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Klaipeda
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Klaipeda (; ) is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea. As Lithuania's only seaport, it has ferry terminal connections to Sweden and Germany. Some of its older buildings have picturesque half-timbered construction, similar to that found in Germany, France, England, Denmark and southern Sweden.
The population shrunk from 207,100 in 1992 to 187,442 in 2005. Popular seaside resorts found close to Klaipeda are Nida to the south on the Curonian Spit, and Palanga to the north.
Teutonic Knights built a castle in the *Pilsats Land of the Curonians and named it Memelburg; later the name was shortened to Memel.
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Encyclopedia
Klaipeda (; ) is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea. As Lithuania's only seaport, it has ferry terminal connections to Sweden and Germany. Some of its older buildings have picturesque half-timbered construction, similar to that found in Germany, France, England, Denmark and southern Sweden.
The population shrunk from 207,100 in 1992 to 187,442 in 2005. Popular seaside resorts found close to Klaipeda are Nida to the south on the Curonian Spit, and Palanga to the north.
Names
The Teutonic Knights built a castle in the *Pilsats Land of the Curonians and named it Memelburg; later the name was shortened to Memel. From 1252-1923 and from 1939–1945, the town and city was officially named Memel. Due to political changes between 1923 and 1939, both names were in the official use; since 1945 the Lithuanian name of Klaipeda has been used, and after Lithuania declared independence in 1990 only Klaipeda is used.
The names Memelburg and Memel are found in most written sources from the 13th century onwards, while Klaipeda is found in Lithuania-related sources since the 15th century. The first time the city was mentioned as Caloypede in the letter of Vytautas in 1413, for the second time in the negotiation documents of 1420 as Klawppeda, and for the third time in the Treaty of Melno of 1422 as Cleupeda. According to Samogitian folk etymology, the name Klaipeda refers to the boggy terrain of the town (klaidyti=obstruct and peda=foot). Most likely the name is of Curonian origin and means "even ground".
The lower reaches of the Neman River were named either *Memele or *Memela by local Curonian inhabitants and probably by Scalovians as well; this name was adopted by speakers of German and also chosen for the new city founded further away at the lagoon.
History
Coat of Arms
The coat of arms of Klaipeda is the coat of arms of the city of Klaipeda, Lithuania. It is also used as coat of arms of Klaipeda city municipality. The modern version was created by the designer Kestutis Mickevicius. The modern coat of arms was created by restoring old seals of the Memel city (analogous with those used in the years 1446, 1605 and 1618). It was affirmed on July 1, 1992.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
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| Year | Population | |
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| | 1992 | 207,100 | | 1999 | 203,300 | | 2003 | 190,906 | | 2004 | 189,477 | | 2005 | 188,042 | | 2006 | 187,316 |
As of 2007, the population was 185,936. The population by age was: 0-14 14.0%, 15-59 67.1%,
60+ 18.9% There were 85,493 men and 100,443 women in the city. The ethnic composition in 2003 was:
Of the city's area of 98 square kilometres, 38 % was used for buildings, 1.4% for roads, 8.45% for farming, 14.08% was water, and the remaining 38% was "other uses". Klaipeda contained 17 post offices, a railroad station, a bus station, a harbour, 26 hotels, 4 Catholic chapels,a synagogue, 10 museums, 4 theaters, and 15 sport centers.
City municipality
Klaipeda city municipality council is the governing body of the Klaipeda city municipality. It is responsible for municipality laws. The council is composed of 31 member elected for four-year terms.
The council is the member of the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania.
Mayors
Geography
Climate
Klaipeda has a temperate climate. Winters are cold to mild, and summers are warm. In July and August, the warmest season, high temperatures average 20 °C (68 °F), and low temperatures average 14 °C (57 °F). In January and February, the coldest season, high temperatures average 0 °C (32 °F) with low temperatures averaging -5 °C (23 °F). It is not uncommon to have temperatures of 30 C (86 °F) in July or -18 C (0 °F) in January. Extremes range from 34 °C (93 °F) to -33 °C (-27 °F).
