Dobele

{{Short description|Town and capital of Dobele Municipality, Latvia}}

{{More citations needed|date=August 2007}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Dobele | other_name = | settlement_type = Town | image_shield = Dobele COA.svg | shield_size = 50 | image_flag = Dobele flag.svg | flag_size = 120 | image_skyline = Dobeles pilsdrupas 1.jpg | imagesize = 270 | image_caption = Dobele castle ruins. | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Latvia}} | subdivision_type1 = Municipality | subdivision_name1 = Dobele Municipality | established_title = Town rights | established_date = 1917 | pushpin_map = Latvia | pushpin_label_position = above | pushpin_mapsize = 300 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Latvia | coordinates = {{coord|56|37|N|23|16|E|region:LV_type:city|display=inline,title}} | nickname = | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Andrejs Spridzāns | area_total_km2 = {{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}} | area_footnotes = {{wikidata|reference|best||P2046|P518=Q16868672}} | area_water_km2 = {{#expr:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}-{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q11081619}}}} | area_land_km2 = {{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q11081619}} | area_metro_km2 = | elevation_m = | population_as_of = {{#invoke:WikidataIB|formatDate|{{wikidata|qualifier|best|raw||P1082|P585}}|df=y}} | population_total = {{wikidata|property|qualifier|best||P1082}} | population_footnotes = {{wikidata|references|best||P1082}} | population_metro = | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_metro_km2 = auto | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = LV-370(1-2) | area_code_type = Calling code | area_code = +371 637 | timezone1 = EET | utc_offset1 = +2 | timezone1_DST = EEST | utc_offset1_DST = +3 | blank_name_sec1 = Climate | blank_info_sec1 = Dfb | website = {{URL|www.dobele.lv}} }}thumb|right|300px|Proportional distribution of different ethnicities in Dobele '''Dobele''' ({{audio|Lv-Dobele.ogg|pronunciation}}; {{langx|de|Doblen}}) is a town and seat of Dobele Municipality in the Semigallia region of Latvia. It is located near the center of Latvia on the banks of the river Bērze. It received town rights in 1917 whilst being a part of the German occupied Courland Governorate during the First World War.<ref name="DobHis">{{cite web |url=http://www.dobele.lv/?lang=1&mid=7 |title=Pilsēta |publisher=Dobeles pilsētas dome |access-date=2008-03-05}}</ref> As of 2020, the population was 8,856.<ref name=LVannual>{{Cite web | url=http://data.csb.gov.lv/pxweb/en/iedz/iedz__iedzskaits__ikgad/ISG020.px/ | title=ISG020. Population number and its change by statistical region, city, town, 21 development centres and county | publisher=Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia|date=2020-01-01|access-date=2021-02-12}}</ref>

==Name origin== In a German document from 1254 a place name ''Dubelene'' or ''Dubelone'' has been used. Later the names ''Doblene'', ''Doblenen'' and ''Doblen'' also have been used for this inhabited location. The original place name can be reconstructed as ''Dobelene'' or ''Dobeliene'', but its origins are linked to the place name ''duobe'' (pit or delve) and ''duobele'' (dip, dimple). Most likely, the reconstructed place name ''Dobelene'' meant 'populated area in a dimple'.<ref>Laimute Balode, Ojārs Bušs. ''No Abavas līdz Zilupei. Vietvārdu cilmes īsā vārdnīca.'' Rīga : Latviešu valodas aģentūra, 2015, 94.—95. lpp.</ref>

==History== Dobele is first mentioned in historical sources in 1254; however, at that time it was only a wooden fortress which was destroyed during the Semigallian War of Independence (1279–1290), the final phase of the Northern Crusades in Latvia. On its spot, a new stone castle was erected in 1335 and a small settlement grew up around it. The ruins of this fortress are still visible and are in the process of being restored. The original church was constructed in 1495, and eventually, the fortress developed into a trading post. In the 17th century, a watermill, sawmill, a cardigan mill, and a vinegar-works were constructed during the reign of duke Jacob Kettler. In 1927, the Jelgava–Liepāja Railway connected the city to other important towns and a period of development resulted.

