Latvia (Latvian: Latvija [ˈlatvija]), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe, one of the three Baltic states. It is bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus, as well as a maritime border to the west with Sweden. Latvia has 2,070,371 inhabitants and a territory of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi). The country has a temperate seasonal climate.
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About some facts written on the postcard:
Walter Zapp (Latvian: Valters Caps; 4 September [O.S. 22 August] 1905 – 17 July 2003) was a Baltic German inventor. His greatest creation was the Minox subminiature camera.
Gunnar Birkerts (Latvian: Gunārs Birkerts, born January 17, 1925 in Riga, Latvia) is a Latvian-American architect who, for most of his career, was based in the metropolitan area of Detroit, Michigan. Some of his designs include the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, The Corning Fire Station, in Corning, New York, Marquette Plaza in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, and the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela. His latest project is the National Library of Latvia in 2014 in Riga, Latvia, the National Library called the Castle of Light whose architectural form references and draw inspiration from Latvian folklore.
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According to popular legend the Semigallian king Nameisis made a ring called the "namejs" so he could be identified by his family. But his enemies got hold of this information and sought the ring to kill the king (during a war) to have victories. The villagers also created these rings in order to protect the King. And for this reason Namejs is a popular ring for Latvians. In 1287 the Semigallian castle was destroyed by the Livonian Order of knights. In 1335 the wooden castle Hof zum Berg Kalnamuiža was built by the Order of Livonia near to the site of the former Semigallian fortifications, destroyed by the Lithuanian forces in 1445.
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Venta Rapid (Latvian: Ventas rumba) is a rapid on the Venta River in Kuldīga, Latvia. It is the widest rapid in Europe - 249 metres (817 ft) and up to 270 metres (886 ft) during spring floods. Its height is 1.80 - 2.20 metres (5.9–7.2 ft) and it changes depending on the water level in the river. It also features the widest waterfall in Europe. It is 110 metres wide, but only two metres high. Fishing weirs were carved into the stone. They were used to catch salmon and sturgeon. The fish that didn't make the jump up the river were swept by the current back into the canals where they were caught in hanging baskets.
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The national flag of Latvia was used by independent Latvia from 1918 until the country was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. Its use was suppressed during Soviet rule. After regaining its independence, Latvia re-adopted on 27 February 1990 the same red-white-red flag.
Though officially adopted in 1922, the Latvian flag was in use as early as the 13th century. The red colour is sometimes described as symbolizing the readiness of the Latvians to give the blood from their hearts for freedom and their willingness to defend their liberty. An alternative interpretation, according to one legend, is that a Latvian leader was wounded in battle, and the edges of the white sheet in which he was wrapped were stained by his blood. The white stripe may stand for the sheet that wrapped him. This story is similar to the legend of the origins of the flag of Austria.
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The Riga Radio and TV Tower (Latvian: Rīgas radio un televīzijas tornis) in Riga, Latvia is the tallest structure in the Baltic states. It was built between 1979 and 1989 with funding from the central government of the Soviet Union. Its highest point reaches 368 metres (1,207 ft), which makes it the third tallest tower in Europe (after the Ostankino Tower at 540 metres (1,770 ft) and the Kiev TV Tower at 385 metres (1,263 ft)) and the 15th tallest self-supporting tower in the world.
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Sent on: July 23, 2015
Received on: July 27, 2015
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