Latvia symbols. National symbols of Latvia. Cathedral of St. James

Flag

Written evidence of a red flag with a white stripe dates back to the second half of the 13th century, when the ancient Latgalian tribes fought with the Estonian tribes with such a flag (in alliance with the Germans, it should be noted). This information allows us to rank the Latvian flag among the oldest flags in the world. At the end of the 60s of the 19th century, a mention of the red-white-red flag in the past in the “Rhymed Chronicle” of the Livonian Order was found by the Latvian student Jēkabs Lautenbahs-Jusmins, a folklore researcher who later became a professor. The “Rhymed Chronicle” describes the events that took place on the territory of Latvia until 1290, glorifying the merits of the crusaders for converting the pagans living on the territory of Latvia to the Christian faith. Based on the above-mentioned historical information, artist Ansis Cirulis developed a modern design for the national flag of Latvia in May 1917. The red color of the Latvian flag has a special dark color (bloody, for the nervous ones - cherry) tone. The proportional distribution of the colors of the flag is as follows: 2:1:2 (the lower and upper red parts of the flag are always twice as wide as the middle - white), and the proportions of length and width are 2:1. The national flag of Latvia in this form and the coat of arms were approved by a special resolution of the parliament on June 15, 1921.

Coat of arms

The state emblem of Latvia was created after the declaration of independence of the Republic of Latvia as a symbol of independent statehood. The coat of arms combines both symbols of national statehood and ancient symbols of historical regions. The national statehood of Latvia is symbolized by the sun at the top of the shield of the coat of arms. During the First World War, soldiers conscripted into the army of the Russian Empire - Latvian riflemen - began to use a stylized image of the sun as a sign of distinction and nationality. During the First World War, the sun was depicted with 17 rays, symbolizing 17 counties populated predominantly by Latvians. Three stars above the shield of the state emblem embody the idea of ​​including historical regions (united Kurzeme-Zemgale, Vidzeme and Latgale) into a united Latvia. Cultural and historical regions are also characterized by even more ancient heraldic images, which appeared already in the 16th century. The red lion symbolizes Kurzeme and Zemgale (western and southwestern part of Latvia). The lion appeared in the coat of arms of the former Duchy of Courland already in 1569. Vidzeme and Latgale (northern and south-eastern parts of Latvia) are symbolized by a fabulous winged silvery animal with the head of an eagle - a vulture. This symbol appeared in 1566, when the current territory of Vidzeme and Latgale came under the control of the Polish-Lithuanian state. The state emblem of Latvia was created by the Latvian artist Rihards Zarins.

The area of ​​use of the state emblem of Latvia is strictly regulated. Three types of state emblems are used - large, small supplemented and small coat of arms.

National anthem

"God Bless Latvia" is the national anthem of Latvia. The author of the text and music of the anthem is the Latvian composer Kārlis Baumanis (Baumanu Kārlis). The song "God Bless Latvia" was composed in the second half of the 19th century, when the process of national awakening of the Latvian people began. Kārlis Baumanis was the first Latvian composer who dared to mention the word “Latvia” in the lyrics of a song. Despite the fact that at that time the Latvian people did not yet dare to dream of creating a completely independent state independent of the Russian Empire, the song “God Bless Latvia” contributed to strengthening the self-awareness of the people. The use of the word “Latvia” in the song should be assessed as a clear confirmation of the awareness of Latvian national identity, but this did not satisfy the Russian Empire. At first, the Russian authorities even forbade mentioning the word “Latvia” in the title and lyrics of the song, and it had to be replaced with the word “Baltic”. This song, which later became the anthem of Latvia, was first performed at the First General Latvian Song Festival at the end of June 1873 in Riga, and as the national anthem on November 18, 1918 during the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia. On June 7, 1920, the song "God Bless Latvia" was officially approved as the national anthem.

The use of Latvia's official symbols - the flag, coat of arms and anthem - has been prohibited since June 1940, when Latvia was occupied by the communist USSR. (In fact, the flag was canceled a little longer. - E.B.) They were re-approved as official state symbols on February 15, 1990.

