Introduction
Town and capital of Gulbene Municipality, Latvia
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Town in Gulbene Municipality, LatviaGulbeneTown
FlagCoat of armsGulbeneLocation in LatviaCoordinates: 57°10′N 26°45′E / 57.167°N 26.750°E / 57.167; 26.750CountryLatviaDistrictGulbene MunicipalityTown rights1928Government • Chairman of the Municipality CouncilAndis CaunītisArea • Total11.91 km2 (4.60 sq mi) • Land11.53 km2 (4.45 sq mi) • Water0.38 km2 (0.15 sq mi)Population (2025) • Total6,722 • Density583.0/km2 (1,510/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+2 (EET) • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)Postal codeLV-4401Calling code+371 644Number of city council members11ClimateDfbWebsitewww.gulbene.lv
Gulbene (pronunciationⓘ; German: Schwanenburg) is a town in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It is the administrative center of Gulbene Municipality.
History
[edit]
Unveiling ceremony of the monument to the fallen heroes during the Latvian War of Independence
Latvian Army parade in front of President Kārlis Ulmanis in Gulbene
Historical documents first mention the 1224 land division act between the Order of the Sword Brothers and the Archbishop of Riga. In the 14th century, the Archbishop built a stone castle around which a populated place was formed.
The Evangelical Lutheran church (Brivības iela 13) was built on the ancient Latgalian castle mound in place of the later Middle Age brick castle from 1838.–1843. The church is built in the classical style.
Vecgulbene (Old Gulbene) estate complex was built in the middle and second half of the 19th century not far off the church. The most significant buildings are the White Palace (Brivības iela 12), the Red Palace (Parka iela 1) and the magazine granary (Brivības iela 9). Both palaces have been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Since 1924 the elementary school of the city occupies the Red Palace. Since 2004, the Administration of Stradi Parish occupies a part of the palace.
After the construction of the Stukmani to Valka narrow-gauge railway in 1903 and subsequent broad-gauge line construction during World War I, Vecgulbene was established as an important railway junction, and in 1920 it was given the rights of a small village. During the first period of Latvian independence, besides those employed by the railways, small business, trades and crafts were the most important economic activities in the town. Gulbene was heavily damaged during the last years of World War II. After the war, during the Soviet occupation, Gulbene initially became a district, and later, in 1950, a regional centre. In the 1960s and 1970s branches of several major industrial companies were established in the city. Local enterprise was mainly involved with wood processing.
The most architecturally significant building in the area is the passenger building at Gulbene railway station, built in 1926 by the well-known professor of architecture Peteris Feders (1868–1936). It is one of the largest and most magnificent railway station buildings in Latvia.
Services at Gulbene Station
Current services
Preceding station
LDz
Following station
Jaungulbenetowards Pļaviņas or Veseta
Pļaviņas–Gulbene
Terminus
Terminus
Gulbene–AlūksneNarrow-gauge
Birzetowards Alūksne
1999 massacre
[edit]
Main article: Gulbene kindergarten massacre
On 22nd February, 1999 3 children & a staff were hacked to death & another staff member left with serious injuries after an attack with a meat cleaver by a 19-year-old Alexander Koryakov. All of the victims were Russian speakers. This attack was one of the worst attacks in Latvian history. The trial began on 29 November 1999, and Koryakov was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Geography
[edit]
There is one major town in the Gulbene municipality, and the region is separated into 13 smaller rural parishes. Gulbene is being developed as an environmentally-friendly territory.[citation needed]
Climate[edit]
Gulbene has a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb). Gulbene has a cold and long winter, a warm and short summer, and a fleeting spring and autumn. Winters are often below −25 °C (−13 °F). In the cold waves of 1940, 1956, 1978, 1985 and 1987, there were low temperatures below −35 °C (−31 °F), and even extremely cold weather approaching −40 °C (−40 °F). In mid-summer there will be warm weather exceeding 25 °C (77 °F), and sometimes there will be high temperatures exceeding 30 °C (86 °F). The monthly averages range from −6 °C (21 °F) to 18 °C (64 °F), whereas all-time extremes range from −39.0 °C (−38.2 °F) on 16 January 1940 to 33.8 °C (92.8 °F) on 11 August 1992.
