Viļaka

Viļaka (German Marienhausen ) is a city in Northeastern Latvia to the Russian border.

History

The area next to the Viļaka Lake was inhabited by tribes of Latgale, which were at odds with Pskov Russians and Estonian tribes. The Bishop of Riga in 1224 was overlord. In 1293 he founded the monastery Marienhausen to protect against the Pleskauern and Christianization.

1559 the area Marienhausen was pledged to the king Sigismund II Augustus and thus belonged until 1772 to Poland - Lithuania. During this time the castle was repeatedly occupied and devastated by Russians and Swedes. Only with the Russian rule after the First Partition of Poland in 1772 returned a quieter times.

When the area was incorporated in 1920 in the independent Latvia, to a degree of prosperity developed. Before the Second World War there were Catholic, Lutheran and Orthodox churches, a high school, two primary schools and a forestry school.

In mid-September 1936, Father Thomas after Marienhausen there to prepare a more monastic foundation.

On 22 June 1944, the great Soviet summer offensive began. In two fronts, the Red Army rolled over in July and August to an end of the war persevering German bridgehead in Kurland throughout the Baltics. On July 23, 1944 at Marienhausen defeated the Red Army after fighting the battle group 218

1945 got Viļaka awarded city rights.

Culture and sights

Buildings

The 1890 consecrated Catholic Church is an example of the Gothic historicism.

Sons and daughters of the town

• Shabtai Daniel (1909-1981), Israeli journalist and politician

Viļakas novads

Since 2009, the city is with 6 surrounding municipalities in administrative matters.