Skaistkalne (formerly ''Šēnberga'', , ) is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

in Skaistkalne Parish,

Bauska Municipality Bauska Municipality () is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by Merger (politics), merging Brunava parish, Ceraukste parish, Code parish, Dāviņi parish, Gailīši parish, Īslīce parish, Mežotne parish, Vecs ...

in the

Semigallia Semigallia is one of the Historical Latvian Lands located to the south of the Daugava and to the north of the Saule region of Samogitia. The territory is split between Latvia and Lithuania, previously inhabited by the Semigallian Baltic tri ...

region of

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

. It is the centre of Skaistkalne Parish.

History

In historical sources Skaistkalne was first mentioned in 1489. In that year Master of the

Livonian Order The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order, formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation. History The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after thei ...

Johann Freytag von Loringhoven Johann Freitag von Loringhoven (c. 1430 - 26 May 1494), also known as Johann Freytag von Loringhoven, and Johann Fridach van Loringhoffe, was a knight of the Teutonic knights and a member of the Freytag von Loringhoven family. Most notably, from ...

granted lands between rivers Mēmele and

Iecava Iecava () () is a town on the European route E67, via Baltica in Bauska Municipality, in the Semigallia region of southern Latvia. The town has a population of around 9700 people. Iecava lies 40 km south of Riga and 23 km north of Bau ...

to ''Herman Schönberg''. Thus the name of Skaistkalne also came from the first owner. Since 1660, the oldest wooden church was serviced by the

Jesuit Order The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rome. It was founded in 1540 by ...

, which established a permanent mission in 1666 and a monastery in 1677. In 1692 the new Roman Catholic Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Skaistkalne and a Monastery were built here in the

Italian Baroque Italian Baroque (or ''Barocco'') is a stylistic period in Italian history and art that spanned from the late 16th century to the early 18th century. History The early 17th century marked a time of change for those of the Roman Catholic religion ...

style. Between 1774 and 1929, Catholic priests served in the Skaistkalne old Church and Church of Our Lady. Skaistkalne became the main center of Catholicism in

Zemgale Semigallia is one of the Historical Latvian Lands located to the south of the Daugava and to the north of the Saule region of Samogitia. The territory is split between Latvia and Lithuania, previously inhabited by the Semigallian Baltic trib ...

. In the 19th century Skaistkalne became an important market center. There were 10 large

trade fairs A trade show, also known as trade fair, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and ...

and weekly markets every year. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 500 inhabitants in Skaistkalne (''Schenberg''), mainly

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

engaged in trade and crafts. In 1920 there were 39 houses and 520 inhabitants in the village. In 1925, the village was granted ''a densely populated area'' (village) status and the Germannic name ''Šēnberga'' changed to Latvian Skaistkalne ( - "beautiful mountain"). On November 30, 1929, the church was taken over by the Order of Capuchin, who led the Skaistkalne church until it abolition by the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

during the occupation of 1949. From 1949 to 2001, the Roman Catholic Church of Skaistkalne was served by diocesan Catholic priests. On August 31, 2001, the Church and Church of Our Lady were both taken over by the

Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit The Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit (; abbreviated OSPPE), commonly called the Pauline Fathers, is a monastic order of the Catholic Church founded in Hungary during the 13th century. This name is derived from the hermit Saint Paul of Theb ...

. During the Soviet era Skaistkalne was the center of collective farm "Skaistkalne" and in 1989 there were 854 inhabitants in the village.

Notable residents

* Elisa von der Recke (1754–1833), a

Baltic German Baltic Germans ( or , later ) are Germans, ethnic German inhabitants of the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, in what today are Estonia and Latvia. Since Flight and expulsion of Germans (1944–1950), their resettlement in 1945 after the end ...

writer and poet, was born here.

References

Villages in Semigallia 1489 establishments in Europe Populated places in Bauska Municipality {{Zemgale-geo-stub