Pitrags ( liv, Pitrõg) is a village situated in

Kolka Parish Kolka parish ( lv, Kolkas pagasts, liv, Kūolka pagāst) is an administrative unit of Talsi Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia. Villages of Kolka parish * Kolka - parish administrative center * Košrags * Mazirbe * Pitrags * S ...

Talsi Municipality Talsi Municipality ( lv, Talsu novads) is a municipality in Courland, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Abava parish, Balgale parish, Ģibuļi parish, Īve parish, Ķūļciems parish, Laidze parish, Lauciene parish, L ...

, in the

Courland Courland (; lv, Kurzeme; liv, Kurāmō; German and Scandinavian languages: ''Kurland''; la, Curonia/; russian: Курляндия; Estonian: ''Kuramaa''; lt, Kuršas; pl, Kurlandia) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands in western Latvia. ...

region of

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 ...

, at the mouth of the river Pitraga. It is one of twelve Livonian villages. Other names: Pitraguciems, Pitrag, Pitraga Ciems, Petragga, Pitraga, Pitragutsiyeme. It was founded in the Middle Ages by several brothers who arrived from

Saaremaa Saaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring . The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island and west of Muhu island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago. The capital of the island i ...

and settled there. For many years, due to its geographical location on the river, Pitrags was a regional centre of shipbuilding, providing small timber fishing boats for locals and the nearby villages of

Saunags Saunags ( Livonian: ''Sǟnag'') is a populated place in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality, Latvia, located from the Cape Kolka, within the borders of Slītere National Park. The name derived from Livonian ''Sǟnag'' – pike perch (Sander), a l ...

and

Vaide Vaide ( Livonian: ''Vaid'') is a village in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia. It is one of the remaining twelve Livonian villages on the Livonian Coast. Poulin Klavin (), one of only a handful of native speakers o ...

. During the Soviet period a large fish-smoking plant was located here (closed down in mid-1990s and now converted into a private residence). There is also a small local church and cemetery. Along the dunes runs the site of a

narrow gauge railway A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structur ...

, an extension of the military railway built to nearby

Mazirbe Mazirbe ( liv, Irē or '', german: Klein-Irben'') is a village place in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality, Latvia 18 km southwest of Kolka. It is one of twelve Livonian villages on ' - the Livonian Coast. Mazirbe is the cultural capital ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. The railway was decommissioned in the 1960s, several years after a new strategic wide dirt road was built by the Soviet Army (several years ago this road was asphalted using EU funds). On February 4, 1992, the Latvian government created a protected cultural and historic territory called ''

Līvõd Rānda Livonian Coast ( liv, Līvõd Rānda, italic=no; lv, Lībiešu krasts, italic=no) is a territory of Latvia historically inhabited by Livonian people. It is located in Northern Courland and encompasses twelve Livonian villages. The protected area ...

'' - the

Livonian Coast Livonian Coast ( liv, Līvõd Rānda, italic=no; lv, Lībiešu krasts, italic=no) is a territory of Latvia historically inhabited by Livonian people. It is located in Northern Courland and encompasses twelve Livonian villages. The protected are ...

- which includes all 12 of the Livonian villages:

Lūžņa Lūžņa ( Livonian: ''Lūžkilā'') is a populated place in Tārgale parish, Ventspils municipality, Latvia, one of the twelve Livonian villages on the Livonian coast. Lūžņa was a long fishing hamlet at the coast of the Baltic Sea about 30 ...

(Livonian: Lūž),

Miķeļtornis Miķeļtornis ( Livonian: Pizā) is a populated place in Tārgale parish, Ventspils municipality, Latvia. It is one of the twelve Livonian villages on the Livonian Coast. Miķeļbāka Lighthouse "Miķeļbāka" established in 1884 is lo ...

(Pizā), Lielirbe (Īra), Jaunciems (Ūžkilā),

Sīkrags Sīkrags ( Livonian: ''Sīkrõg'') is a populated place in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality, Latvia. It is one of the twelve Livonian villages on ''Līvõd rānda''—the Livonian Coast. Other names: Sīkrags, Sīkraga, Sikraguciems, Sikrag, S ...

(Sīkrõg),

(Irē),

Košrags Košrags ( Livonian: ''Kuoštrõg'') is a populated place in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality, Latvia on the shore of the Irbe Strait of the Baltic Sea. One of twelve Livonian villages on the ''Līvõd rānda'' - the Livonian Coast in Courland (K ...

(Kuoštrõg),

(Sǟnag),

(Vaid), Kolka (Kūolka), Pitrags (Pitrõg), and

Melnsils Melnsils ( Livonian: ''Mustānum'') is a populated place in Talsi Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia. One of the twelve Livonian villages on ''Līvõd Rānda'' - the Livonian Coast. Other names: Melnsil, Melsils. Melnsils camping ...

(Mustānum). The Latvian government discourages settlement of ethnic

Latvians Latvians ( lv, latvieši) are a Baltic ethnic group and nation native to Latvia and the immediate geographical region, the Baltics. They are occasionally also referred to as Letts, especially in older bibliography. Latvians share a common Latvi ...

and other non-Livonians in this area and prohibits alterations to historic village sites. Also, it is prohibited for anyone to start a hotel, restaurant, or other public establishment which might adversely influence the Livonian culture or draw outsiders into the area.

Notable people

Born in Pitrags: *Marija Bertholde-Šaltjāre (1860-1938) — Livonian folklore scholar and presenter

Sources

LĢIA vietvārdu datubāze

Pitraga baptistu draudze
Towns and villages in Latvia Talsi Municipality Courland {{Courland-geo-stub

Notable people

See also

Sources