XII. Actions in the Vindava area. Entering the "Glory" into the Gulf of Riga. The enemy's first attempt to cross the Irben Strait. "Reveille" Strengthening the Irben position In Revel, “Novik” stood until midnight on June 23 and early the next morning was already back in Kuyvasta. Then it dragged on

The Gulf of Riga is one of the eastern edges of the youngest sea in Europe. Young in the geological sense. And with a very interesting story.
The Holocene is the time of formation of its modern boundaries. Earlier, during the Pleistocene period, continental ice kept it, as if locked, inside the continent in the closed local space of the Baltic Trench. When the ice began to melt, the sea became a lake. As it filled, about 9.6-10 thousand years ago, it turned into the Ioldian Sea (from the mollusk Ioldia, which got into it from the Atlantic), connecting the North Sea with the White Sea. In the next two thousand years, after the rise of the central region of what is now Sweden as a result of tectonic processes, the connection with the ocean was cut off, and the slightly saline Ioldian Sea passed into a new state of aggregation - the freshwater Ancylus Lake (from the name of the freshwater snail Ancylus fluviatilis). The isthmus in the area of ​​the Danish Straits at this time, due to climate warming, sank, and the Littorina (again, according to the mollusk - Littorina litorea) Sea reached the Atlantic Ocean. So, about 4 thousand years ago, it became the Baltic Sea, although the outlines of its shores changed for about another 1.5 thousand years, and since the level of the Littorina Sea was 6 m above the mainland, the sea spilled over larger area, forming bays. The shallowest was the bay in its eastern part, later called Riga, with circular but calm currents: their dynamics are characterized by an average of 8 cm/s. The bottom of the bay descends from the shore very slowly and gently. The depth at which a person can swim usually begins after several shallows. The ebb and flow of the water level varies by several centimeters, although there is strong surf at the very edge of the coast in late summer - early autumn. Rarely, hurricanes also happen: in November 1969, a force 12 storm reached the coast, raising waves 2-3 m high, completely covering the beaches and reaching the dunes.
The bay juts out into the land of the East European Plain for 174 km, its width is 137 km. Along its entire coastline there are wide beaches, mostly sandy, followed by a ridge of dunes, not too high and meeting in their upper third, covered with small bushes and pine forests. It is generally accepted that the bay is separated from the sea by the islands of the Moonsund archipelago, which belongs to Estonia. The western border of the Gulf of Riga runs at Cape Kolkasrags, or Kolka, in Latvia (Irbe Strait), the eastern border is along the Sur-Väin and Muhu straits in Estonia, the northern border is near the Estonian island, the south of the gulf is Riga and Jurmala. There are four historical and cultural regions in Latvia: , and (Latgale). “Zeme” in Latvian means “earth”, Curonians, Semigallians and Latgalians are ancient tribes. The name Vidzeme means “middle land”, from “vidus” - “middle”. Kurzeme and Vidzeme have access to the bay. To the west of Riga is the Kurzeme seaside (its westernmost part is the Livsky coast), to the northeast and north is the Vidzeme seaside, which is less developed. Due to the influx of river water, the water in the Gulf of Riga is even less saline than in the Baltic Sea as a whole, which, in turn, is one of the least saline in the World Ocean. In severe winters, the water off the coast freezes in a strip up to 1.5 km wide, the ice reaches a thickness of 40-50 cm, and hummocks up to 1.5 m high form.
The Gulf of Riga, like the entire Baltic Sea, is rich in fish, but as far as the number of species is concerned, there are few of them. Marine species are cod, flounder, herring, sprat, smelt, sprat, three-spined stickleback; anadromous - conger eel and salmon; near river mouths, where the water has the least salt, freshwater fish species do well: pike perch, whitefish, river perch, tench, eelpout, pike. Lampreys, similar to fish, but belonging to a more primitive class of vertebrates - cyclostomes, are also found in the mouths of rivers and the bay. The “fishing” places in the bay begin 2-3 km from the shore.
The oldest trade route from Western Europe to Russia ran through the Irbe Strait, along Cape Kolka to the Gulf of Riga and then along the Daugava. Riga and Pärnu were part of the Hanseatic League.
The smooth coastline of the Gulf of Riga with small capes is almost continuous; it is broken up only by the mouths of several rivers. The long, wide and flat beaches consist mainly of fine white quartz sand, rocky areas (clusters of small boulders) are much less common. The dune strip of the coast begins with small undulating hills overgrown with low willow bushes and reeds, followed by dunes with an average height of 10-12 m, where tall pines reign, between which vast blueberry fields grow.