Other symbols of Latvia

National bird

The national bird of Latvia is the white wagtail (Motacilla alba). From April to October in Latvia you can often see this graceful bird. The white wagtail is found near populated areas and various bodies of water. Typically, the wagtail runs nimbly along the ground, swinging its long narrow tail up and down. She builds a nest under eaves, in woodpiles, in piles of stones and in bird cages. Winters in Southern Europe and North Africa. The White Wagtail was approved as the national bird of Latvia in 1960 by the International Council for the Protection of Birds.

National insect

The national insect of Latvia is the two-spotted ladybug (Adalia bipunctata). The two-spotted ladybug is known as a beneficial insect that protects plants from pests. By its nature, this insect is rather slow, but it can defend itself well. Due to its appearance and behavior, this insect is widely known and loved in Latvia.
The name of this insect in Latvian is a synonym for the Latvian ancient deity Maara, who embodies earthly power. The two-spotted ladybug was approved as the national insect of Latvia in 1991 by the Latvian Entomological Society.

National flower

The national flower of Latvia is the wild chamomile (Leucanthemum vulgare, formerly also called Chrysanthemum leucanthemum). In the climatic conditions of Latvia, ordinary or wild daisies bloom from June to September. Daisies are favorite flowers and are often given as gifts.

National trees

The national trees of Latvia are the linden (Tilia cordata) and oak (Quercus robur). Oak and linden are characteristic elements of the Latvian landscape. Both trees are still used for medicinal purposes today. Medicinal tinctures are made from linden inflorescences and oak bark. In Latvian folk songs (dainas), which express ancient folk concepts of morality and ethics, linden and oak are most often mentioned among other trees.

In Latvian folk beliefs and folklore, the linden tree is traditionally considered a symbol of femininity, and the oak tree is a symbol of masculinity. The reverence of the people for these trees is evidenced by the village landscape, where often a mighty century-old oak or majestic linden is left untouched or even fenced in the middle of a cultivated field.

Amber

Amber has long been considered a precious stone characteristic of the territory of the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. Latvians themselves sometimes call the Baltic Sea the “Amber Sea,” thus emphasizing the symbolic significance of amber in the history of the people and the country. Unlike other precious and semi-precious stones, which were formed as a result of inorganic chemical processes, Baltic amber was formed from organic substances - from petrified resin of coniferous trees. Therefore, amber absorbs body heat and is easy to process.

In the distant past, the territory of Latvia was widely known as a place for amber mining, although now it has become much less. Amber from the Baltic Sea coast was used as a raw material in jewelry, as well as as a means of trade exchange in Ancient Egypt, Assyria, Greece and the Roman Empire. In some places it was valued even higher than gold. Both in ancient times and today, amber is mainly used as decoration. Since ancient times in Latvia and other places in the world, it has been used to make amulets, pendants, buttons, necklaces, as well as very complex jewelry and ornaments. Amber was and is still used for medical purposes, since the succinic acid it contains is considered a unique biostimulant.

Symbol of the fate of Latvia - Daugava

The national river of Latvia is popularly considered to be the Daugava. The Daugava is the largest river flowing through Latvia (total length 1005 kilometers, of which 352 kilometers are in Latvia). Since the times of romanticism in Latvian literature, the Daugava has been considered to be the river of “fate”, or “mother river”, which influences the history of the people. For centuries, the Daugava has been an important transport artery, a source of livelihood and a source of energy (the largest hydroelectric power stations in Latvia are located on the Daugava). In the past and at present, the Daugava demarcates various historical regions; it separates Kurzeme and Zemgale from Vidzeme and Latgale.

Symbol of independence - Freedom Monument

The Freedom Monument in the capital Riga has undoubtedly become a symbol of Latvian independence. It was erected from 1931 to 1935 with donations from the people. The monument was sculpted by the Latvian sculptor Kārlis Zale. Sculptural groups at the base of the monument illustrate certain important events in the history of Latvia, and the monument ends with the image of Freedom - a female figure symbolizing the idea of ​​Latvian sovereignty.