==Industry== Dobele is the home of many large enterprises, such as the AS ''Dobeles dzirnavnieks'' mill (a subsidiary of Tartu Mill), the ''Seal''/''Spodrība'' chemical plant, the ''Baltic Candles'' candle factory, steel structure and component maker SIA ''East Metal.''<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100829124755/http://www.dobele.lv/page/Uznemejdarbiba_uznemumi Uzņēmumi]</ref> The headquarters of the country-wide fuel station network ''{{Interlanguage link|Astarte-Nafta|lv}}'' and the construction material manufacturer ''Tenax Grupa'' are also located within the town.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uzņēmējdarbības vides raksturojums {{!}} Dobeles novada pašvaldība |trans-title=Business environment summary {{!}} Administration of Dobele Municipality |url=https://www.dobele.lv/lv/uznemejdarbibas-vides-raksturojums |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=www.dobele.lv |language=lv}}</ref>

==Schools== *Dobele State Gymnasium

==Culture== The town of Dobele has a Cultural Centre as well as a museum. The town is also the location of 8 nationally protected monuments, such as the old castle, church, and town hall.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sākumlapa en {{!}} Dobeles novada pašvaldība |url=https://www.dobele.lv/en |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=www.dobele.lv}}</ref>

There are several annual festivals and holidays celebrated including the ''Ielīgosim Jāņus'', the Midsummer celebration, and the ''jubileja'', or festival, which changes yearly.

==Climate== Dobele has a humid continental climate (Köppen ''Dfb''). {{Weather box |location = Dobele (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1949-present) |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |Jan high C = -0.3 |Feb high C = 0.0 |Mar high C = 4.5 |Apr high C = 12.0 |May high C = 17.7 |Jun high C = 20.9 |Jul high C = 23.7 |Aug high C = 23.0 |Sep high C = 17.5 |Oct high C = 10.7 |Nov high C = 4.7 |Dec high C = 1.2 |year high C = |Jan mean C = -2.6 |Feb mean C = -2.7 |Mar mean C = 0.7 |Apr mean C = 6.6 |May mean C = 12.0 |Jun mean C = 15.6 |Jul mean C = 18.1 |Aug mean C = 17.4 |Sep mean C = 12.6 |Oct mean C = 7.0 |Nov mean C = 2.5 |Dec mean C = -0.8 |year mean C = |Jan low C = -5.2 |Feb low C = -5.6 |Mar low C = -2.8 |Apr low C = 1.9 |May low C = 6.2 |Jun low C = 10.0 |Jul low C = 12.7 |Aug low C = 12.1 |Sep low C = 8.1 |Oct low C = 3.6 |Nov low C = 0.3 |Dec low C = -3.1 |year low C = |Jan record high C = 10.4 |Feb record high C = 13.8 |Mar record high C = 20.0 |Apr record high C = 26.5 |May record high C = 30.6 |Jun record high C = 33.1 |Jul record high C = 35.8 |Aug record high C = 35.1 |Sep record high C = 30.7 |Oct record high C = 23.5 |Nov record high C = 16.8 |Dec record high C = 11.5 |year record high C = |Jan record low C = -34.1 |Feb record low C = -35.9 |Mar record low C = -25.7 |Apr record low C = -13.2 |May record low C = -3.7 |Jun record low C = 0.3 |Jul record low C = 4.7 |Aug record low C = 1.9 |Sep record low C = -3.7 |Oct record low C = -9.2 |Nov record low C = -21.7 |Dec record low C = -31.9 |year record low C = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 38.6 |Feb precipitation mm = 29.6 |Mar precipitation mm = 29.6 |Apr precipitation mm = 32.3 |May precipitation mm = 42.9 |Jun precipitation mm = 66.6 |Jul precipitation mm = 77.1 |Aug precipitation mm = 64.0 |Sep precipitation mm = 53.8 |Oct precipitation mm = 62.2 |Nov precipitation mm = 45.0 |Dec precipitation mm = 38.8 |year precipitation mm = |unit precipitation days = 1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 9 |Feb precipitation days = 8 |Mar precipitation days = 8 |Apr precipitation days = 7 |May precipitation days = 8 |Jun precipitation days = 9 |Jul precipitation days = 10 |Aug precipitation days = 9 |Sep precipitation days = 9 |Oct precipitation days = 11 |Nov precipitation days = 10 |Dec precipitation days = 10 | Jan humidity = 88.0 | Feb humidity = 86.0 | Mar humidity = 79.4 | Apr humidity = 71.1 | May humidity = 68.6 | Jun humidity = 73.0 | Jul humidity = 75.2 | Aug humidity = 76.2 | Sep humidity = 81.5 | Oct humidity = 86.3 | Nov humidity = 89.9 | Dec humidity = 89.9 | year humidity = |Jan sun = 40.1 |Feb sun = 69.6 |Mar sun = 147.1 |Apr sun = 209.2 |May sun = 291.4 |Jun sun = 286.8 |Jul sun = 305.5 |Aug sun = 262.9 |Sep sun = 175.9 |Oct sun = 107.7 |Nov sun = 40.5 |Dec sun = 30.7 |year sun = |Jan percentsun = |Feb percentsun = |Mar percentsun = |Apr percentsun = |May percentsun = |Jun percentsun = |Jul percentsun = |Aug percentsun = |Sep percentsun = |Oct percentsun = |Nov percentsun = |Dec percentsun = |year percentsun = |source 1 = LVĢMC<ref>{{cite web | url = https://data.gov.lv/dati/dataset/klimatisko-normu-dati/resource/4ef4a2ac-b439-478a-83b3-cdd39b1eff77 | title = Klimatisko normu dati | publisher = Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre | accessdate = March 24, 2023 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://klimats.meteo.lv/klimats/rekordi/ | title = Gaisa temperatūras rekordi | publisher = Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre | accessdate = March 24, 2023 }}</ref> |source 2 = NOAA (precipitation days, humidity 1991-2020)<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Latvia/CSV/Dobele_26424.csv | title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | accessdate = March 30, 2023 }}</ref>}}