Finno-Ugric tribes, the ancestors of modern Estonians and Livs - a small ethnic group in Latvia, as well as Bapto-Slavic tribes, developed the Kurzeme coast of the Gulf of Riga no later than the 1st millennium BC. e. (on the plain this happened earlier). They lived mainly by fishing. From the end of the 12th century. and until the middle of the 13th century. the territory of present-day Latvia was conquered first by the Order of the Sword, and then by the Livonian Order of Teutonic Crusader Knights. The capital of Latvia, founded by them in 1201 and giving the name to the bay, stands on the Daugava River, which flows into it. The ports of Riga are located in its estuary, but the city does not reach the bay itself. The closest to it, about 2 km, are the ancient villages included in Riga: Bolderaja, where people have settled since the 10th century, and famous since the 13th century. Vecmilgravis.
In relation to what is usually included in the concept of “city”, the resort city of Jurmala is very conditional; its name translated from Latvian means “seaside”. Jurmala was formed in 1959 by an administrative decision that united the resort and holiday villages of Priedaine , Lielupe, Bupduri, Dzintari, Majori, Dubulti, Jaundubulti, Pumpuri, Melluzi, Asari, Vaivari, Kemeri and the small town of Slokav 2 km from the coast, where the pulp and paper mill then operated. They are connected by electrified stations of the same name. railway, located on the right side of it at a distance from the sea no more than 4 km. Although these are now formally urban areas, in Jurmala and Riga they are still called "stations". Majori and Dzintari are considered the center of Jurmala, because most of the sanatoriums, boarding houses, hotels, and restaurants are concentrated there. Dachas and sanatoriums began to appear in the 19th century. on the site of fishing villages, or rather, in them: fishermen willingly built houses for the educated and fashionable public who wanted to spend their holidays here, among whom the Germans predominated, and all the original names of the stations in Jurmala were German. The main thing that attracted vacationers here was the atmosphere of quiet peace and the opportunity to take long walks along the coast with soft white sand, admiring the expanse of the sea, and in the picturesque dunes. To this day, there seems to be a never-ending chain of walking people stretching along the coast, especially in the evening hours, when the sun sets in the waters of the bay, but also in cloudy weather, unless there is heavy rain.
Little Jurmala amazingly creates a feeling of great space.
The city of Pärnu on the shores of the Pärnu Bay (part of the Bay of Riga) has a different history; it was founded in 1251 as the residence of a bishop; until 1843 it had fortifications, but they were torn down when it became clear that it was much more profitable to make the city a resort. And it was mainly the intelligentsia and bohemians who rested here. In the Soviet years, the coast of the Gulf of Riga, like the entire Baltic region, was considered close to the West, which was then inaccessible to the majority of the population of the USSR, which was in fact an illusion: the same ideology reigned here, but the lifestyle in the Baltic states was a little freer and more comfortable. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the coast of the Gulf of Riga was empty, Jurmala, with its abandoned wooden houses rest homes, presented a bleak picture. Little by little, Jurmala came to life, not least thanks to the series of festivals taking place in the summer in the Dzintari concert hall, widely covered by Russian television: “New Wave”, “Jurmalina”, KVN, concerts of popular Russian pop artists. Today, commercial profits from the Dzintari stage are perhaps the main source of income for the city; traditionally, many of our former compatriots come to them, nostalgic for the serene atmosphere of the coast of the Gulf of Riga.

general information

Languages: official (state): Latvian and Estonian; Russian, which almost all indigenous residents of the Gulf of Riga coast can speak.
Ethnic composition: Latvians, Estonians, Russians, a small community of Livs, whose language has practically not been preserved, and others - Ukrainians, Belarusians, Poles, Jews.
Religions: Christianity - Protestantism (Lutheranism), Catholicism, Orthodoxy, there is also an Old Believer community in Riga; Baptist and Jewish communities.