There are always flowers at the foot of the Freedom Monument, which are placed here as a sign of deep respect for those who created the state and gave their lives in the battles for independence in the name of the national state and the well-being of the people.

Jan's day

The most significant Latvian traditional holiday is popularly considered to be Jan's Day or the Ligo holiday. For the Latvian people, this holiday has acquired a deep symbolic meaning and is known outside of Latvia.

Ligo evening is celebrated on June 23, and Jan's day is celebrated the next day, June 24. The holiday coincides with the summer solstice and is celebrated by observing many ancient traditions. The celebration of Ligo is mainly expressed in collecting herbs and flowers; on this day, wreaths are made from oak leaves and flowers, courtyards, buildings and domestic animals are decorated with wild flowers and plants, bonfires are lit in the evening and special “Ligo” songs are sung. The ritual treat is Yanov cheese and barley beer.

Text: Raimonds Cerusis

Mighty, strong, unbending - like Latvia itself. He has lived for a thousand years and has seen a lot in his long life. A symbol of masculinity and our national treasure, the unique Kaiva oak, which has no equal not only throughout our country, but also in Lithuania, Estonia and even Poland. Kaiva oak and other unique trees growing in Latvia are the focus of today's program "100 Natural Treasures".

Trees are one of the most important and most unique natural wonders. Oaks and lindens are everywhere in Latvia. In nature, in data, in paintings. Even the most popular Latvian banknote, the five-lats banknote, was decorated with the image of a spreading century-old oak tree. In Latvian mythology, the oak is a symbol of masculinity. Linden is a symbol of femininity. By the way, our country has the largest number of ancient oaks and linden trees in the Baltics. And the largest, thickest and most ancient oak tree is also ours.

And it has a name - Kaives senču ozols (Ancient Kaiva Oak). It grows in the Tukums region near the northern outskirts of the town of Kaive not far from the Senchi farm. In the old days, pagans revered it as a real magical artifact. Nowadays, the legendary oak is also carefully protected by the state. The tree, which looks more like a huge branched baobab than an oak, is under the supervision of the Latvian Petroglyph Center - it studies historical and natural monuments and objects. The Kaiva oak is definitely one of the most important and significant treasures of Latvia, says the head of the center, Andris Grinbergs.

We examine it from time to time and at the moment I can say that the circumference of its trunk is 10 meters 52 centimeters. This is the largest century-old tree not only in Latvia, but throughout the Baltics.

The closest competitor to our oak grows in Lithuania - the Stelmuz oak, the circumference of its trunk is 9 meters 80 cm, so ours is more than 70 centimeters more powerful,” emphasizes Grinbergs.

The age of such trees - oaks and lindens, growing in our region, can be determined quite simply: you need to divide the circumference of the trunk in centimeters by 2. That is, it turns out that the age of the Kaiva oak is approximately 530 years. There is information that it is over a thousand years old, but this is most likely not true. And about the Stelmuzh Oak in tourist brochures they write that it is over 2 thousand years old, but this is nonsense - by its circumference we can say that it is less than 500 years old. This has been scientifically proven; by measuring the circumference of oak trees, we notice that in our conditions an oak tree “gets fat” by an average of 2 centimeters per year. All our trees have this growth rate, except pines, which grow in swamps or dunes. Their annual growth rate is lower.

In general, it must be said that we can rightfully be proud of the abundance of centuries-old trees. There are much fewer of them in Lithuania and Estonia.

Let’s say, if we take the top 20 Baltic oaks, then number two in this top 20 is the largest oak tree in Lithuania. And the largest oak tree in Estonia is somewhere in fifteenth place, if not lower. It has a girth of only about 8 and a half meters. The remaining 18 largest century-old trees in the Baltics are ours!

