Lielupe

The Lielupe River is the largest river of Zemgale and in terms of the flow it is the second largest river of Latvia behind the Daugava River. Depth in the upper course is around 1 m, below Jelgava - 8-12 m, in the lower course - 15-20 m. The Lielupe is only 119 km long, but it has 250 tributaries. Coasts almost everywhere are overgrown. Lielupe has very small decline - 10.8 m (0.1 m/km), especially in the lower course where it becomes much wider and deeper. The average flow rate at the mouth is 106 m³/s (maximum 1380 m³/s, the minimum 10.6 m³/s). Part of Jurmala, 19 km from Riga. The area surrounded by the sea and the Lielupe estuary in the Gulf of Riga. Formerly it was called as Buļļi because it was situated on the land of Buļļi manor. One of the first building sites for summer cottages. Construction commenced around 1910, when the closest part of the sea was built up. Buildings fit in the vast pine forest park. Wooden building of Railway station was built in 1913. The name “Lielupe” is used since the 30s. Historically the oldest populated area of current territory of Lielupe is Buļļuciems, located at the estuary of the Lielupe, 3 km from Lielupe railway station. Since 14th century there were so-called Buļļu ferry what transported the carts across the Lielupe River. Along the sea edge there was a road from Riga to Kurzeme and Prussia. After the Second World War in this area was Fishermen Artel “Uzvara”, which performed extensive and successful commercial activities. There is created fishermen residential village with public buildings, fishing port.