Currency: Latvian lat, euro (in Estonia).
Flowing rivers: Daugava ( Western Dvina), Lielupe, Gauja, Salaca, Pärnu.

Largest islands: the Estonian islands of Kihnu, Ruhnu, Abruka, Manilaid. The Gulf of Riga touches Cape Sõrve Säe, the largest Estonian island, Saaremaa.

Largest cities: Riga, resort Jurmala and Pärnu.
Ports: Riga - commercial port, passenger port, sea fishing port in Vecmilgravis; Pärnu, Kuressaare (Saaremaa island).

Major airport: Riga International Airport.

Numbers

Coastal population, together with Riga, where about 700,000 people live. (2012), - about 850,000 people.

Maximum depth : 56 m.
Average depth: 27 m.

Salinity: 3.5-6% °.

Climate and weather

Average January temperature: -5.2°C.

Average temperature in July: +18°C.

Average water temperature: in winter - 0-1°C, in August (when the water in the bay warms up to its maximum) - +18°C, on some days - up to +23°C.
Average annual precipitation: 650 mm.
Highest dune-18.5 m - located in Lielupe (Jurmala).

Economy

Port industry.

Ship repair.

Fishing.
In cities and towns: fish processing enterprises.
Service sector: in Riga - banking services, in the Riga Commercial Port - stevedoring services; tourism, trade.

Attractions

Curious facts

■ The most popular folk song in Latvia is “Blow, Breeze!” - Livonian by origin. The liwa wind was considered the main element: it can drive schools of fish to the shore, or it can even destroy them during a storm. Therefore, you need to constantly cajole him, and only address him kindly. The Livs usually performed their ancient songs-spells addressed to the wind while standing on the shore of the bay. The departing boats were not burned, but “buried” in a special cemetery.
■ The city of Pärnu has two breakwaters, built at the mouth of the Pärnu River in 1863-1864. They extend almost 2 km into the sea. At low tide, the remains of wooden piers built in 1804-1811 appear from under their concrete pillars.
■ The open (without walls, but under a roof) concert hall “Dzintari”, located behind the dune strip, was built in 1960 on the site of the summer stage of the ancient Kurhaus. According to experts, this hall has ideal acoustics - thanks to the combination of metal and wood in its construction.
■ On Haubierre Hill, the most high point On the Estonian island of Ruhnu, there is a lighthouse designed by Gustave Eiffel. It is a steel cylinder on four supports, with a spiral staircase inside. Its metal parts were cast in France and assembled directly on the island in 1877. In the Baltic Sea, the Ruhnu lighthouse is the only surviving and working marine landmark of this type.

Climate

The Latvian climate is temperate; in the east of the country it is continental, turning into maritime near the coast. The average annual temperature is +10 degrees Celsius. The warmest month is July, the air temperature can reach up to +30, the average summer temperature is +16. Precipitation is possible in the form of rain.

The coldest month is January, the air temperature can drop to -25, the average winter temperature is -5. Precipitation is possible in the form of snow.

The prevailing southwest winds bring a significant amount of precipitation from the Atlantic - 500-800 mm per year. The sky is often overcast, the number sunny days-- only 30-40 per year. Latvia is characterized by vagaries of weather, its instability, and high humidity.

Water

The Baltic Sea is an inland marginal sea of ​​Eurasia, protruding deeply into the mainland. The Baltic Sea is located in northern Europe, belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin. Surface area (without islands) is 415 thousand km². The volume of water is 21.5 thousand km.