We are lucky with the climate; oaks really like it. By the way, there are also a lot of oak trees in Poland, but they don’t grow so large there. They have many eight- and nine-meter oak trees, but there is only one tree more than 10 meters in circumference - 10 meters, 10 centimeters, so it doesn’t reach ours either. They had one oak tree larger than Kaivsky, but hooligans burned it several years ago.

We also have other outstanding old-time trees. The largest linden tree in our country grows in Kurzeme, in the town of Valdemarpils - on the outskirts. Its circumference is almost 9 meters, approximately 8 meters and 80 centimeters. By Baltic standards it is one of the largest.

It’s more difficult with pine trees: they often become multi-trunked with age, and when they grow too tall, they break under the pressure of the wind. Therefore, the largest pine in Latvia, the Allyu pine in Kurzeme, is “only” 4 meters and 44 cm in girth, with a height of more than 24 meters, which is a very good result for a pine.”

The Allju pine, which the head of the Latvian petroglyph center Andris Grinbergs talks about, is located on the left bank of the Stende River near Ventspils. And the oldest linden tree, which grows 14 km from Talsi on the outskirts of Valdemarpils, saw Duke Jacob. She also has a name - Elku, the linden tree of the Idols.

Member of the board of the Rigas Mezhi enterprise Uldis Zommers is a big fan of the Kaiva oak and is very sorry that the capital cannot boast of such centuries-old heroes. But according to him,

in Riga there are plants that you will not see anywhere else in Latvia. This tradition was introduced a hundred years ago by the famous landscape architect Georg Kufaldt,

being the director of gardens and parks in Riga, he planted many exotic flowers, shrubs and trees in its green areas. Today, a century later, even in the most ordinary park, you can sometimes stumble upon amazing plants that are in no way associated with our region.

With the help of the US Embassy, ​​a tulip tree has been growing on Washington Square for 6 years now. Under normal conditions, it can even grow up to 50 meters. Opposite the opera, in the park of the University of Latvia, grows the oldest tree on the planet, which has remained unchanged since the Mesozoic era - the ginkgo. In Riga, the first trees of this species were planted by the legendary Kufaldt personally. And near the opera there grows a seedling, donated to Riga by the residents of Germany.

Swiss Shahverdi Akhadov plants walnuts throughout Europe. With his light hand, nuts of the Franquette variety, bred in France, grow in Ziepniekkalns Ebelmuizas Park and on the Daugava Promenade.

And a certain resident of Plakanciems, a Siberian by origin, gave Riga a real Siberian cedar. It can be viewed in the capital's Victory Park. There are also magnolias in Riga. Previously, these exotic trees grew only in the botanical garden. And now magnolia, the calling card of the subtropics, is growing and blooming in Riga parks: Vermana, Kronvalda and the park near the opera.

But the most exotic plant for our latitudes is the Kentucky coffee tree, also known as soap tree, also known as dioecious bunduk, growing right on the embankment of the Riga Canal.

Not far from the house of the beaver Askold. It appeared in Riga back in the 60s of the last century and some of the seedlings not only took root, but even bear fruit - brown pods with beans and a green gel-like substance.

Despite the name, bunduk beans are not coffee beans; in their raw form, they are even poisonous. But the gel filling of the pods lathers well and the American aborigines used it instead of detergents.

By the way, for those Latvians who would like to give a tree to the capital or another city, Rigas Mezhi advises to coordinate the location of the gift with the companies that manage green spaces. And everyone else wants to enjoy the living treasures of Latvia carefully - not to pick off the leaves, protect them from vandals, so that many more generations of Latvians can see them.

Vintsevich V. Rezekne Kise P. Rezekne Vase and vase 1978

Artistic crafts of Latvia. For a long time, already from the 1st century AD. e., artistic processing of metals, wood, ceramics and weaving were known here. Artistic crafts developed unevenly in different regions of Latvia, and this was due to many natural and historical conditions.