==Demographics== Latvians make up 75.5% of the population while Russians, at 14%, are a significant minority. Other groups include Belarusians - 3.3%, Lithuanians - 2.3%, Ukrainians -1.8%, Poles - 1.5%, and 1.6% are of other nationalities. {{Historical populations |title= |source= Latvian Geospatial Information Agency |align=none|cols=2 | graph-pos = right |1840 |100 |1881 |1083 |1914 |2000 |1915 |375 |1925 |1551 |1935 |2470 |1943 |2650 |1959 |6246 |1979 |13027 |1989 |15023 |1997 |12765 |2007 |11146 |2008 |11201 |2009 |11241 |2010 |11214 |2011 |11066 |2012 |10895 |2013 |10771 |2014 |10540 |2015 |10348 |2016 |10113 |2017 |9868 |2018 |9702 |2019 |9575 |2020 |9452 |2021 |9371 |2022 |9225 }}

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Dobeles Luteriskā baznīca 2.jpg|Dobele Lutheran church (1495) File:Dobeles katolubaznica.JPG|Catholic church (2003) File:Dobeles stacija 04.JPG|Dobele Railway Station (Built in 1929) File:Dobele, the city square.jpg|The main square File:Dobele, houses on the city square.jpg| 19th-century buildings in the city center File:Dobeles Kultūras nams.jpg|Latvian society house (Built in 1939) File:Uzvaras iela 3 Dobele.jpg|Uzvaras street in Dobele File:Dobeles Valsts ģimnāzija 8.jpg|Building of Dobele State gymnasium (Built in 1940) File:Dobeles mūzikas skola 1.jpg|Music school in Dobele (Built in early 20th. century) File:Viestura iela Dobele.jpg|View to Dobele Castle from Viestura street. </gallery>

==Notable people== *Oskars Bārs (1848–1914), architect *Gunārs Saliņš (1924–2010), modernist poet *Alexei Kudrin (born 1960), politician, economist *Linda Mūrniece (born 1970), politician, journalist *Uldis Augulis (born 1972), politician *Viktors Ščerbatihs (born 1974), weightlifter, Olympic silver-medalist *Andris Naudužs (born 1975), racing cyclist *Gatis Eglītis (born 1978), politician *Lauris Reiniks (born 1979), musician *Andrejs Šeļakovs (born 1988), basketball player *Māris Bogdanovičs (born 1991), cyclist *Emīls Liepiņš (born 1992), cyclist *Ritvars Suharevs (born 1999), weightlifter *Kristers Tobers (born 2000), football player *Daniela Ivanova (born 2002), weightlifter

==See also== *List of cities in Latvia *Dobele crater

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Dobele Category:Populated places in Dobele Municipality Category:Cities and towns in Semigallia Category:1917 establishments in Latvia Category:Populated places established in 1917 Category:Dobele county