Nereta

Nereta (; ) is a village in Aizkraukle Municipality in the Selonia region of Latvia. The village is located 4 km from the border with Lithuania, on the Dienvidsusēja river (a right tributary of the Nemunėlis). Nereta has hosted the annual 3x3 Latvian heritage summer camp. Nereta had 1,282 residents as of 2006. Nereta the village is surrounded by numerous peat bogs.

== History == Nereta is located in the part of Selonia that was subjugated in the 13th century by the Livonian Order. Nereta was first mentioned in historical sources (as Nirica) in 1298. At the southern border of the Livonian Order Aizkraukle Command with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania lands, a fortified Nereta Manor, which belonged to the former Commander of the Order Wilhelm of Eferna after the collapse of the Order, von Effern. During times of Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, the ruined wooden building of the Nereta church was restored in 1570, but in 1584–1593. The current Nereta Lutheran Church stone building was built in 1564. In the year Nereta was called "Narite" by the river Dienvidsusēja. 1596. At the request of Duke Gotthard Kettler, the first Latin school for the children of servants of the manor and rectory was founded in Nereta. 1607. A nursery manor was awarded 300 years a year for the maintenance and hiring of a teacher.