, native_name = , nickname = , motto = , image_skyline = Iecavas luterāņu baznīca.jpg , imagesize = 300px , image_caption = Lutheran church in Iecava. , image_flag = , flag_size = , image_seal = , seal_size = , image_shield = Iecavas pilsētas ģerbonis.svg , shield_size = 75 , image_blank_emblem = , blank_emblem_type = , blank_emblem_size = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Latvia , pushpin_label_position = above , pushpin_mapsize = 300 , pushpin_map_caption = Location in Latvia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 =

Municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

, subdivision_name1 =

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

, subdivision_type2 = , subdivision_name2 = , government_footnotes = , government_type = , leader_title = , leader_name = , established_title = First mentioned , established_date = 1492 , area_magnitude = , unit_pref = , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = , area_land_km2 = , area_water_km2 = , area_total_sq_mi = , area_land_sq_mi = , area_water_sq_mi = , area_water_percent = , area_metro_km2 = , area_metro_sq_mi = , population_as_of = , population_footnotes = , population_note = , population_total = 9,016 , population_density_km2 = , population_density_sq_mi = , population_metro = , population_density_metro_km2 = , population_density_metro_sq_mi = , population_urban = , population_density_urban_km2 = , population_density_urban_sq_mi = , timezone =

EET "Eet" is a song from Regina Spektor's fifth studio album, '' Far''. It was released as the album's second official single in October 2009. In Europe it was released as a digital download on November 27, 2009. Music video A viral music video dir ...

, utc_offset = +2 , timezone_DST =

EEST Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) is one of the names of the UTC+03:00 time zone, which is 3 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used as a summer daylight saving time in some European and Middle Eastern countries, which makes it ...

, utc_offset_DST = +3 , coordinates = , elevation_footnotes = , elevation_m = , elevation_ft = , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = LV-2164 , area_code = , blank_name = Calling code , blank_info = , blank1_name = , blank1_info = , website
Iecava official site
, footnotes = , established_title1 = Village status , established_date1 = 1990 , established_title2 = City rights , established_date2 = 1 July 2021 Iecava () (german: Eckau) is a town on the

via Baltica European route E 67 is an E-road running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Estonia and by ferry to Finland. It goes via Prague, Wrocław, Warsaw, Kaunas, Panevėžys, Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki. The route is known as the Via Baltica ...

, in the

Semigallia Semigallia, also spelt Semigalia, ( lv, Zemgale; german: Semgallen; lt, Žiemgala; pl, Semigalia; liv, Zemgāl) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands located in the south of the Daugava river and the north of the Saule region of Samogitia. ...

region of southern

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

. The town has a population of around 5500 people. Iecava lies 40 km south of

Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...

and 23 km north of

Bauska Bauska () is a town in Bauska Municipality, in the Zemgale region of southern Latvia. Bauska is located from the Latvian capital Riga, 62 km (38.5 mi) from Jelgava and from the Lithuanian border on the busy European route E67. The to ...

and was mentioned in historical documents as early as 1492. Until the 2021 Latvian administrative reform took into force on 1 July 2021, Iecava was a village and the center of

Iecava Municipality Iecava Municipality ( lv, Iecavas novads) is a former municipality in the historical region of Semigallia, and the Zemgale Planning Region in Latvia. The municipality was formed 2003 by a reorganization of Iecava Parish, the administrative cent ...

History

The town was founded by Johann Freytag von Loringhoven in 1492. Although the town's Latvian name has always been Iecava, internationally it was known by its

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

name Gross Eckau until the beginning of the 20th century. It was the scene of a victory over Russian forces by Prussian troops fighting for

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

during his invasion of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

Eckau
:de:Johann Samuel Ersch :de:Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste and was also the scene of fighting during the Second World War German retreat from the Soviet Union. South of the town centre lies a park around the former manor of Count

Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen Peter Ludwig Graf von der Pahlen (russian: Пётр Алексе́евич Па́лен, translit= Pyotr Alekseyevich Palen; , Palms Manor, Palms (now ) – , Mitau (now )), a Baltic-German courtier and general, played a pivotal role in the a ...

, of which only the foundation walls and some yard buildings remain.Iecavas muiza. Groß Eckau. By I. Lancmanis. Edited by the Rundale Palace Museum, 2001, 72 p., 75 ill. A monographic study devoted to the history of the estate, architecture, works of art and the family of the counts von der Pahlen. Text in Latvian and German with a summary in English and Russian. The French General Marshal MacDonald, who commanded the Prussian troops who were fighting as part of the Grande Armée, occupied the Gross-Eckau castle after

battle of Ekau The Battle of Ekau was a battle of the initial phase of the French invasion of Russia. Napoleon's troops from the X Corps of Marshal MacDonald, who had the advantage, defeated the troops of Alexander I defending under the command of General ...

during the Napoleonic War with Russia. The church of Iecava dates from the 17th Century but was damaged in various wars and incidents from the Battle at Gross-Eckau 7 July 1812 to the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and a 1972 fire. In addition to farming, the town supports manufacturing enterprises including vegetable oil and white spirits.

Notable people

Prominent Latvians born in Iecava include Friedrich Wilhelm Matisohn (1871-1913) and

Arvīds Pelše Arvīds Pelše (russian: А́рвид Я́нович Пе́льше, Arvid Yanovich Pelshe; – 29 May 1983) was a Latvian Soviet politician, functionary, and historian. Career Pelše was born into a peasant family, in "Mazie" farm near Zāl ...

(1899-1983).

References

{{Authority control Bauska Municipality Towns in Latvia Semigallia

History

Notable people

See also

References