| Jēkabpils | |||
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Jēkabpils
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Latvia | ||
| District | Jēkabpils District | ||
| Town rights | 1670 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | Leonīds Salcevičs | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 23 km2 (8.9 sq mi) | ||
| Population | |||
| • Total | 26,284 | ||
| • Density | 1,142/km2 (2,957.8/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) | ||
| Postal code | LV-520(1-6) | ||
| Calling code | +371 652 | ||
| Number of city council members | 13 | ||
Jēkabpils (; German: Jakobstadt; Polish: Jakubów) is a city in Selonia, Latvia roughly halfway between Riga and Daugavpils. The Daugava River runs through the town, and the ancient valley, branches, and islands of the river are considered picturesque. The town was home to an air base during Soviet rule.
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A stone cross-castle - Cruczeborch (German: Kreutzburg) - was built in 1237 by the crusading Livonian Order. Archeological excavations on the castle mound indicate that this place was a busy trading centre for the Latgalians, one of the Latvian tribes. When the castle was built, the village of Krustpils grew up around it. The village was often destroyed during local wars, such as Polish-Swedish battles, but was always rebuilt afterward.
During the 17th century persecuted Old Believers from Russia settled along the Daugava river. In 1670 this settlement gradually growing around the Salas tavern became known as Jēkabpils (Jakobstadt in German) in honor of the Duke of Courland, Jacob Kettler, who granted it its city charter.
A local legend about the town's origin states that the duke was hunting one day but became lost. At the Daugava River he simultaneously spotted a lynx underneath a fir tree as well as a town at the same time. This image of the lynx underneath a fir tree is the town's coat of arms.
Jēkabpils and Krustpils were merged in 1962.
The population of Jēkabpils town is 29,100. The two historical parts of Jēkabpils — Krustpils and the older part of Jēkabpils — are connected by the bridge across the Daugava River.
As of 1 January 2011, the city had a population of 26284.
In the oldest part of the town the older buildings have been preserved.
One of the Struve Geodetic Arc original station points is located in Strūves park. In Tadenava, not far from Jēkabpils itself, there is a memorial museum to the great Latvian poet Rainis. There are also the Justine and Dugnaja castle sites. The highest point of Selonia – Ormaņkalns - is in Klauce area. Between Nereta and Aknīste there is a memorial museum "Riekstiņi" of famous Latvian writer Jānis Jaunsudrabiņš.
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