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Ventspils |
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Ventspils |
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When a Latvian thinks of Ventspils he im-mediately thinks of three things: the port, the Venta River and the Baltic Sea, usually in that order. This is no coincidence, because it is the combination of these three elements which have led to the success, destruction and rebirth of this ancient city.
Already mentioned in historical documents as a port in 1263, Ventspils truly began to grow as a city after the Livonian Order erected a castle here at the end of the 13th century. Located at the mouth of the Venta River, Ventspils and its ice-free port became a strategic base for trade on the Baltic Sea.
Ventspils entered a brief Golden Age as the shipbuilding centre for Duke Jacob of Kurland’s fleet. It was from this small city in present day Western Latvia, that Duke Jacob launched his fleet into the Baltic Sea. These ships set sail for exotic destinations in the Carri-bean and West Africa where the duke possessed colonies.
Unfortunately, for the duke and for Ventspils, larger powers on the Baltic Sea were preparing to pluck this jewel for themselves. The Great Northern War decimated the city to the point that only seven families were left alive. The Grand Duchy of Kurland first fell to Sweden and was finally snatched by Russia in 1795.
Ventspils was reborn as Russia’s chief ice-free port at the beginning of the 20th century. It was also a prominent port during Latvia’s interwar period and also during the Soviet occupation.
Today, Ventspils is a free port and enjoys Latvia’s lowest rate of unemployment. The city’s wealth is evident in its renovated old town, castle and its pristine beaches. At the brink of a new millenium, Ventspils’ future seems bright.
Ventspils is a Latvian sea town, and first port south of the Riga Bay inlet.
The location makes this port interesting also if you plan to go on sailing
northwards to Ösel (Saaremaa). Ventspils is port
of entry.
The
city itself is a small town with a mixture of stone and wooden houses.
It has it's charming despite it is in heavy need of restauration. It seams
that the history took a pause under the soviet period. Very much in the
town is untouched since the war.
You can not say the same
about the port. The soviet pipe-line runs here, and Ventspils is one of
the main ports of the Baltic Sea. The town and the port are definitely
an odd couple.
You
don't have to stay beside oil tankers. A special guest harbour for yachts
is constructed in the inner part of the fishing harbour.
There are no problems
approaching Ventspils. However we thought "the coast was late".
(The coast is low, so you don't see it in the first while.)
At the port you follow the river Venta, until you have a tower-like building on the starboard. This is passport control, and you are supposed to stop there for clearance.