The northwestern part of Latvia - Kurzeme, inhabited since ancient times by the ancient people - the Livs, has often experienced invasions by the Swedes and Germans since the 13th century. But even on these long-suffering lands the artistic creativity of the people developed.
The interiors of the dwellings were not rich: simple wooden furniture, modestly decorated with carvings, cabinets painted with oil paints, chests with metal plates and floral paintings. Forged items made of ferrous metals gave great originality to the home, primarily various types of lamps. The metal was skillfully worked into the product, its shapes look strict and restrained, the color is dark, the lines of the silhouette are simple.
Ceramics. Ceramics were just as modest. Pots, bowls, jugs, mugs, and pipes were almost without decoration. But their forms are beautiful and plastic. Particularly interesting are the “twin” vessels - two small pots connected at the sides with one upper handle.
They are still made today.

Production Association "Dailrade" of the Ministry of Local Industry of the Latvian SSR Riga Applied Arts Combine "Maksla" of the Art Fund of the Latvian SSR Riga Julite E. Brooches-pendants made according to national motives 1978

Latgale is located in the southeast of Latvia. Latgalians are ancient settlers of the Latvian land. Here, in these territories, it was crowded, because the land was better and it was safer to live. But due to the crowded population, the plots of land were tiny. By the beginning of the 20th century, 80% of the population were peasants, of whom two thirds were landless. Artistic crafts have become widespread. There was little metal, and even hand washers were made of clay. There was essentially no trade in artistic metal processing, but pottery flourished. The largest center for the production of ceramics in Latgale was Silayai. They also practiced it in Andrupen, the towns of Vilyaki and Ludza.
Latgale art ceramics goes far beyond the boundaries of a local craft. It is a unique phenomenon and was included in the all-Union fund of artistic values. This ceramic is characterized by a wide variety of shapes, a combination of work on a potter's wheel and free hand modeling in one product. The shapes of the products are soft, rounded, and plastic, which is why they give the impression of being so cozy and homely. The decor of the products includes surface engraving, glazing, sometimes inscriptions, stucco handles, wavy soft plastic edges, sculptural images of cheerful birds and little animals. Sometimes, for fun, the vessels were made with a whistle. Often the dishes were decorated with moldings not only in relief, but also in high relief. Such moldings on vessels are made purely decoratively. The color was sonorous, a beautiful combination of green, yellow and golden brown.
The ceramic craft of Latgale has a distinct folk character. In the products that are still produced here in great abundance, practical function is organically and naturally combined with decorative holiday decoration. These dishes brought joy and sometimes fun into a person’s home. There were no useless things; the folk artist gave beauty and entertainment to each thing. Sometimes this dishware was simpler, and sometimes it was rather labor-intensive to make and was distinguished by the complexity of its composition.

Applied art plant "Maksla" of the Art Fund of the Latvian SSR Riga Masters Vizules A. Liepins V. Boxes for household items 1976-1979

It would seem that the ceramic art of Latgale masters has always preserved the world of bright ideals; a dramatic note has not intruded into the harmony of cloudless images. But in this E. time, in parallel, nearby, there existed oral folklore, in which it was in Latgale that the theme of irrevocability, the denial of everything bright in life, of all hope acquired particular emphasis. These themes reached particular tragedy in the farewell songs of brides - this unique monument of folk art. There is so much human pain in these songs that on ceramic household items the bird is no longer perceived as just a decorative element, but is more and more persistently associated with a bird-girl.
Of course, it is impossible to find dramatic notes in decorative and everyday art. Previously, this art was created not so much to reflect, but to counterbalance the phenomena of life. Today, Latgalian ceramics - this wonderful Latvian folk art - has retained its bright, clean decorative image.
Artistic wood processing. If in Kurzeme blacksmithing developed predominantly, and in Latgale - ceramics, then in Zemgale, the southern part of the republic, wood processing was the traditional artistic craft.
The forms of national furniture, household utensils and dishes were massive and heavy. Chairs with high carved wooden backs and soft wicker seats are also traditional to this day. Wardrobes and beds with column legs were made with carved wooden parts.
For a very long time, the shapes of furniture and dishes did not change. In addition to furniture and dishes, sleighs were decorated with beautiful and abundant carvings. Since the 19th century, the art of decorating wooden products by burning has become widespread. Many home and table decoration items were made with this decorative design. Wooden dishes had beautiful simple shapes and modest decoration.
Weaving. In Vidzeme, another cultural and historical region of Latvia, particularly powerful centers of handicraft weaving have formed. In Jaunpiebalga, Vecpiebalga, Rauna, excellent fabrics were woven from flax and wool, which were in great demand throughout Latvia. But imported fabrics, even quite beautiful ones, were not successful among the residents. Documents from the 19th century often note the lack of demand for factory-made imported fabrics, which “do not correspond to the tastes of the local population.” The conservatism of artistic preferences was a kind of reaction of rejection of everything foreign, introduced, foreign, and this had its positive features, since it allowed folk art to preserve traditions and national identity. A loving attitude towards one’s own, understandable, close one led to a rather slow change in the traditional forms of decoration of works.

