View source for Ventspils

{{short description|Republican city of Latvia}}
{{redirect|Windau|the river of the same name|Venta River}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Ventspils
| settlement_type    = State city
| other_name         = {{langx|liv|Vǟnta}}
| image_skyline      = Ventspils viduslaiku pils 2.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Aerial view with the [[Ventspils Castle]] and port
| image_flag         = Flag of Ventspils.svg
| flag_link          = 
| image_shield       = LVA Ventspils COA.svg
| shield_link        = 
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Ventspils.svg
| blank_emblem_type  = [[Brandmark]]
| pushpin_map        = Latvia
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- left/right -->
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Latvia
| coordinates        = {{coord|57|23|26|N|21|34|24|E|display=inline titleline}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|Latvia}}
| subdivision_type1  = 
| subdivision_name1  = 
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| established_title  = [[Town rights]]
| established_date   = 1378
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Jānis Vītoliņš]]
| blank_name_sec1    = Number of city council members
| blank_info_sec1    = 13
| area_footnotes     = {{wikidata|reference|best||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}
| area_total_km2     = {{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}
| area_land_km2      = {{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q11081619}}
| area_water_km2     = {{#expr:{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q16868672}}-{{#invoke:wd|properties|raw|qualifiers|best|raw||P2046|P518=Q11081619}}}}
| population_footnotes = {{wikidata|references|best||P1082}}
| population_total   = {{wikidata|property|qualifier|best||P1082}}
| population_as_of   = {{#invoke:WikidataIB|formatDate|{{wikidata|qualifier|best|raw||P1082|P585}}|df=y}}
| population_rank    = 
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| population_urban   = 
| population_metro   = 
| population_density = 
| population_density_rank = 
<!-- GDP  --------------->
| demographics_type1 = GDP
| demographics1_footnotes = {{wikidata|references|best||P2132}}
| demographics1_title1 = State city
| demographics1_info1 = {{wikidata|property|qualifier|best||P2131}} ({{#invoke:WikidataIB|formatDate|{{wikidata|qualifier|best|raw||P2131|P585}}|df=y}})
| demographics1_title2 = Per capita
| demographics1_info2 = {{wikidata|property|qualifier|best||P2132}} ({{#invoke:WikidataIB|formatDate|{{wikidata|qualifier|best|raw||P2132|P585}}|df=y}})
| timezone           = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset         = +2
| timezone_DST       = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset_DST     = +3
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal code]]
| postal_code        = LV-36(01-21)
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbering plan|Calling code]]
| area_code          = <small>(+371)</small> 636
| website            = {{URL|http://www.ventspils.lv}}
| footnotes          = 
| leader_party       = [[For Latvia and Ventspils]]
}}
'''Ventspils''' ({{IPA|lv|ˈvæntspils|lang|Lv-Ventspils.ogg}}) is a state city in northwestern [[Latvia]] in the historical [[Courland]] region of Latvia, and is the sixth largest city in the country.

At the beginning of 2020, Ventspils had a population of 33,906.<ref name=LVannual>{{Cite web | url=http://data.csb.gov.lv/pxweb/en/iedz/iedz__iedzskaits__ikgad/ISG020.px/ | title=ISG020. Population number and its change by statistical region, city, town, 21 development centres and county | publisher=Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia|date=2020-01-01|access-date=2021-02-12}}</ref> It is situated on the [[Venta River]] and the [[Baltic Sea]], and has an [[ice-free port]]. The city's name literally means "[[castle]] on the Venta", referring to the [[Ventspils Castle|Livonian Order's castle]] built alongside the Venta River.

==Other names==
Ventspils was historically known as ''Windau'' in [[German language|German]].

It had a [[Russian language|Russian]] name from the time of the [[Russian Empire]], called ''Виндава (Vindava)'' or ''Виндау (Vindau),'' although ''Вентспилс (Ventspils)'' has been used since World War II.

Some other names for the city include {{langx|liv|Vǟnta}}, {{langx|et|Vindavi}}, and {{langx|pl|Windawa}}.

