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Latgale (; ; ; ; ; ; Belarusian Latin: Łathalija; ), also known as Latgalia or Latgallia, is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. It is the easternmost region of the country and lies north of the Daugava River. While most of Latvia is historically Lutheranism, Latgale is predominantly Catholic Church: 65.3% according to a 2011 survey. After the Counter-Reformation it was the northernmost predominantly Catholic province or region in Europe. There is a considerable Eastern Orthodox minority (23.8%), of which 13.8% are Russian Orthodox Christians and 10.0% are Old Believers. As of 2020, the region's population was 255,968.
The region has a large population of ethnic Russians, especially in Daugavpils, the largest city in the region and the location of the region's only public university, the University of Daugavpils. Many of the Russians who lived in Latgale before Soviet rule are Old Believers. Rēzekne, often called the heart of Latgale, Krāslava, and Ludza are other large towns in the region, which also has a minority. There is also a significant Polish minority. As part of the Polotsk and Vitebsk guberniyas, the region was part of the Pale of Settlement and had a very large Jewish population – but many of the Jews were killed in WW2 and most of the remainder emigrated. Other than in Daugavpils, the Baltic German presence in Latgale was less sizable than in other regions of Latvia. According to the Latvian Official Statistics portal, Latgale is the only region of Latvia where the number of Slavs surpasses the number of ethnic Latvians. Population in regions, cities, municipalities, towns, rural territories, neighbourhoods and densely populated areas by ethnicity, % – Ethnicity, Time period and All territories, Latvian Official Statistics Portal Database
Average incomes in the region are lower than in other parts of the country. Latgale also has the highest percentage of people at risk of poverty (32.7% in 2023) in Latvia.
Since 2004, use of the Latgalian language has been the subject of a major sociolinguistic/ethnolinguistic poll and study, conducted by the Rēzekne Augstskola and the Centre d'Étude Linguistiques Pour l'Europe.
As of 2011 97,600 people in the region spoke Latgalian language, Tautas skaitīšana: Latgalē trešā daļa iedzīvotāju ikdienā lieto latgaliešu valodu which is a standardised form of local varieties of High Latvian dialect.
In the first decade of the 13th century the Principality of Jersika, also known as Lettia, was allied with the Principality of Polotsk and dukes against the Bishopric of Livonia, but was defeated in 1209. Part of it was divided between the Bishopric and the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, the remainder became a vassal country. In 1239, after the death of King Visvaldis, the latter was incorporated into the territory of the Livonian Order.
In 1242, after defeat in the Battle of the Ice, eastern Latgale ( Lotygola) temporarily passed to the Novgorod Republic. In 1263, Livonian knights started to build the Wolkenburg castle as the seat of an order convent near the Rāzna lake (today within the Rāzna National Park). It became the oldest order stronghold of the Latgale region.
In 1277, Grand duke Traidenis of Lithuania unsuccessfully besieged the newly built castle of Daugavpils.
In 1621 most of the Duchy of Livonia was ceded to the Swedish Empire, but part of the Duchy including Latgale remained under Polish-Lithuanian control. This became known as the Inflanty Voivodeship. The creation of Polish Inflanty is the birth of the region we now know of as Latgale. During this period the Latgalian language was influenced by Polish language and developed separately from the Latvian spoken in other parts of Latvia.
This ban was lifted in 1904, and a period of Latgalian reawakening began. Two years later, Latgalian Politics Francis Trasuns was elected as a member of the State Duma of the Russian Empire.
In January 1920, a joint force of Latvian and Polish armies defeated the Soviet 15th Army in the battle of DaugavpilsDavies, N., 1972, White Eagle, Red Star, London: Orbis Books, which lead to the resignation of the government of Soviet Latvia on 13 January and Latvian-Russian cease-fire on 1 February 1920.
After signing of the Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty, parts of the Vitebsk Governorate and Pskov Governorate were incorporated into the new Republic of Latvia. United with other ethnic Latvian territories, as claimed by the declaration of independence (ethnic borders as national borders), they formed the districts of Daugavpils, Ludza, Rēzekne and Jaunlatgale, later Abrene district.
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the restoration of Latvian independence in 1991, Latgale regained its status of one of the cultural regions of the Latvia.
The municipalities of Latvia that are a part of Latgale are Balvi Municipality, the city of Daugavpils, Ludza Municipality, Līvāni Municipality, Preiļi Municipality and Rēzekne Municipality, as well as parts of Alūksne Municipality (Liepna Parish), Augšdaugava Municipality, Jēkabpils Municipality (parts on the right bank of the Daugava), Krāslava Municipality (excluding Kaplava Parish), Madona Municipality (Barkava Parish, Murmastiene Parish, Varakļāni Parish and Varakļāni town and lower portion of Ošupe Parish) and half of Aiviekste Parish (on the left bank of Aizmata River) and the Gostiņi neighbourhood of Pļaviņas of Aizkraukle Municipality.
Latgale is known as The land of lakes due to large number of lakes in the region. The biggest lake in Latgale and second biggest in Latvia is Lake Rāzna in Rēzekne Municipality. Its area is 57.81 km2. Lake Drīdzis, located in the Krāslava Municipality is the deepest lake in Latvia with a maximum depth of 65.1 meters. Dubna is the longest river in Latgale and 8th longest river in Latvia with a length of 120 kilometres. Other major rivers of the region are Rēzekne (116 km) and Malta (105 km).
The highest point of Latgale is Lielais Liepukalns, 289.8 meters high.
One of the most important Catholic spiritual centers in Latvia is located in Aglona. Built in 1780, Basilica of the Assumption of Aglona that is one of the eight international shrines recognized by the Holy See, historically has been a popular destination for the pilgrims. Thousands of pilgrims from Latvia and abroad visit Aglona every year on 15 August, to attend the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Aglona has been twice visited by a Pope. Pope John Paul II visited Aglona in 1993 and Pope Francis in 2018.
In 20th century, Latgalian ceramicists started to create decorative wares, such as Candlestick and decorative plates. Latgalian ceramics rose to the international prominence, when Andrejs Paulāns and Polikarps Vilcāns works were awarded with a Gold Medal at the 1937 Paris Exhibition. In early Soviet Union period, Latgalian ceramicists struggled because of high taxes and being forced to join the Kolkhoz. Since 50's, ceramicists became more respected thanks to the enthusiasm of Gaigalava Parish-born art historian Jānis Pujāts, who organized Art exhibition in Latvia and outside its borders that showcased the works of several Latgalian ceramicists. In 1958, Andrejs Paulāns and Polikarps Vilcāns became first Latgalian ceramicists to be recognized as the People's Artists of the Latvian SSR.
Ceramics remains one of the trademarks of Latgale and has a great legacy in the region. Established in 1976, Latgale Ceramics Studio in Rēzekne was renamed to Andrejs Paulāns Folk Applied Art Studio in 1986. One of the streets in the Latgalian town of Preiļi is named in honor of him. In Rainis Museum in Jasmuiža are located the relocated workshop and kiln of Andrejs Paulāns, and a unique tile stove made by ceramicist Ādams Kāpostiņš. In Preiļi there is a house museum, dedicated to the Order of the Three Stars recipient - ceramicist Polikarps Čerņavskis.
In 2020, the Bank of Latvia issued a commemorative Latgalian Ceramics 2 euro coin that features a candelabra on it.
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