Liepāja
Liepāja | |
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State city | |
Aerial View of Liepāja Town Hall | |
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| Anthem: Pilsētā, kurā piedzimst vējš "The City where the Wind is Born" | |
Location of Liepāja in Latvia | |
| Coordinates: 56°30′42″N 21°00′50″E / 56.51167°N 21.01389°E | |
| Country | Latvia |
| Town rights | 1625 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Gunārs Ansiņš (Liepāja Party) |
| Area | |
• State city | 68.02 km2 (26.26 sq mi) |
| • Land | 51.33 km2 (19.82 sq mi) |
| • Water | 16.69 km2 (6.44 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• State city | 66,680 |
| • Density | 980/km2 (2,500/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 100,296 |
| Demonym | Liepājnieki (Latvian) |
| GDP | |
| • State city | 1,052,312,000 euro (2021) |
| • Per capita | 15,565 euro (2021) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Postal code | LV-34(01-13); LV-3414; LV-34(16–17) |
| Calling code | +371 634 |
| Number of city council members | 15 |
| Climate | Cfb |
| Website | www |
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Liepāja (pronounced [liepaːja] ⓘ) (formerly: Libau) is a state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an important ice-free port.
In the 19th and early 20th century, it was a favourite place for sea-bathers and travellers, with the town boasting a fine park, many pretty gardens and a theatre. Liepāja is however known throughout Latvia as the "City where the wind is born", likely because of the constant sea breeze. A song of the same name (Latvian: "Pilsētā, kurā piedzimst vējš") was composed by Imants Kalniņš and has become the anthem of the city. Its reputation as the windiest city in Latvia was strengthened with the construction of the largest wind farm in the nation (33 Enercon wind turbines) nearby.
Liepāja is chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2027.