Jelgava

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Population: 61 304Territory: 60,32 km2
Elevation: 2,5 – 4,5 m above the sea level

Climate: Warm summer and spring, relatively mild autumn, cold winter. First frosts are observed in the begining of October; first snowfalls happen in December; snow melts by the end of March.
Ethnic composition: 58,9% Latvians, 26,9% Russians, 5,6% Belarusians, 2,5% Ukrainians, 1,9% Poles, 1,4% Lithuanians, 0,8% Romanies, 2% other (2015)
Situated just 42 km away from Riga.
Hub of six main motorways and five railway lines.
Notable industrial, administrative, educational and culture centre.

Each city has its own story to tell, assembled by little pieces of history through time, forming the portrait and proving its strength. During the long period of its existence, Jelgava has experienced a lot and formed the foundation for its future growth. In the anticipation of the 756th birthday of Jelgava, a photo series “Jelgava yesterday and today” has been created, offering everyone a virtual and visual assessment of the changes our city has underwent in the last two decades.

Everyone is already familiar with Jelgava “today”, though many have forgotten or never even experienced Jelgava “yesterday”. Many streets and buildings have been reconstructed and renovated, new objects have been built and unique recreation places have been established in the last two decades, local events have gained an international dimension, and all this together forms Jelgava, which we love and are proud of. But the main value of the city is its people, and everyone has the opportunity to grow with the city and contribute to it, because together we are Jelgava!

For a long time Jelgava is not just a city in a low and wet place with a Palace and a market. Jelgava is a city, which we call the capital of Zemgale, educational and cultural centre. Demolished, burned and rebuilt in the twentieth century, it still locates in Zemgale plain by the river Lielupe side. Jelgava is a hospitable city, which wants and knows how to host guests. Despite all last century war destruction, there are still architectural, cultural, history and nature monuments as well as modern buildings. Jelgava has formed as various nationalities populated administrative centre, and has become a city with dynamic development in the sphere of economics, education, and culture. Jelgava visitors can get here whatever they want, namely, chance to relax, to enrich oneself culturally, as well as to find place for business activities development. Jelgava wants to share with others with its riches. Museums, parks, resting grounds, cultural events and enterprises are waiting for you!

A city, which is decorated with Baroque pearl – Jelgava Palace – and with Kurzeme – Zemgale dukes vault? Maybe Jelgava is a city, which we call youth, schools, and student’s city. Maybe it is a city, which makes us to remember sharp war facts and conflagration, when things that were legate from knights, dukes and czars time were destroyed.
Despite all war damages and soviet times constructional manner, our city is beautiful, green and hospitable. A lot of surprises are here which our city new guests should discover. Where in the centre of Jelgava protected nature territories with floodplain meadows are? We can show you also three islands between river Lielupe and river Driksa. About Courland (Kurzeme) and Semgallen (Zemgale) dukes good offices show Jelgava Palace and the oldest scholastic institution in Latvia “Academia Petrina”. A fresh Holy Trinity Church tower reminds about the fact that first Lutheran church in Europe after reformation developments was built in Jelgava.

Architectural monuments from the Baroque, the Classicism and Renaissance can be found in the city. And only in Jelgava You can find Love Alley – monument to loyalty, friendship and beautiful dreams about past and future. There are beautiful parks, secular trees, architectural and history monuments, memories about eminent countrymen near factories, roads, rail-roads and water surfaces. Rainis, Jānis Čakste, Ādolfs Alunāns, Māteru Juris, duke Jacob, Jānis Bisenieks, Elizabeth fon der Reke, Severīns Jensens, Francesco Bartholomeo Rastrelli, Ernsts Johans Bīnemanis and thousands of other eminent or not so eminent people have lived and worked in our city, creating this, what always in our hearts will stay as Jelgava.

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