Climate data for Gulbene (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1923–present)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
9.7(49.5)
11.0(51.8)
17.3(63.1)
26.8(80.2)
30.1(86.2)
32.6(90.7)
33.6(92.5)
33.8(92.8)
29.8(85.6)
22.5(72.5)
14.3(57.7)
11.3(52.3)
33.8(92.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
−2.4(27.7)
−1.8(28.8)
3.2(37.8)
11.2(52.2)
17.3(63.1)
20.8(69.4)
23.1(73.6)
21.7(71.1)
16.1(61.0)
8.9(48.0)
2.6(36.7)
−0.7(30.7)
10.0(50.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)
−4.5(23.9)
−4.6(23.7)
−0.5(31.1)
6.2(43.2)
11.8(53.2)
15.4(59.7)
17.8(64.0)
16.5(61.7)
11.4(52.5)
5.6(42.1)
0.8(33.4)
−2.6(27.3)
6.1(43.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
−7.3(18.9)
−7.8(18.0)
−4.2(24.4)
1.2(34.2)
5.8(42.4)
9.9(49.8)
12.5(54.5)
11.3(52.3)
7.1(44.8)
2.5(36.5)
−1.6(29.1)
−4.8(23.4)
2.1(35.7)
Record low °C (°F)
−39.0(−38.2)
−37.6(−35.7)
−26.5(−15.7)
−15.4(4.3)
−6.0(21.2)
−1.0(30.2)
3.6(38.5)
0.5(32.9)
−5.6(21.9)
−13.5(7.7)
−22.8(−9.0)
−38.4(−37.1)
−39.0(−38.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
46.1(1.81)
38.1(1.50)
36.7(1.44)
34.7(1.37)
57.5(2.26)
78.1(3.07)
71.8(2.83)
70.6(2.78)
53.5(2.11)
68.1(2.68)
53.6(2.11)
47.5(1.87)
656.3(25.83)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)
12
9
9
8
9
11
10
11
9
12
11
12
123
Average relative humidity (%)
89.0
86.3
76.4
67.3
67.0
72.3
75.3
78.1
83.1
87.6
90.7
90.9
80.3
Source 1: LVĢMC
Source 2: NOAA (precipitation days, humidity 1991–2020)
Demographics
[edit]
Within existing limits, according to CSB data.
Population changes[edit]
Historical populationYearPop.±%1935 3,819—    1959 7,178+88.0%1970 8,722+21.5%1979 9,484+8.7%YearPop.±%1989 10,346+9.1%2000 9,620−7.0%2011 8,314−13.6%2021 7,040−15.3%Source: Latvian Geospatial Information Agency
Tourism
[edit]
The Gulbenes Regional History and Art Museum displays one of the most valuable relics of Latvian museums – a chair designed by Julius Madernieks (1870–1955) made in the 1920s. Julius Madernieks was the founder of Latvian professional applied art born in Vecgulbenes parish and being notable person in city Gulbene.
Sports[edit]
The Gulbene municipality's biggest rivers (Gauja, Tirza and Pededze) are currently popular locations for nature tourism and water-sports, but once these were famous places for harvesting river-pearls. Cycling is enjoyed on local country paths.
Gulbene has a basketball team, Gulbenes Buki, playing in the higher division of the Latvian basketball league.
Media
[edit]
The Gulbene region is served by a newspaper, Dzirkstele.
Gallery
[edit]
Gulbene Railway Station
Red Castle of Gulbene
Building on the Vidus street in Gulbene
War of independence Monument in Gulbene
Lutheran church
Church of the Most Holy Sacrament
Gulbene Police Station
Park with a fountain
Notable people
[edit]
Augusts Malvess (1878–1951), architect
Gido Kokars (1921–2017), conductor, choirmaster
Imants Kokars (1921–2011), conductor, choirmaster
Inguna Sudraba (born 1964), politician
Arvis Piziks (born 1969), cyclist
Anmary (born 1980), singer
Madara Līduma (born 1982), biathlete
Edgars Maskalāns (born 1982), bobsledder
Intars Dambis (born 1983), bobsledder
Jānis Paipals (born 1983), cross-country skier
Daumants Dreiškens (born 1984), bobsledder
Rolands Freimanis (born 1988), basketball player