== History ==
Ventspils developed around the [[Livonian Order]] [[Ventspils Castle]], built along the [[Venta River]]. It was chartered in 1314 and became an important mercantile city of the [[Hanseatic League]].

As part of the [[Duchy of Courland]], Ventspils blossomed as a shipbuilding centre. 44 warships and 79 trading ships were built in the town, and it was from Ventspils that the [[Jacob Kettler|Duke's]] fleet set out to [[Couronian colonization|colonize]] [[Gambia]] and [[Tobago]]. Metal, amber, and wood-working shops also became important to the city's development.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1985-0531-500, Kurland, Evakuierung aus Windau.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Wehrmacht soldiers and German civilians fleeing advance of Red Army, 1944]]
During the [[Polish-Swedish War]] and the [[Great Northern War]], Ventspils was destroyed, and in 1711 a plague wiped out most of the remaining inhabitants. After the [[Third Partition of Poland|Third Partition of Poland-Lithuania]] in 1795 Ventspils fell under the control of [[Russian Empire]].

It was not until about 1850 that shipbuilding and trade became important again. The port was modernized in the 1890s and connected to Moscow by rail. It became one of Imperial Russia's most profitable ports, by 1913 turning a yearly profit of 130 million rubles. The population soared as well, growing from 7,000 in 1897, to 29,000 in 1913.

During the German occupation from 1915 to 1919, the population decreased almost by half, though some returned home during the First Republic of Latvia (1918–1940).

In 1939,{{citation needed|date=December 2019}} the [[Red Army]] established a base in Ventspils. During [[World War II]], the city was under [[Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940|Soviet occupation]] from 1940, and then under [[German occupation of Latvia during World War II|German occupation]] from 1941 to 1944. Under Soviet rule, an oil pipeline was built to Ventspils, and became the USSR's leading port in crude oil export. {{convert|30|km|mi|spell=In|abbr=off}} north of Ventspils is the ex-Soviet [[radioastronomy]] installation [[Ventspils Starptautiskais Radioastronomijas Centrs|VIRAC]] (''Ventspils Starptautiskais radioastronomijas centrs'' or ''Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre''). The existence of the ''Centrs'' was unknown to most Latvians until 1994. After independence, the Latvian government began a city-beautification process to make the city more attractive to tourists.

In 2004, Ventspils was a host city for a multi-national (United States, United Kingdom, Poland, Sweden, Russia, Latvia, Denmark, Finland, Norway) naval exercise called [[BALTOPS|Baltic Operations XXXIII (BALTOPS)]]. The force was led by the [[guided missile cruiser]] [[USS Anzio (CG-68)|USS ''Anzio'']] and the destroyer {{USS|Cole|DDG-67|6}}. The US vessels were the first American warships to visit the port of Ventspils since Latvian independence was declared.

==Climate==
Ventspils is in the transition zone between an [[oceanic climate]] and a [[humid continental climate]] (''Cfb'' and ''Dfb'' in the [[Köppen climate classification]]) with winters just below freezing point and warm summers. Ventspils holds the national record for the highest temperature ever recorded in Latvia with {{convert|37.8|°C|1}} on 4 August 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diena.lv/latvija/zinas/papildinats-17-24-gaisa-temperatura-latvija-pirmo-reizi-parsniegusi-plus-37-gradus-14065188|title=papildināts (17:24) - Gaisa temperatūra Latvijā pirmo reizi pārsniegusi +37 grādus|date=4 August 2014|publisher=Diena.lv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806193743/http://www.diena.lv/latvija/zinas/papildinats-17-24-gaisa-temperatura-latvija-pirmo-reizi-parsniegusi-plus-37-gradus-14065188|archive-date=6 August 2014|access-date=4 August 2014}} {{in lang|lv}}</ref><ref name="meteolv">[https://twitter.com/VSIA_LVGMC/status/496291491539845120 LVGMC Twitter account] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819204918/https://twitter.com/VSIA_LVGMC/status/496291491539845120 |date=19 August 2014 }}. Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre. Retrieved 4 August 2014. {{in lang|lv}}</ref>

