Valdemārpils Town, Latvia

Valdemārpils (German: Saßmacken) (called Sasmaka until 1926) is a town in northwestern Latvia, near Talsi. The town is named after Krišjānis Valdemārs, born in nearby Valdgale parish (then part of Ārlava parish), who was one of the leaders of the First Latvian National Awakening. He is celebrated in the town with a memorial stone. Famous Jewish bibliographer and book collector Ephraim Deinard was born here in 1846.

en.wikipedia.org

Population - 1396
Density - 465.3 people/km²
Area - 3 km²

Valdemārpils (until 1926 Sasmaka) is locaed 16 km North from Talsi on the banks of Lake Sasmaka. Valdemārpils pilsēta and surrounding Ārlavas parish has borders with Valdgale parish, Īve parish, Lube parish, Vandzene parish and Laidze parish. The total area of Valdemārpils town and Ārlava parish is 137.5 km2. Originally the towns was called „Sasmaka”, but in 1926 local municipality leaders decide to rename it Valdemārpils in order to honor Latvian public leader Krišjānis Valdemārs, who has lived there.

The name “Sasmaka” originated from the nearby lake Sasmaka and has been used in several alterations (Sansmagen, Sassmaggen, Sassmaken, Saßmacken). The name of the lake is originated from narrowing by land in the middle of the lake that nowadays is crossed by a bridge. The territory has been inhabited from 11th century by Livonian and Corounian tribes. Ancient sights like Dupuru hill fort, Idol Lime-Tree. After 1231 Ārlava became part of Kurzeme episcopacy under German rule. The name “Sasmaka” was first time mentioned in writing in 1582, when the last bishop of Kurzeme joined Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. In 16th century it started to become merchants’ village, since the Jews gained rights to travel freely in Kurzeme. Until the 19th century the village was under the owner of Sasmaka manor. During World War One the German occupation in 1917 gave Sasmaka village town rights.

Nowadays Valdemārpils town and Ārlava parish is part from Talsi region. Valdemārpils represents the historic charms of small town of Kurzeme. Sasmakas swimming area is a popular place for recreation, sports events and public event.
www.talsitourism.lv