Historical and old photos of Aizpute (Gazenpot)

A small historical reference Aizpute - city in western Latvia, Aizpute Centre region (a historical region of Kurzeme), located on the river Tebra. Castle German crusaders Gazenpot (germ. Hasenpoth) founded in 1248. Since 1378 the city center district Polten in the Duchy of Courland. Since 1795 - part of the Russian Empire, the county town Gazenpot Courland. Attractions - Gazenpot Castle, Church of St. John (1253). Town rights: 1378 Population: 5 104
Church alley	The road to the station	The Lutheran Church of St John, 1944	The Lutheran Church of St John
Market (Mikhailovsky?)	Basic (primary) school	Panorama of city	Panorama of city

Panorama of city, 1935	Panorama of city	Panorama of city	Panorama of city
Panorama of city	Panorama of city	Panorama of city	Panorama of river Tebra

Pedestrian bridge over the river Tebra	Rural cooperative	The ruins of the old castle, built in 1253	Liepaja Street
Pasta Street	Panorama of city, circa 1930	View of the city from the hill	The hotel building

History

The territory of modern Aizpute was inhabited by ancient Curonians since the 9th century. St. John Lutheran church was built on the Curonian hillfort. In the 13th century during the Livonian crusade, the territory of Aizpute was conquered by German crusaders. In 1248 the master of the Livonian Order Dietrich von Grüningen ordered the building of a stone castle in Aizpute. The castle and the whole settlement became known as Hasenpoth. After the partition of Courland in 1253 Aizpute became part of the Bishopric of Courland. In 1260 Aizpute church was built.

Bishop of Courland Otto granted Magdeburg rights to Aizpute in 1378.

In the second half of the 16th century Aizpute experienced rapid development because the Tebra river was used as the main trade route for the merchants of Aizpute who shipped their cargo down to the sea. After the Polish-Swedish war all trade and shipping infrastructure was destroyed and Aizpute started to experience decline. During the period 1611-1795 it was under the power of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as a capital of the semi-autonomous Powiat Piltynski (District of Piltene).

In 1795 Aizpute and the whole of Courland was incorporated into the Russian Empire and became part of the Courland Governorate. During the Russian revolution of 1905 Aizpute was one of the places where local revolutionists showed armed resistance to Cossack punitive units. It led to the so-called Aizpute War.

During the period of the Republic of Latvia, Aizpute became the centre of a district, but in the Soviet period it became incorporated into Liepāja District. In 2009 Aizpute became the centre of Aizpute Municipality.

Its current name is the Lettization of the German one and is officially in use since 1917.

Origin: en.wikipedia.org