{{Weather box
|location = Ventspils (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1873−present)
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C= 8.9
|Feb record high C= 14.2
|Mar record high C= 18.6
|Apr record high C= 26.1
|May record high C= 31.7
|Jun record high C= 33.1
|Jul record high C= 34.8
|Aug record high C= 37.8
|Sep record high C= 32.2
|Oct record high C= 22.6
|Nov record high C= 15.1
|Dec record high C= 12.5
|year record high C= 37.8
|Jan high C= 1.2
|Feb high C= 1.0
|Mar high C= 3.7
|Apr high C= 8.9
|May high C= 13.9
|Jun high C= 17.7
|Jul high C= 20.9
|Aug high C= 21.1
|Sep high C= 16.8
|Oct high C= 11.1
|Nov high C= 6.1
|Dec high C= 3.1
|year high C= 
|Jan mean C= -0.5
|Feb mean C= -1.1
|Mar mean C= 1.3
|Apr mean C= 5.6
|May mean C= 10.4
|Jun mean C= 14.5
|Jul mean C= 17.8
|Aug mean C= 17.8
|Sep mean C= 13.8
|Oct mean C= 8.6
|Nov mean C= 4.2
|Dec mean C= 1.3
|year mean C= 
|Jan low C= -2.6
|Feb low C= -3.3
|Mar low C= -1.1
|Apr low C= 2.8
|May low C= 7.3
|Jun low C= 11.5
|Jul low C= 14.7
|Aug low C= 14.5
|Sep low C= 10.8
|Oct low C= 6.0
|Nov low C= 2.2
|Dec low C= -0.7
|year low C= 
|Jan record low C= -31.6
|Feb record low C= -29.5
|Mar record low C= -26.7
|Apr record low C= -12.7
|May record low C= -4.3
|Jun record low C= 0.5
|Jul record low C= 4.2
|Aug record low C= 2.6
|Sep record low C= -2.9
|Oct record low C= -8.5
|Nov record low C= -15.0
|Dec record low C= -25.0
|year record low C= 
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm= 59.3
|Feb precipitation mm= 46.3
|Mar precipitation mm= 38.9
|Apr precipitation mm= 31.6
|May precipitation mm= 36.8
|Jun precipitation mm= 49.6
|Jul precipitation mm= 63.5
|Aug precipitation mm= 75.9
|Sep precipitation mm= 64.4
|Oct precipitation mm= 84.8
|Nov precipitation mm= 70.6
|Dec precipitation mm= 71.2
|year precipitation mm= 
|unit precipitation days= 1&nbsp;mm
|Jan precipitation days= 12
|Feb precipitation days= 10
|Mar precipitation days= 8
|Apr precipitation days= 7
|May precipitation days= 7
|Jun precipitation days= 7
|Jul precipitation days= 8
|Aug precipitation days= 10
|Sep precipitation days= 9
|Oct precipitation days= 13
|Nov precipitation days= 13
|Dec precipitation days= 14
|year precipitation days= 
|Jan humidity = 85.9
|Feb humidity = 84.9
|Mar humidity = 81.6
|Apr humidity = 77.6
|May humidity = 77.2
|Jun humidity = 79.1
|Jul humidity = 79.2
|Aug humidity = 77.7
|Sep humidity = 79.3
|Oct humidity = 81.2
|Nov humidity = 85.0
|Dec humidity = 85.4
|year humidity = 81.2
|Jan sun= 21.2
|Feb sun= 50.4
|Mar sun= 128.1
|Apr sun= 174.4
|May sun= 322.2
|Jun sun= 268.8
|Jul sun= 270.4
|Aug sun= 149.2
|Sep sun= 127.6
|Oct sun= 103.3
|Nov sun= 24.4
|Dec sun= 25.1
|year sun= 1665.1
|source 1 = LVĢMC<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://data.gov.lv/dati/dataset/klimatisko-normu-dati/resource/4ef4a2ac-b439-478a-83b3-cdd39b1eff77
| title = Klimatisko normu dati
| publisher = [[Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre]]
| accessdate = March 19, 2023
| archive-date = January 13, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230113024913/https://data.gov.lv/dati/dataset/klimatisko-normu-dati/resource/4ef4a2ac-b439-478a-83b3-cdd39b1eff77
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = https://klimats.meteo.lv/klimats/rekordi/
| title = Gaisa temperatūras rekordi
| publisher = [[Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre]]
| accessdate = March 19, 2023
| archive-date = January 13, 2023
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230113024910/https://klimats.meteo.lv/klimats/rekordi/
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
|source 2 = NOAA (precipitation days, humidity 1991-2020),<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-6-WMO-Normals-9120/Latvia/CSV/Ventspils_26314.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| accessdate = March 30, 2023
}}</ref> infoclimat.fr (sunshine 1991-2020)<ref>{{cite web
| url = https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/ventspils/valeurs/26314.html
|title=Normales et records pour la période 1991-2020 à Ventspils
| publisher = infoclimat.fr
| access-date = February 18, 2022}}</ref>}}
{|style="width:100%;text-align:center;line-height:1.2em;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" class="wikitable"
|-
!Colspan=14|Coastal temperature data for Ventspils
|-
!Month
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
!style="border-left-width:medium"|Year
|-
!Average sea temperature °C (°F)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-14.3}}"|2.7<br/>(36.86)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-18.0}}"|1.6<br/>(34.88)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-20.0}}"|1.0<br/>(33.80)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-13.0}}"|3.1<br/>(37.58)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|4.3}}"|8.3<br/>(46.94)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|17.0}}"|14.3<br/>(57.74)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|23.9}}"|18.5<br/>(65.30)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|24.5}}"|18.9<br/>(66.02)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|20.5}}"|16.4<br/>(61.52)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|12.8}}"|11.7<br/>(53.06)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|4.3}}"|8.3<br/>(46.94)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|-5.3}}"|5.4<br/>(41.72)
| style="{{Weather box/colt|7.27}}"|9.18<br/>(48.52)
|-
!Colspan=14 style="background:#ffffff;font-weight:normal;font-size:100%;"|Source:seatemperature.org<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.seatemperature.org/europe/latvia/ventspils.htm|title =Ventspils Sea Temperature }}</ref>
|}

