Latvian communist.[1] Town status was granted to it in 1967,[1][2] which is also when it became the administrative center of Stučkas District. In 1990, it was renamed Aizkraukle, after the nearest railway station.[1] The name literally means beyond the Kraukle River.[1]

Economy

General industries in the area include power generation, woodworking, printing, and agriculture.

In 2004 Aizkraukle was awarded "The tidiest town in Latvia 2004" in its size group.

  • Aizkraukle Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church
  • Soviet-era supermarket
gollark: Yes, fair, I mean "cables" in the general sense.
gollark: Big things use coaxial cable. PCBs use... microstrips, I think?
gollark: No, you sometimes have to transmit RF signals down cables from your antenna.
gollark: Anyway, phones aren't really designed for external antennas, especially since carrying radio-frequency signals down cables or whatever is hard.
gollark: Uncool watches do. Cool watches use atomic frequency standards.

See also

References

Notes
  1. Pospelov, p. 24
  2. Latvijas PSR Administratīvi Teritoriālais Iedalījums, p. 47
  3. Latvijas PSR Administratīvi Teritoriālais Iedalījums, p. 118

Sources
  • Е. М. Поспелов (Ye. M. Pospelov). "Имена городов: вчера и сегодня (1917–1992). Топонимический словарь." (City Names: Yesterday and Today (1917–1992). Toponymic Dictionary." Москва, "Русские словари", 1993.
  • Latvijas PSR Augstakās Padomes Prezidija Padomju Darba Jautājumu Daļa. Latvijas PSR Administratīvi Teritoriālais Iedalījums. 1978. gads. Izdevnieciba "Liesma", Riga 1978.
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