The wettest month is November with a mean total precipitation 90 mm. Not only November, but also August, September and October are wet months because of the warmth of the Baltic sea in relation to the continent and the westerly winds. The driest month is February averaging 31 mm of total precipitation. Spring is not particularly wet.
Klaipeda is a windy city with many stormy days per year. In autumn and winter, gales are not unusual.
Sea breezes are common from April to September.
Snow can fall from October to April and a phenomenon resembling lake-effect snow is frequent. Severe snowstorms can paralyze the city in winter.
Klaipeda has unsettled weather all year round. Winter can be cold and snowy, similar to that in Moscow, while another one can be mild, windy, and rainy, similar to the weather in Scotland. August 2005 was very rainy, while August 2002, barely had any precipitation at all.
Neighborhoods
Klaipeda has 31 neighborhoods:
* Baltijos
* Bandužiai
* Barškiai
* Dauguliai
* Debrecenas
* Egle
* Gandrališkes
* Giruliai
* Kauno
* Kopgalis
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* Laukininkai
* Lypkiai
* Mažasis Kaimelis
* Melnrage
* Miško rajonas
* Mogiliovas
* Naujakiemis
* Pempininkai
* Rimkai
* Sendvaris
* Smelte
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* Smiltyne
* Sportininku
* Sudmantai
* Tauralaukis
* Trinyciai
* Virkuciai
* Šauliai
* Švyturio
* Žarde
* Žvejybos uosto rajonas
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Port of Klaipeda
The Port of Klaipeda is the principal ice-free port on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. It is the most important Lithuanian transportation hub, connecting sea, land and railway routes from East to West. Klaipeda is a multipurpose, universal, deep-water port. 19 big stevedoring companies, ship-repair and shipbuilding yards operate within the port and all marine business and cargo handling services are being rendered.
The annual port cargo handling capacity is up to 40 Mt. The port operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all-year round.
Infrastructure
Notable buildings
The tallest building in Klaipeda is 34-story Pilsotas. A 40-story commercial building is scheduled to be built in 2010, which would become the tallest building in Klaipeda.
Tallest buildings | Name | Stories | Built | Status |
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| Pilsotas | 34 | 2007 | Built | | K Tower | 20 | 2006 | Built | | D Tower | 20 | 2006 | Built | | Baltijos Avenue Tower | 15 | 2002 | Built | | Vetrunge | 13 | | Built |
Transportation
Klaipeda's public transport is very logical and comfortable for travelling because of its geographical peculiarity the city has expanded along the coast, from north to south. In the beginning of year 2007 a new electronic monthly ticket system was introduced. It is possible to buy an electronic card in shops and newspaper stands and fill it with an appropriate amount of money.
The principal public transport routes in Klaipeda are:
- 3 - From Žvejybos uostas to Klaipeda's southwest;
- 6 - From south citys microdistrict to Melnrage;
- 8 - From south citys microdistrict to Klaipeda's Railroad Station;
- The special routes 1, 1A, 12, and 19 carry workers to the biggest harbour enterprises.
Klaipeda is being serviced by Klaipeda Airport. Domestic and international commercial scheduled airline services are provided by Palanga International Airport.
Attractions and points of interest
Historical
Klaipeda's main attractions are the historic buildings in the city's centre, dating from the 13th to 18th centuries. Other places of interest include:
- The remnants of the Memelburg Castle, built in the 13th century by the Teutonic Order. It had a massive bulk and a quadrangular tower, surrounded by the ramparts and brick bastions. It lost importance after the Russian occupation from 1756 to 1762, and thenceforth started to decay.
- The Žarde ancient settlement, situated on the right bank of the Smiltele River. It is dated to the late Iron Age (10th century), and was inhabited until the 16th century.