== Demography ==
At the beginning of 2017, Ventspils had an official population of 39,447 (54.3% of them were women compared with 45.7% men).

63% of Ventspils [[population]] (24,762 people) are 15–62 years old, 14.3% (5,647 people) are 0–14 years old, and 22.6% (8,877 people) are 62 years and over.

Population of Ventspils according to [[ethnic group]]:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ethnic groups !! Per cent of total population
|-
| Latvians|| 56.7
|-
| Russians|| 27.3
|-
| Ukrainians|| 4.5
|-
| Belarusians|| 4.2
|-
| Poles|| 1.0
|-
| Others || 6.3
|}

== Education ==
Institutions of higher education and science include:
* [[Ventspils University College]]
* [[Riga Technical University]], Ventspils branch
* Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy, Ventspils branch
* College of Law, Ventspils branch

== Economy ==
[[File:Ventspils osta.jpg|thumb|Port of Ventspils]]
Ventspils is situated at the mouth of the [[Venta River]], where it empties into the [[Baltic Sea]], and is an important [[ice-free port]]. Large amounts of [[Petroleum|oil]] and other mineral resources from [[Russia]] are loaded aboard ships at Ventspils. [[Ventspils Airport]], one of the three international airports in Latvia, is located in the city. [[Ventspils High Technology Park]] provides infrastructure and services to IT and electronics companies.

== Culture ==
[[File:680x680-091115-Juras-varti.jpg|thumb|Theatre House "Jūras Vārti"]]
Every winter Ventspils hosts the awarding ceremony of the Latvian Radio broadcast ''Musical Bank'' and the televised national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. On the second weekend of July the ''Sea Festival'' takes place, and on the first weekend of August there is an annual city festival for the city birthday. Festivals ''Ghetto games'' and ''Vakara pastaiga'' are popular.

There are several institutions taking responsibility for the cultural life of Ventspils, including:
* The Theatre House "Juras varti" presents professional performing arts of various genres.
* The Ventspils Museum is engaged in the research and the recording of the history of Ventspils. It writes the Ventspils City Chronicle, builds up the collections of the museum and carries out scientific work.
* The Ventspils Library is a municipal, cultural, educational, and information institution.
* The International Writers and Translators' House is an international centre for writers and translators.

