Dobele

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Dobele



City rights	1917

Location of Dobele within Latvia
Location	56°37′N, 23°16′E
Other names	Dobelene; German: Doblen; Russian: Доблень
Mayor	Andris Elksnītis
Number of city council members	11
District	Dobele District
Area	8 km² (3 sq mi)
Population	11,391
Density	1,424 /km² (3,688 /sq mi)
Postal code	LV-370(1-2)
Calling code	+371 37
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Homepage of Dobele

Dobele (pronunciation (help·info)) is a city in Latvia which, located in Zemgale, lies in the near center of Latvia on the banks of the river Bērze. It received city status in 1917 while a part of the Russian Empire during the Russian Provisional Government^[1]. In 2006, its population numbered 10,827 people.

1 History
2 Industry
3 Education
4 Culture
5 Demographics
6 Notable people
7 References
8 See also

[edit] History

Dobele is mentioned in historical sources since 1254; however, during this time it was only a wooden fortress which was destroyed during the Livonian Wars (1558-1583). On its spot, a new stone castle was erected and a small settlement grew up around it. The ruins of this fortress are still visible and are in the process of being restored. The original church was constructed in 1495, and eventually the fortress developed into a trading post. In the 17th century, a watermill, sawmill, and cardiganmill as well as a vinegar-works were constructed during the reign of Duke Jacob. In 1929, the Jelgava-Liepāja railway connected the city to other important towns and a period of development resulted.

[edit] Industry

Dobele is the home of many large enterprises, such as mills, the "Spodrība" chemical plant, and the "Baltic Candles" candle factory. A complete list of major corporations is viewable here here.

[edit] Education

In Dobele, like in other Latvian towns, there are several educational establishments: five comprehensive schools, including Dobele State Grammar School, four kindergartens, Music School and Art School, Vocational School and Adult Education Center, Children and Youth Center.

[edit] Culture

The town of Dobele has a Cultural Center as well as a museum. The town is also the location of 8 nationally protected monuments, such as the old castle, church, and town hall.

There are several annual festivals and holidays celebrated (see this) including the Ielīgosim Jāņus, the Midsummer celebration, and the jubilejai, or festival, which changes yearly.

[edit] Demographics

Latvians make up 75.5% of the population while Russians, as 14%, are a significant minority. Other groups include Byelorussians - 3.3%, Lithuanians - 2.3%, Ukrainians -1.8%, Poles - 1.5%, and 1.6% are of other nationalities.