- The remnants of the so-called 'Dutch' defence system around the entire town from the 17th-18th centuries.
- The maritime museum in Fort Wilhelm, built at the end of the 19th century at the spike of the Curonian Spit.
Cinemas
Theatres
- Klaipedos Muzikinis Teatras
- Klaipedos Dramos Teatras
Museums
- Pilies muziejus
- Mažosios Lietuvos istorijos muziejus
- Kalvystes muziejus
- Lietuvos juru muziejus ir delfinariumas
- Laikrodžiu muziejus
- Kuršiu nerijos nacionalinio parko Gamtos muziejus
- Klaipedos Vytauto Didžiojo gimnazijos gamtos apsaugos muziejus
Shopping centers
- Akropolis opened in late 2005. The 2-story Klaipedos Akropolis encompasses 76,700 square meters of retail. It is the biggest shopping mall in the city.
- BIG, opened in 2004
- Arena, opened in 2005. The third largest shopping centre in Klaipeda.
- Studlendas, opened in late 2006. The first in the north of the city. The building shares space with Klaipeda University.
- Banginis, opened in 2008
- Big 2, opened in 2008
Sports
Media
Radio
Television
Newspapers
- Vakaru ekspresas
- Klaipeda
- 15 Minuciu
Notable residents
Kant's grandfather immigrated from Scotland to then East Prussia and even his father spelled their family name: "Cant"
- Yisrael Salanter (1810-1883), founder of Musar movement within Judaism
- Isaac Rülf (1831-1902), editor-in-chief of Memeler Dampfboot, philosopher, activist
- David Wolffsohn (1856-1914), second president of World Zionist Organization
- Julius Kröhl (1820-1867), German-American submarine pioneer
- James Hobrecht (1825–1902), city planner
- Rudolf Reicke (1825–1905), philosopher
- Hedwig Andersen (1866–1957), logopedian
- Eduard Kado (1875–1946), artist
- Leon Zeitlin (1876–1967), economist
- George Adomeit (1879-1967), painter
- Charlotte Susa (1898–1976), actress
- Arno Esch (1928–1951) liberal politician in (SBZ) (Soviet Occupied Zone)
- Dietmar Willoweit (born 1936) president of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences
- Tomas Venclova (born 1937), poet and author
- Günter Willumeit (born 1941), comedian
- Lena Valaitis (born 1943), pop singer
- Hans Henning Atrott (born 1944), philosopher and pro-euthanasia activist
- Oleg Kvasha (born 1958), Russian musician and composer
- Leonidas Donskis (born 1962), philosopher and critic
- Tomas Danilevicius (born 1978), Lithuanian soccer player
- Eurelijus Žukauskas (born 1973), European basketball champion
- Saulius Štombergas (born 1973), European basketball champion
- Violeta "Sati" Jurkoniene (born 1976), Lithuanian singer
- Arvydas Macijauskas (born 1980), European basketball champion
- Tomas Vaitkus (born 1982), cycling champion
- Valdas Vasylius
Sister cities and areas
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Mannheim, Germany, since 1915/2002
Debrecen, Hungary, since 1970/1989
Kuji, Japan, since 1989
Karlskrona, Sweden, since 1989
Lübeck, Germany, since 1990
Cleveland, Ohio, United States, since 1992
Cherepovec, Russia, since 1992
Gdynia, Poland, since 1993
Rügen, Germany, since 1993
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Kaliningrad, Russia, since 1993
Kotka, Finland, since 1994
Křge, Denmark, since 1995
North Tyneside, United Kingdom, since 1995
Liepaja, Latvia, since 1997
Mogilev, Belarus, since 1997
Szczecin, Poland, since 2002
Leipzig, Germany, since 2002
Odessa, Ukraine, since 2004
Qingdao, People's Republic of China, since 2004 |
See also
External links
- City Guide (also a )
- by Richard Doody
- by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Memellandkreise e.V.
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