== Sport ==
[[File:Olympic centre.jpg|thumb|Ventspils' Olympic Centre]]
Ventspils has a well developed sports infrastructure. One of the most popular sporting facility in Ventspils is the ''Olympic Centre 'Ventspils''' offering a basketball hall, ice hall, track-and-field arena, and football stadiums. One can also enjoy the ''Water Adventure Park'',''Seaside Aqua-Park'', and ''Adventure Park'' that turns into a ''Skiing Hill 'Lemberga hūte'' during the winter.

The city has a [[basketball]] [[BK Ventspils|team]] that has won the Latvian championship in the last several years. In the 2001/2002 season, the team took third place in the [[North European Basketball League]] (NEBL). Ventspils also has a [[football (soccer)|football]] team in [[FK Ventspils]] who compete in the [[Virsliga]]. In the 2006 season the team has won the Latvian championship for the first time.

== Adventure Park ==
Ventspils has an Adventure Park (Latvian: Piedzīvojumu parks) that consists of Tube Sliding Track, Airsoft Shooting Range, Bumper boats, Trampoline Complex, Trampoline with Rubber Ribbons, Mad Rotor, Catapult, Trampoline boat, Playhouse for children, Inflatable Attractions in the summer.

In the winter you can go skiing, snowboarding and sledding.

There is also a rodeo track (Latvian: Rodeļu trase) which is available to use all year round
{{Heading|Tourism}}
Ventspils has a {{RailGauge|600mm|lk=on}} [[Narrow-gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] train; a beach and dunes and an observatory with a telescope and digital planetarium.

===Old Town of Ventspils===
[[File:Ventspils Nikolai kirik 2010.jpg|thumb|220px|Ventspils Nicholas Lutheran church]]
Ventspils developed rapidly as a commercial harbour in the years of growth of Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. The most active building works took place in the vicinity of the present Market Square where a number of former storehouses from the 17th century are preserved. A dwelling house at the crossing of Tirgus and Skolas Streets is one of the oldest houses of such type in Latvia (built in 1646).

Next to the Market Square, in a historical school building on Skolas street, there is the Ventspils House of the Crafts (2007). The International Writers’ and Translators’ House (2006) was opened on the premises of the former City Hall (1850), on the City-Hall Square. The building is reconstructed to accommodate creative work and everyday needs of its writers. Located next to it are the recently renovated Ventspils Central Library (2006) and Evangelic-Lutheran Church of Nicholas (1835). The City-Hall Square, the Market Square and the Ostas Street Promenade are popular walking places.

===Cow sculptures===
[[File:Ventspilis. Keliaujanti karve. Aut.Paulas Spridzans, 2006-09-22.jpg|thumb|220px|Travelling Cow<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.ventspils.lv/nr/exeres/7AD7A7B5-4512-46A0-A283-33C8C1D3FB59?Lang=ENG
|title=Unveiling of a new city environment object "Cow Sailor"
|date=7 July 2006
|access-date=13 January 2010
}}</ref>]]
[[CowParade]] in Ventspils took place in 2002, and now several '''cow sculptures''' reside in the city:

* ‘Latvijas melnā’ (Latvian Black Cow) dwells on the Promenade of Ostas iela;
* ‘Pretim gaismai’ (Towards the Light) that usually climbs the lamp post on Pils iela next to ‘Latvenergo’ JSC;
* ‘Ms. Moo-Dunk’ the basketball cow resides near the Basketball Hall of the Olympic Centre ‘Ventspils’;
* ‘Dzīve ir skaista’ (Life is Beautiful) is situated at the Children's Park ‘Bērnu pilsētiņa’ (Children's Town);
* ‘Jūras govs’ (Cow of the Sea) dwells next to the Livonian Order Castle facing the River Venta;
* ‘Nafta’ (Oil) lives next to the Children's Home ‘Selga’;
* ‘Londonas govs’ (London Cow) welcomes the residents of the camping site ‘Piejūras kempings’.
There are also three considerably larger cows:
* ‘Ceļojošā govs’ (Travelling Cow) is shaped like a huge suitcase and awaits the city guests on the Promenade of Ostas iela to take some pictures;
* ‘Govs-Matrozis’ (The Sailor Cow) is a giant blue-coloured cow dressed as a seafarer and situated at the Southern Pier of Ventspils;
* ‘Šūpojošā govs’ (Cow on the Swings) is a large, but cute and girly cow sitting on the swings not far from the excursion boat ‘Hercogs Jēkabs’.

