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Klaipėda
Also known as Klaipeda, Memel, Mėmelis
Klaipėda ( ; ), formerly in German period mostly called Memel, is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the third-largest city in Lithuania, the fifth-largest city in the Baltic states, the capital of Klaipėda County, the only major seaport in the country and the busiest port in the Baltic states.
AI overview
Klaipėda is Lithuania's third-largest city and only major seaport, located on the Baltic Sea coast. It serves as the busiest port in the entire Baltic states region and is the capital of Klaipėda County.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
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Travel guide
Understand
thumb | 300px | Street in Klaipėda Klaipėda is at the mouth of the River Danė, which flows into the Curonian Lagoon, the freshwater lake enclosed by the Curonian Spit; the lagoon here discharges into the Baltic. Its harbour is ice-free, a valuable site on this cold sea, so it's been fought over many times. The castle was built by the Teutonic Knights in 1253 and for much of its history the city was part of Prussia. German-speaking people called it "Memel" for the larger river feeding the lagoon further south, nowadays the border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Timber export have long been the port's main trade, along with other agricultural produce such as wool.
After the First World War Memel and its hinterland were declared a "Free City" similar to Gdańsk / Danzig, but newly-independent Lithuania annexed it in 1923. Nazi Germany grabbed it in 1939: after the Second World War it reverted to the far-from-independent Lithuanian SSR, a communist satellite state of the USSR. That grey empire broke up in 1990 and Klaipėda like other Baltic cities developed modern western industries.
Get around
thumb | 300px | Klaipėda reunited with Lithuania in 1923
See
thumb | 300px | Blacksmith's Museum
Do
thumb | 300px | Malign creatures on the Hill of Witches Beaches – The west coast of the Curonian Spit is sandy throughout its length, backed by forest and sandhills. Smiltynė, the north tip just across the channel from downtown, is obviously the busiest. Giruliai and Melnragė beaches are north of town, and are accessible by bus routes 4, 6, and 24. FK Banga play in A Lyga the top tier. They're based 15 km east in Gargždai.
Buy
Amber is a traditional Baltic giftware, the semi-precious fossil of long-drowned pine resin.
Drink
Brewery: Švyturys ("lighthouse") is at Kūlių Vartų g 7 in Old Town and offers tours. Their gastropub is open M-Th 16:00-00:00, F 16:00-02:00, Sa 13:00-02:00, Su 13:00-23:00.
Sleep
thumb | 300px | Sailing ship Meridianas
~66 min read
Article
54 sectionsContents
- Names
- Coat of arms
- History
- Teutonic Knights
- Duchy of Prussia
- Kingdom of Prussia
- German Empire
- Inter-war years and World War II
- 1945–present
- Geography
- Climate
- Parks and forests
- Demographics
- Religion
- City municipality
- Mayors
- Port of Klaipėda
- Culture and contemporary life
- Historical
- Cinemas
- Theatres
- Museums
- Maritime Museum
- Festivals
- Cityscape
- Urbanism and architecture
- Education
- Primary and secondary education
- Tertiary education
- Libraries
- Notable buildings
- Transportation
- Railway
- Airport
- Ferries
- Ferries to Smiltynė
- International ferries
- Buses
- Trams
- Old town
- Sports
- Economy
- Media
- Radio
- Television
- Newspapers
- Notable residents
- Twin towns – sister cities
- Cooperation agreements
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Klaipėda ( ; ), formerly in German period mostly called Memel, is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the third-largest city in Lithuania, the fifth-largest city in the Baltic states, the capital of Klaipėda County, the only major seaport in the country and the busiest port in the Baltic states.
The city has a complex recorded history, partially due to the combined regional importance of the usually ice-free port at the mouth of the river . It was situated in Lithuania Minor and successively belonged to the State of the Teutonic Order, the Duchy of Prussia (at times under the suzerainty of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire, within which it was the northernmost big city until it was placed under French occupation in 1919. From 1923, the city was part of Lithuania until its annexation by Nazi Germany in 1939, and after World War II it was part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. Klaipėda has remained within Lithuania since 1944.
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Categories
Capitals of Lithuanian countiesCities in Klaipėda CountyCities in LithuaniaCleanup tagged articles with a reason field from April 2023KlaipėdaKulm lawLithuania MinorMembers of the Hanseatic LeagueMunicipalities administrative centres of LithuaniaMunicipalities of Klaipėda CountyPort cities and towns of the Baltic Sea