Zemgale is southern region of Latvia. It has border only with Lithuania. Biggest cities of
Zemgale are Jelgava and Daugavpils. Although both of them are in one region they are very different,
because Jelgava is situated in center of Latvia and it is closer to Riga, but Daugavpils is situated
in skirt of Latvia.
In Zemgale most visited places by tourists are Tervete natural park and the homested "Spridisi",
the ruins of the Bauska castle, Mezotne palace, Rundale palace, the Jelgava castle etc.
Tervete natural park is established in the ancient valley of the rivulet Tervete. Park's area is
13.5 square kilometers. This is the place where Anna Brigadere, one of the most well - known Latvian writers
have spent the childhood and wane of life. The park is beautiful and worth seeing in all seasons.
The ruins of the Bauska castle impart to the visitor a romantic mood. The ruins are situated
amid a picturesque landscape, it is the place where the two rivers Memele and Musa flow together forming the river Lielupe.
Presently in the dukes' residence part restoriation work is under way, but the fortress ruins are open for visitors.
From the sighting place in the Big tower can be seen still traces of earthwork encircling the castle,
and from here open up the vast panorama of Zemgale landscape. The Bauska castle ruins is an wonderful ambiance for music festivals, which tak place here
every July.
Mezotne palace stands on the very bank of the river Lielupe. It was built in the years 1798 - 1802
after Quarenghi's draft and according to J.G.A.Berlitz's classicism style project. The palace interior is restored and
furnished with style furniture.
Rundale palace came into being on order of Ernst Johann Bieron, the wealth and luxury loving favourite
of the Russian Empress Anna Johanovna, and it was projected as a summer residence. Rundale palace is the largest and most important baroque and rococo period
architecture and art monument in Latvia. The foundation stone was laid on May 24, 1736. Visitors are offered expositions of the palace interior and history
as well as different applied decorative arts and fine arts exibitions. The visitors can view 46 rococo
interior with wonderful plaster castings, parquety style furniture.
Beside of all these places that I have mentioned there are huge amount of other beautiful places
and constructions
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