== Notable people ==
*[[Fred Rebell]] (1886–1968) – single-handed sailor
*[[Dorothy Dworkin]] (1889–1976)&nbsp;– nurse, businesswoman, and philanthropist.
*[[Fricis Kaņeps]] (1916–1981) – footballer
*[[Francis Rudolph]] (1921–2005) – painter
*[[Imant Raminsh]] (1943)&nbsp;– composer
*[[Dzintars Ābiķis]] (1952)&nbsp;– politician
*[[Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis]] (1962)&nbsp;– politician
*[[Sandis Prūsis]] (1965)&nbsp;– bobsleigh pilot
*[[Gundars Vētra]] (1967)&nbsp;– basketball star
*[[Oleg Belozyorov]] (1969)&nbsp;– Russian politician and manager; serving as president of [[Russian Railways]] since August 20, 2015.
*[[Ēriks Rags]] (1975)&nbsp;– javelin thrower
*[[Gatis Gūts]] (1976)&nbsp;– bobsleigh pilot
*[[Valērijs Žolnerovičs]] (1985) – athlete
*[[Ingus Janevics]] (1986)&nbsp;– speedwalker
*[[Laura Ikauniece]] (1992) – athlete
*[[Rebeka Koha|Rebeka Ibrahima]] (1998) – Olympic weightlifter
*[[Rūta Kate Lasmane]] (2000) – athlete
*[[Artūrs Šilovs]] (2001) – NHL goaltender

==Twin towns – sister cities==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Latvia}}
Ventspils is [[Sister city|twinned]] with:<ref>{{cite web|title=Ventspils Sadraudzības pilsētas|url=https://www.ventspils.lv/lat/par_ventspili/Sadraudzibas_pilsetas|website=ventspils.lv|publisher=Ventspils|language=lv|access-date=2021-03-28|archive-date=2021-11-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120004614/https://www.ventspils.lv/lat/par_ventspili/Sadraudzibas_pilsetas|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Lorient]], France
*{{flagicon|CHN}} [[Ningbo]], China
*{{flagicon|BLR}} [[Novopolotsk]], Belarus
*{{flagicon|BLR}} [[Polotsk]], Belarus
*{{flagicon|GER}} [[Stralsund]], Germany
*{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Västervik Municipality|Västervik]], Sweden

==Significant depictions in popular culture==
* Windau (Ventspils) is one of the starting towns of the [[State of the Teutonic Order]] in the turn-based strategy game [[Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms#Teutonic campaign|Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Teutonic Order (M2TW-K-TC faction) |url=https://wiki.totalwar.com/w/The_Teutonic_Order_(M2TW-K-TC_faction) |website=wiki.totalwar.com |access-date=27 November 2019}}</ref>
* Windau can be established in trading simulation game [[Patrician II: Quest for Power#Patrician III|Patrician III]] as an Alderman Task

== See also ==
* [[Ventspils Castle]]
* [[Ports of the Baltic Sea]]
* [[List of cities in Latvia]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{wikivoyage}}
{{commons category|Ventspils}}
* [http://www.ventspils.lv/ City's Official Website]
<!-- 404 (2016-04-27):* [http://www.tourism.ventspils.lv/index.php?p=0&lang=eng Ventspils Tourism Information Centre] -->

{{Administrative divisions of Latvia}}
{{Kurzeme Region}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ventspils| ]]<!--please leave the empty space as standard-->
[[Category:State cities of Latvia]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Courland]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns in Latvia]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Latvia]]
[[Category:Ventspils county]]