Kraslava
Kraslava was granted the rights of a town in 1923.
The population in 2007 - 10854.
The area - 8.6 sq km
Kraslava lies in the picturesque Daugava valley surroundel by dark pine and fir tree forest.
Kraslava was mentioned for the first time in documents in 1558, but the town started developing in 1729, when Count Ludvig Plater bought this place. For nearly two centuries the Plater family determined Kraslava economical and cultural life.
Craftmen from Poland and Germany in co-operation with local people organized the production of carpets, velvet, silk and cotton material, weapons, jewellery and other goods. The goods were in demand at the four Kraslava fairs and also in Kurzeme, Poland and Germany.
Kraslava cannot be imagined without the Kraslava Roman Catholic Church, Kraslava Palace(Kraslava manor building of the Von Plater residence), the library and the water-mill built during the Platres time.
People in Kraslava are very proud that in the 18 - 19th century a Ctholic Seminarium functioned here. It was the first establishment in Latgale.
The most famous people of Kraslava are the sculptor Naums Aronsons, the writer and philosopher Konstantins Raudive, the writer Cecilija Dinere, the poet Valdis Kraslavieties and the painter Pavils Glaudans.
History of Kraslava town
It is impossible to date the exact year of Kraslava’s founding. It appeared on the place of the settlements during Neolit epoch-period (4-2 millennium before the Christ’s Birth), not far from Adamova. A populated area, downstream the Daugava, about one kilometer from today’s Kraslava.
How did this name Kraslava appear? There are some versions. The most common variant testified, that the “Kraslava” came from a Latgalian word “krāsls”- (chair, so far as the Daugava (Western Dvina) near Kraslava makes several bends, that according to the form look like a stool or a chair. The confirmation to this we can find in the legend, that when the Daugava was navigable trade artery, many rafts were aground near Kraslava, because of that appeared the analogy with the word „krāsls”- chair.
The second version is that, the name Kraslava occured from the another Latgalian word „krāsla” - twilight. In old times Kraslava was surrounded by dark, thick, impassable forest, it seemed that it was dusky and twilinght, as in the twilit gloom.
The foutth version of Kraslava’s name is connected with Rognese Gorislava. As we see, everyone can consider for himself, the most suitable version about the appearance of Kraslava’s name.
Kraslava land was inhabited before 3 millennium, before Christ’s Birth. At the end of neolit (2 millennium before Christ’s Birth) on the places of Finno-Ugorsk tribes lived Balti and Latgalians kept aloof from them, in 8 century after Christ’s Birth. The trade route along the Daugava developed economy and culture.
We may assume, that in 12 century the land was in Latgalian state with the centre in Ersika. Kraslava was included in comturia of Livonia Orden in 13 century after the attack of German crossmen. In historical material Kraslava was mentioned in 14 century, when a well-equiped storehouse was organised near a trade route of the Daugava. From 1558 Kraslava became a rest place of Livonia Order. From 1562 the land was included in the structure of PartDaugava state. After Polska - Swedish war (1600 - 1629) Kraslava and its land entered Inflantia (Polish, Vidzeme and Latgale), but after the first separation in Poland in 1772 Kraslava together with whole Latgalia according to the decree of Ekaterina 2 in 1773 was included in Pskov province as Daugavas (Dvinska) province. The capital was Dinaburg. The administration in Latgalia was transformed in 1776, Daugavas province together with Vitebsk and Polocka province. Together with Mogilev province it created Belarus General Province. According to the decree in 1777 were organised local autohtrotities that were devided into regions. Kraslava was a component part of Daugavpils region entered Polocka province. As we see, Latgalia wasn’t any more as a separate administrative unit, as it was before 1677. Daugavpils, Rezekne and Ludza communities didn’t have common administrative power, In 1796 Rissian imperor Pavel 1 restored provinces: Polocka and Mogilev were united, it organised Belorus Province with the capital Vitebsk. In 1802 was founded Vitebska Province, Kraslava was included.
New transformation occured in 1823, when some provinces were united and submitted by General of the Province. Vitebska Province together with Mogilev, Smolensk, Kaluga (some time instead of Kaluga - Minsk) created a close unity. It existed till 1856. From 1865 to 1869 was created General Province, that included Vitebska, Vilnius, Kaunas and Grognenska provinces. As a constan administrative unit Latgalia was re-establishmented after the proclamation independence of the Latvian Republic.
Kraslava Regional Council
Address: Rīgas iela 51, Krāslava, LV-5601, Latvija
Phone: +371-65624383
Fax: +371-65681772
E-mail: dome@kraslava.apollo.lv
Website: www.kraslava.lv
PHOTO GALLERY KRASLAVA
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)