The Baltic Sea lies within the continental shelf. The average sea depth is 51 meters. In areas of shallows, banks, and near islands, shallow depths are observed (up to 12 meters). There are several basins in which depths reach 200 meters. The deepest basin is Landsort (58°38? N 18°04? E (G) (O)) with a maximum sea depth of 470 meters. In the Gulf of Bothnia the maximum depth is 254 meters, in the Gotland Basin - 249 meters. The bottom in the southern part of the sea is flat, in the north it is uneven and rocky. IN coastal areas Sands are common among the bottom sediments, but most of the seabed is covered with deposits of clayey silt of green, black or brown color of glacial origin.

The average water temperature is 14-17 degrees. Towards the center of the sea, salinity decreases to 6-8 ppm at the sea surface. Salinity increases with depth, reaching 13 ppm in the center of the sea near the bottom.

The Gulf of Riga is a bay in the eastern Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia. It is fenced off from the rest of the sea by the islands of the Moonsund archipelago, which belongs to Estonia. The bay extends into the land for 174 km, its total area is 18.1 thousand km². The width of the bay extends over 137 km, the maximum depth is 54 m. The most important cities along the coast of the Gulf of Riga are Riga and Pärnu, on south coast The resort town of Jurmala is located, and the city of Kuressaare is located on the island of Saaremaa. The water temperature in summer rises to 18 ° C, in winter it drops to 0--1 ° C, which is why the surface of the bay is covered with ice from December to April. Salinity 3.5--6 ‰. Currents are rotational, average speed 8 cm/sec. The following rivers flow into the bay: Western Dvina (Daugava), Lielupe (mouth of Kurlyandskaya Aa), Gauya (mouth of Liflyandskaya Aa), Salaca, Pärnu, Age, Svetupe, Roya and other smaller ones.

The Baltic Sea coast is very diverse. Starting from the wild areas of the coast of Eastern Kurzeme, which are little touched by civilization due to the closed nature of this territory during the USSR, ending with one of the most popular and modern Baltic resorts- Jurmala, beloved by tourists. And between them - the ancient settlements of the Livs, the 16-meter high steep bank of Jurkalne, small fishing ports along the shore of the Gulf of Riga, wide sandy beaches in Jurmala, Vecaki and Saulkrasti, unusual rocky shores in Kaltene and Tui, the Veczemju rocks nearby from Salacgriva, a unique meadow near Ainazi, ice-free ports in Ventspils and Liepaja. Coastline extends over 498 kilometers.

More than 700 large and small rivers flow through the territory of Latvia, all of them belong to the Baltic Sea basin. The largest river - Daugava (in Russia called the Western Dvina) in Latvia has a length of 357 km, its total length is 1020 km. Other large rivers include the Gauja, Lielupe and Venta.

Daugava. The source of the Western Dvina originates in swamps near the small lake Koryakino, Penovsky district of the Tver region. The Western Dvina flows into the Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea. The Daugava is predominantly a flat river, with numerous lowlands along the banks, many of which are flooded in the spring during floods. The width of the Daugava valley reaches 5-6 kilometers, the width of the river in the center of Riga is about 800 meters, at the confluence with the bay it is already about 1.5 kilometers, the depth is 8-9 meters.

There are 16 lakes in Latvia, the water surface area of ​​which exceeds 10 km². The most big lake-- Lubans (area -- 80.7 km²). The deepest is Dridzis (65.1 m).

Lubans or Luban Lake (Latvian: Lubвns; until 1920, Russian: Luban) is a lake located in the center of the lowland in eastern Latvia, the largest in the country. This is a shallow flowing lake into which the rivers Rezekne, Malta, Malmuta and Lisiņa flow, as well as several streams. The Aiviekste River flows from the lake and flows into the Daugava.

After heavy spring floods in 1926, several dams and drainage ditches were built. The water edge of the lake can artificially change from 90 to 93 meters above sea level. With a water line of 90.75 m, the lake has an area of ​​25 km², the area increases to 100 km² with a water line of 92.75 m.