Ushpelis A. Geilishi village, Preili district Candlestick 1978

At home they wove tablecloths, rugs, curtains, fabrics for clothing, and belts. By the middle of the 19th century, weaving used quite complex techniques: satin, heald, twill. Simpler - linen. And all these techniques were enriched with the techniques of retracted loops, the use of different thicknesses of threads, and the weaving of fringes. There were two types of fabrics for skirts - simply striped and patterned striped. By the end of the 19th century, weaving techniques became even more complex. In addition to patterned colored fabrics, a lot of thin bleached linen with beautiful weaves of geometric patterns was produced. Elegant tablecloths and towels were made from such fabrics.
By the end of the 19th century, in Vidzeme, as well as in other areas of the Baltic states, the decorativeness of fabrics and their color increased due to the use of chemical dyes. Patterned tablecloths, wall curtains, multi-color textured bedspreads with complex patterns appear. They are beginning to give preference to floral ornaments. Jacquard weaving is spreading, various complex types of twill weave of specifically Latvian types of fabrics, unknown in other Baltic republics, appear.
Since the 1880s, in Latvian home weaving, designs have become increasingly sophisticated and the range of colors has become increasingly intense.
Costume. The national women's costume consists of a white linen shirt with a small stand-up collar, a skirt, a sleeveless vest and a headdress. As for the design of women's clothing, embroidery was used, but only to highlight the details of the clothing, and was extremely modest. In general, embroidery is not typical for artistic crafts in Latvia. Bugles are often added to embroidery. In Kurzeme, beaded cuffs with strict geometric patterns in black, white, gray and blue were widespread. The skirt was checkered, often with a predominance of red, or striped. The sleeveless vest was the same color as the skirt. The costume was complemented by a knitted
wool shawl with tassels. The shawl could have metal pendants. The most distinctive characteristic feature of the costume is the traditional long, almost floor-length shoulder blanket - “villaine”. The bedspread was often inherited from mother to daughter and retained ancient motifs of ornamentation.
In one of the burials of the VHI century, the costume of a Latvian girl has reached us. A well-preserved woolen shoulder blanket-villaine, decorated with bronze spirals. Villains of the 13th-15th centuries had rosette-like tin buttons, beads and cowrie shells from the distant Indian Ocean in their jewelry. Modern villains can be white with a beautiful stripe of decorative trim, embroidery of large geometric patterns, checkered white and red, or plain.

Production Association "Dailrade" of the Ministry of Local Industry of the Latvian SSR Riga Women's breast decoration.

