Madona

Madona ( German Madohn ) is a Latvian district town in the scenic area Vidzeme.

History

An early settlement of the urban area is detected by grave finds. In historical times the Latgale settled in the area. 1461 a Good Madohn mentioned in writing, when it awarded the Archbishop of Riga as a fief for the first time. In Swedish time the estate was Kronbesitz. After taking possession by Russia in 1721, it received the General Alexander Buturlin as a gift of the Empress.

The place Madona was only after 1903 with the opening of a railway station on the narrow gauge line from Stockmannshof ( lett: Pļaviņas ) to Walk.

1925 had Madona 1357 inhabitants and was given a year later a city.

Through establishment of industries after the Second World War, the population rose to 5700 in 1959, in 1967 it amounted to 7200th

Population

2004, the following nationalities were represented in the city: Latvian 80.3 %, Russian 14.7 %, Belarusians 1.7%, Ukrainians 0.9 %, other 13: 2.3%.

Personalities

• Aleksandrs Starkovs (* 1955 in Madona ), Latvian football coach
• Gundars Upenieks ( * 1971 in Madona ), Latvian biathlete
• Raivis Zīmelis (* 1976 in Madona ), Latvian biathlete

Others

• Destination in the vicinity is the Gaising, Latvian Gaiziņkalns, the highest point in Latvia (311 m).
• In Madona there are a Lutheran church (1805 ), an Orthodox church (1866 ) and a Catholic church (1934 ).
• Since 1990, Madona is the twin city of Weyhe.
• Madona was from 1932 to 1944 Location of a radio transmitter. First, an antenna was driven by 2 116 -meter-high wooden towers, later, a 230 -meter-high radio mast was used.

Madona District

Since 2009, Madona district center, another 14 municipalities of the former Madona is belong. 2010, the population was 27732 at an area of ​​2153.4 km ².