In the Lake Lubanas basin, other small relict lakes have been drained and the area is now used for agriculture.

Underground Lake Vejini is the only underground lake in all of Latvia (at least a well-known underground lake). Lake Veyini was discovered back in 1985. The length of the cave is small - only about 70 meters, and the area of ​​the lake is 40 meters. In one place the depth of the lake is over three meters, but on average it reaches about a meter. A stream flows out of the lake, flowing on the surface into the Brasla River.

The bay, which will be discussed in this article, is located between two small states - Estonia and Latvia. It is located in the eastern part of the Baltic Sea.

Briefly about the Riga seaside

When talking about it, many first of all imagine the well-known Jurmala - a resort on the Gulf of Riga. However, not everyone knows that this coast is located only on the left side of the mouth where the capital of Latvia, Riga, is located.

There are also recreation areas on the right side of the coast, which are part of the Riga region and have the same magnificent beaches with golden sands, where you can have a great time summer rest. There is only one feature of this area - even at the height of the season it is much calmer here, which is also welcomed by many vacationers.

Riga Bay: location, description

One of the most popular tourist destinations is the Riga seaside.

On the northern side of the bay are the islands of the Moonsund archipelago, which belong to Estonia. Most of the shores of the reservoir are made of sand. The area of ​​the bay, which flows into the land at a distance of almost 174 km, is 18.1 thousand square meters. km. It extends 137 kilometers in width. The maximum depth of the Gulf of Riga is relatively small and equal to 54 meters.

The islands of the bay are separated from the mainland by the Irbe Strait, located between the southern tip and Cape Kolkasrags, as well as the Väinameri (strait). Among them there are islands belonging to Estonia. These are Kihnu, Manilaid, Ruhnu and Abruka. For the most part, the coast of the bay consists of lowlands, and its bottom is mostly sandy.

Lielupe is a river in the Gulf of Riga. Pärnu, Salaca, Gauja and Age also flow into it.

The largest port of these places is Riga. It should also be noted that the western shore of the bay is called Livsky, and it is a protected area.

In the surrounding areas of the bay there are magnificent natural attractions: Pisyuras Park, the Vella Kalva boulder ridge, the Randu Plavas botanical reserve, a section of the rocky Vidzeme seaside, etc.

Flow pattern and temperature

In summer, the water temperature reaches 18 ° C, in winter it drops to 0-1 ° C. The bay is covered with ice in December and is covered with ice until the month of April. The water salinity reaches 6%.

The flow is of a rotational type, and its average speed is approximately 8 cm/sec.

Resorts and cities

Beautiful Latvian cities and resorts attract numerous holidaymakers. On the southwestern coast is the glorious city of Jurmala, on the northern coast is the magnificent Pärnu, and on the island of Saaremaa is the city of Kuressaare.

The Gulf of Riga has many settlements on its shores. Each of them has its own characteristics and advantages.

One of the most beautiful resorts Not only the Riga seaside, but also Europe is Jurmala, located 14 kilometers from the capital of Latvia. This resort area stretches in a narrow strip along a long section (32 km) of the coast of the Gulf of Riga.

The most famous settlements are the following: Dzintari, Lielupe, Bulduri, Asari, Dubulti, Majori and Kemeri. Each of these villages is original and unique. Below is short description some of them.

1. Dzintari is famous for its famous concert hall, where music competitions are held “ New wave", KVN festivals and concerts of world pop stars.

2. Lielupe is big sports center with magnificent tennis courts and a yacht club. The largest water park in Latvia is also located here.

3. Asari and Melluzi are mostly intended for a more relaxing holiday.

4. Majori is notable for its busy pedestrian street Jomas with numerous shops located on it.

6. A magnificent water attraction park can be visited in Vaivari.

Mangalsala Peninsula

The Gulf of Riga surrounds this extraordinary peninsula. This area is where the amazingly green pine forest gradually turns into soft golden beaches. The main man-made attraction of the peninsula is the Eastern Pier (Mangalsala Dam), built in 1861 during the reign of Alexander II.

