The city of Jelgava is located in the central part of Latvia , it is 42 km from Riga . The settlement has a good railway junction, there are many different directions. Direct direction from Jelgava you can go to such cities: Liepaja , Meitene, Tukums , Krustpils and Renge. The bus line does not lag behind in development, there are both intra-city and international routes. For tourists who travel around Latvia, it is very convenient to get here to get acquainted with a variety of natural, cultural and architectural attractions.
Natural attractions
Jelgava is on both sides of the Lielupe River , which has a length of 119 km and connects to the Daugava River with one of its own channels. Lielupe is a ship-floating river, along which sightseeing ships sail. Near the river there is a nature reserve that is protected, but people are given the opportunity to visit it and see a variety of species of birds building their nests in this area.
There are five beautiful parks on the territory of the city. One of the most beautiful nature reserves is located near the Jelgava Palace . The second by attendance can be called the Rainis Park .
Architectural sights
The city is simply filled with architectural structures, they are made in different styles with elements of different eras. Therefore, the question asked by travelers, going to Jelgava, what to see, disappears by itself. Among the most famous architectural attractions can be listed the following:
- The era of baroque in Jelgava is represented by the Jelgava Palace , which was built by order of the Duke of Biron. His work on the creation lasted a long time, at first to its construction began the architect Rastrelli, but he could not bring the matter to an end. Later, the creation of the palace involved Jensen - an architect from Denmark, who introduced his own additions from the era of classicism. To date, part of the palace is used for agricultural academy, and in another room there is an exposition of the times of the Kurland duchy.
- In 1775 the first higher school in Latvia was built in Jelgava, it was created by the same Danish architect who completed the Jelgava Palace. Later it ceased to be a higher school, but became a gymnasium. Despite the fact that the building was badly damaged during the Second World War, all repairs were carried out, and the building was completely restored.
- The oldest religious building in Jelgava is St. Anne's church , made in the Renaissance style. It belongs to the Lutheran faith. Ancient sources testify that the church existed in 1573. Originally it was made of wood, but in the middle of the 17th century the building was rebuilt, at the moment it is a stone structure. Near the temple is a two hundred-year-old oak, which was planted in honor of the founder of Lutheranism.
- One of the famous Orthodox churches is the Cathedral of St. Simeon and St. Anne , which rises on these lands for more than four hundred years.
- The city also houses the Spaso-Transfiguration Desert . The Orthodox building is considered sacred for the majority of pilgrims in Latvia, during the celebration, Christians come here who wish to see myrrh-streaming icons.
- In the city there are streets that are overcrowded with the construction of the 18th and 19th centuries, they are somehow miraculous, not affected during the Second World War. On these buildings one can understand how the town-planning in Latvia was going on. Among these architectural buildings, the villa , belonging to the Count of Medem , stands out for its beauty. It was erected in 1818, and was for the Count a kind of holiday home. Today it is considered the brightest building that reveals that era.
Cultural Attractions
Jelgava is considered a city of students, culturally enriching modern youth, concerts, exhibitions and performances are constantly taking place there. In the village there are many cultural attractions, including the main ones:
- The main theater in Jelgava is the Town House of Culture , built in the 1950s. The troupe of this theater tours to many European cities. Thanks to the head Richard Swatsky, his show glorified the Jelgava House of Culture for the whole world.
- In the building of the first higher school the Elga Museum of History and Arts named after G. Elias is located . Having visited it, it is possible to get acquainted with the history of the city and its adjoining territory. Here is an exposition of economic and political principles, which are revealed from ancient times to today. The museum also houses the works of the artist Gedert Elias, who left behind a great legacy. You can feel the history not only inside the building, but also at the entrance to the museum, the fences of this structure are presented in the style of the 40s of the 19th century.
- Another house-museum is the Memorial Museum of Adolph Alunan , fragments from the life of the founder of the Latvian art theater are presented here. Inside are the objects that surrounded Adolf Alunan during his life. This is the only structure dedicated to this founder of the cultural direction.
- The life of the city is directly connected with the railway junction. In this connection, the company of the Latvian Railway decided in 1984 to open a museum dedicated to this branch. The expositions present all the details related to trains: a semaphore, locomotive wheels and a switchman's house. Outside the building, diesel locomotives of different models and railway cars are located.
- On the territory of the Jelgava Castle in the south-eastern part is located the crypt of noble Courland dukes . In the crypt there are 24 sarcophagi of the remains of the dukes, noble persons from the dynasty of the Ketlers and the Biron. To date, the castle is at the disposal of the Latvian Agricultural University, but access to the sarcophagi is open for sightseeing visits.