Limbaži (, , , ) is a town in the
Vidzeme
Vidzeme (; Old Latvian orthography: ''Widda-semme'', ) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. The capital of Latvia, Riga, is situated in the southwestern part of the region. Literally meaning "the Middle Land", it is situated in north-centra ...
region of northern
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 ...
, with a population of 6,888. Limbaži is located 90 km northeast of the capital
Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
. During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, as part of
Livonia
Livonia, known in earlier records as Livland, is a historical region on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the Livonians, who lived on the shores of present-day Latvia.
By the end of the 13th century, the name was extende ...
, Limbaži was a fortified town with stone
walls
Walls may refer to:
*The plural of wall, a structure
* Walls (surname), a list of notable people with the surname
Places
* Walls, Louisiana, United States
* Walls, Mississippi, United States
*Walls, Ontario
Perry is a township (Canada), ...
, second in importance only to
Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
.
Etymology
The name is believed to be a Latvianised version (hence the ''-aži'' ending) of the
Livonian word ''Lembsel'' (''Lemesel'') meaning "wide isle in a forest swamp". The German ''Lemsahl'' (''Lemsal'') is derived from the Livonian name.
According to
folk etymology
Folk etymology – also known as (generative) popular etymology, analogical reformation, (morphological) reanalysis and etymological reinterpretation – is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a mo ...
, the name ''Limbaži'' originated sometime in the 17th century. A recently arrived Swedish
minister overheard the words "Limba" and "āži" (Latvian for '
male goats'). Mistakenly, he assumed this was the name of the place, and so the town was called "Limbaži".
History
In ancient times, Limbaži was a
Livonian settlement known as ''Lemisele'', part of
Metsepole. In the early 13th century,
Bishop Albert and the
Teutonic knights
The Teutonic Order is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to t ...
destroyed the village while conquering Metsepole, and built a castle, around which formed the new city, ''Lemsahl''.
Medieval Limbaži

Until the beginning of the 16th century, Lemsahl could be reached by seagoing vessels travelling up the Svētupe. Ships came from as far as
Lübeck
Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
and
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
to trade for honey, wax, lumber, grain, and furs. The small trading camp surrounding the castle grew into a large town, and was admitted to the
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. Each year, Lemsahl hosted a conference attended by barons from all over Livonia, and the city hosted at least three other fairs throughout the year as well. During these fairs, the town may have held as many as 20,000 people at once. In addition, the
Archbishops of Riga made Lemsahl his spring residence, which became a walled city to protect both the bishop and the trading center. At the time, in population Lemsahl was second only to
Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
. The Limbaži Castle is one of the oldest fortified buildings in Latvia.
By 1500, however, the Svētupe became too shallow to navigate. Goods were sent elsewhere, and Lemsahl began a century long decline. During the
Livonian War
The Livonian War (1558–1583) concerned control of Terra Mariana, Old Livonia (in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia). The Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of the Denmark–Norway, Dano-Norwegian Realm, the Kingdom ...
,
Ivan the Terrible's forces burned down Lemsahl in 1558, while its residents fled to the nearby forests and marshes for shelter. The city was burned down by the Swedes in 1567, and again by the Russians in 1575. In 1602, the Swedes and Poles fought yet again for the city, completely demolishing its fortifications and walls. By the time the wars had ended, the city was so demolished, only three houses and a handful of residents remained.
18th and 19th centuries
While under
Swedish rule, the village was renamed Limbaži sometime in the 17th century. During the
Great Northern War
In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
, Vidzeme was totally ravaged by
Peter the Great
Peter I (, ;
– ), better known as Peter the Great, was the Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Prince of all Russia, Tsar of all Russia from 1682 and the first Emperor of Russia, Emperor of all Russia from 1721 until his death in 1725. He reigned j ...
's forces. But, as the story goes, while searching for Limbaži, the Russian army got lost in a heavy fog. After repeatedly going around in circles, the soldiers began to believe such a village may not exist after all, and moved on. Limbaži survived the war unscathed.
The city completely burned down again in 1747, after which today's city layout began to develop. In the 19th century, the city began to grow again. In 1821 there were 674 inhabitants, but by 1900 there were about 2000. In 1876, hat-maker A. Tīls opened "Limbažu filcs" (Limbaži
Felt
Felt is a textile that is produced by matting, condensing, and pressing fibers together. Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur, or from synthetic fibers such as petroleum-based acrylic fiber, acrylic or acrylonitrile or ...
), the town's oldest company, which also secured jobs for generations of the city's inhabitants. The first town library was built in the late 19th century, and several publishing houses were opened, the largest of which was K. Paucīsis Press.
Twentieth century
After World War I Limbaži continued to grow as a center of commerce and crafts. The long-awaited rail line to Riga opened in 1934, and a 50-bed hospital opened in 1936. The House of Unity () cultural center was unveiled in 1939. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Limbaži was under
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
occupation from 4 July 1941 until 26 September 1944. During the
Soviet occupation the population increased to 8,000, with many five-storey Soviet-style apartments appearing in the 1960s. During the Soviet period, Limbaži became a factory-town with the "Lauktehnika" farm machinery center, "Limbažu filcs" felt hat factory and "Limbažu piens" – one of the largest milk processors in Latvia – all based there.
Demographics
Notable residents
*
Kārlis Baumanis (May 11, 1835 – January 10, 1905), composer of the Latvian national anthem, "
Dievs, svētī Latviju!
"" is the national anthem of Latvia. Created in 1873 as a patriotic song, it did not gain official status until 1920.
History
The music and lyrics were written in 1873 by Kārlis Baumanis, a teacher who was part of the Young Latvians, Young La ...
"
*
Jānis Kalniņš (born 1991), ice hockey player
*
Mārcis Ošs (born 1991), footballer
*
Jānis Bērziņš (born 1993), basketball player
Notable locations
*Limbaži Old Town, with remains of the town wall
*Ruins of the Archbishop's castle
*Limbaži History Museum
*Livonian hill-fort at Ķezberkalns
*St. John Lutheran Church ()
*
Kārlis Baumanis' grave and monument
*Limbažu Lielezers (Lake Limbaži)
*The national Olympic training center for
canoeing and kayaking is situated in Limbaži
Twin towns – sister cities
Limbaži is
twinned with:
*
Alver, Norway
*
Anklam
Anklam (), formerly known as Tanglim and Wendenburg, is a town in the Western Pomerania region of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in north-eastern Germany. It is situated on the banks of the Peene river, just 8 km from its mouth in the , the western ...
, Germany
*
Klippan, Sweden
*
Luninets
Luninyets or Luninets is a town in Brest Region, Belarus. It serves as the administrative center of Luninyets District. As of 2025, it has a population of 23,469. It is home to Luninets air base.
History
Luninyets is said to be mentioned in ...
, Belarus
*
Panevėžys District Municipality, Lithuania
*
Sande, Norway
*
Volkhov
Volkhov () is an industrial types of inhabited localities in Russia, town and the administrative center of Volkhovsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the river Volkhov (river), Volkhov east of Saint Petersburg, St. Petersbu ...
, Russia
See also
*
Auseklis Limbaži Theatre
References
Further reading
Limbaži history (Latvian)*Turlajs, Jānis, ed. Latvijas Ceļvedis. 2nd ed. Riga, Latvia: Jāņa Sēta, 2007. 200-01.
*Latvijas Pilsētas. Riga, Latvia: Preses Nams, 1999. 284-291.
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Limbazi
Populated places established in the 13th century
Castles of the Livonian Order
Cities and towns in Vidzeme
1385 establishments in Europe
Valmiera county
Populated places in Limbaži Municipality