Also here you can see with your own eyes the catacombs preserved from the period of the Russian-Swedish War. All this is protected by the Latvian state. Stunning picturesque sunsets also look great here. The Gulf of Riga is rich in natural wonders.

A little about the history of the formation of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf

The history of the formation of the youngest (in terms of geology) in Europe, the Baltic Sea, with which the Gulf of Riga is also connected, is quite interesting.

The Holocene is the time of formation of its current boundaries. Much earlier (the Pleistocene period), continental ice kept its waters in a confined space (the Baltic Trench). During the period of ice melting, the sea turned into a lake. Then, as it filled (10 thousand years ago), it again turned into a sea - the Yoldievoye (received its name from the mollusk Ioldia, which fell into it from the Atlantic), which connected with the North Sea. As a result of certain tectonic processes over the course of two thousand years, the central territory of present-day Sweden rose. Thus, the connection with the ocean was closed, and the slightly salted Ioldian Sea turned into the freshwater Lake Ancylus.

Due to the gradual warming of the climate, the isthmus in the place sank, and the so-called Littorina Sea (also from the mollusk Littorina litorea) reached the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, 4 thousand years ago it arose. The outlines of its shores, of course, changed over the course of 1.5 thousand years.

Since the level of the previous Littorina Sea was 6 meters higher than the mainland, the sea spread over vast territories, forming bays, among which Rizhsky was the smallest.

Vidzeme Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001. Gulf of Riga on the East Baltic... Geographical encyclopedia

GULF OF RIGA, Baltic Sea, off the coast of Estonia and Latvia. Length 174 km. Depth up to 67 m. Freezes from December to April. Port of Riga (Latvia)… Modern encyclopedia

Gulf of Riga- GULF OF RIGA, Baltic Sea, off the coast of Estonia and Latvia. Length 174 km. Depth up to 67 m. Freezes from December to April. Port of Riga (Latvia). ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Latv. Rıgas jūras lıcis; Est. Riia laht) of the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Estonia and Latvia. Separated from the sea by a group of Moonsund Islands. Length 174 km, depth up to 67 m. The rivers flow into the Gulf of Riga. Daugava, Lielupe, Gauja. Freezes from December to... encyclopedic Dictionary

Bay of the Baltic Sea, off the coast of the Estonian SSR and the Latvian SSR. It extends 174 km into the land. Area 18.1 thousand km2. Separated from the open part of the sea by the Moonsund (West Estonian) islands, it is connected to it by the Irbensky and Sur Vain straits... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

It is located on the eastern shore of the middle part of the Baltic Sea and south of the islands of Moona and Ezel. It is adjoined from the north by the shores of the Estland province, from the east by the Livonia province, from the south and west by the Courland province to the entrance cape Domesnes. Along the meridian the bay... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Gulf of Riga- Riga Hall and... Russian spelling dictionary

Gulf of Riga- Vidzeme... Toponymic dictionary

GULF OF RIGA (lat. Rigas juras licis) of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Estonia and Latvia. Separated from the sea by a group of Moonsund Islands. Length 174 km, depth up to 67 m. In Riga Hall. The rivers Daugava, Lielupe and Gauja flow into it. It freezes from December to April. Port... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

The bay is to the east. the coast of the middle part of the Baltic Sea and to the south of the islands of Moon and Ezel. It is adjoined from the S shore of the Estlyandskaya province, from the E of the Livlyandskaya province, from the S and W of the Courland province to the entrance cape Domesnes. Along the meridian, the bay stretches for 92 nautical ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Books

• Memel operation of the Baltic Sea fleet June 1915, Kozlov D.. This publication continues the series of books dedicated to the most important operations of the First World War. In the section “Battles of the Great War” the books “Battle of Galicia. August 1914”, “Warsaw…