Since the end of the 19th century, bedspreads have been made in a fairly wide range of colors, but in similar tones, for example, burgundy with blue and dark green, dark green with black and burgundy.
A woman's costume is usually completed with a scarf or namitka, while for girls the traditional aureole is made of braid or metal plates connected by several rows of metal spirals. The braided rim was decorated with colored glass beads, silk embroidery and wool in white, red and yellow colors. From the metal strip of the head rim, long, abundant pendants descended from the sides: spirals, bells, metal plates, shaped like hatchet blades. Large round amber beads completed the costume.
Since ancient times, the art of wool knitting has been widespread throughout Latvia. Latvian openwork shawls are distinguished by their high taste and originality. They are often one-color, and if a second color is introduced, it is usually combined in a beautiful, restrained palette: silver-gray with white, gray with red. More decorative, but less commonly used, is the combination of red and black colors. In other knitted products, unlike Estonian ones, for example, preference is also given to one color.
Jewelry Art. Women's jewelry made of bronze with dotted and round shapes has reached us from the 4th century.
with dot, eyelet, ornaments. Metal necklaces and rings have been preserved from a somewhat later time. In that 8th-century burial that we recalled, there were decorations: spiral-shaped rings, cuff-shaped wide bracelets, a head aureole made of a strip of metal, and aureole pendants with characteristic bells, which girls still wear today, more than a thousand years later. You can imagine the appearance of that distant girl, separated from us by many centuries, in a long villine and bronze jewelry.
What were the characteristics of those traditional jewelry that were present in women's costumes at the beginning of the 20th century? Large breast brooches were made from simple metal - saktas with rich engraving and notches, in addition to bracelets, rings, forehead decorations and pendants. Often the metal was enriched with colored stones, mainly red carnelian, amber or colored glass. The shoulder saktas were cone-shaped, very large in size, but without stones. These shoulder saktas, or brooches as they are called, have their origins in Latvia from very ancient times. Their most interesting prototypes are the large, so-called crossbow-shaped brooches of the Semigallians of the 6th century. They are beautiful for their massiveness, the harsh simplicity of polished metal, and the lack of decoration. Only a thin filigree rope and the faceted surface itself are the decorative design of the brooches.
Currently, folk artists are members of the association of the Latvian Artists' Union. This association is given the opportunity for broad creative initiative. The experience of working in the republic with folk craftsmen deserves the widest dissemination precisely in our time of active searches for the most optimal organizational system. The Dailrade association and the Maksla plant produce a wide range of folk art products that are in great demand and have a good reputation. Here we should first of all pay tribute to the magnificent knitted products, hand-woven items and products made of wood and wicker. These works preserve the best traditions of Latvian folk art.

Production Association "Dailrade" of the Ministry of Local Industry of the Latvian SSR Riga Applied Arts Combine "Maksla" of the Art Fund of the Latvian SSR Riga Julite E. Brooches-pendants made according to national motives 1978 Vintsevich V. Rezekne Kise P. Rezekne Vase and vase 1978 Group of folk craftsmen Mittens . 1978 Kapostins A. Rezekne Beer jug ​​1978
Kapostiņš A. Rezekne Jugs for milk 1978 Paulan A. Village Sembash, Preili district Jug (with whistle) for beer 1973 Paulan A. Village Sembash, Preili district Jug (with whistle) for beer, 1973. Paegle M. Valmiera Jansone A. Tukums Blankets-bedspreads 1977
Production Association "Dailrade" of the Ministry of Local Industry of the Latvian SSR Riga Women's mittens 1980

In addition to the official symbols defined by the constitution and laws of the Republic of Latvia, there are several unofficial ones. These include:

The symbol of the fate of Latvia is the largest river of the republic - Daugava. It is believed that it influences the history of Latvians, who call it “Mother River”.

The Freedom Monument, located in the center of Riga, is another symbol of Latvia.

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Notes

1. Latvijas enciklopēdija. - Riga: Valerija Belokoņa izdevniecība, 2007. - T. 4. - 520 p. - ISBN 978-9984-9482-4-9.
2. (Russian) (02.11.2010). Retrieved May 14, 2015.
3. (Latvian) . Retrieved May 14, 2015.
4. (Latvian) . Retrieved May 14, 2015.
5. (Russian) . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
6. (Russian) . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
7. (Russian) . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
8. (Russian) . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
9. (Russian) . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
10. (Russian) . Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.

An excerpt characterizing the National Symbols of Latvia