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Jurmala - History |
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Jurmala as a health resort; the land got divided into plots
for building summerhouses. Building extended into the dunes as far as the
beach.
The buildings in Majori between Jura and Jomas street give a
good idea about the stylistics of building in Jurmala, although a large
number of interesting and characteristic houses are also in other streets
as well (Lienes, Pilsonu, Victorijas, Konkordijas a.o.). The First World War destroyed the resort of Kemeri, also the
resorts of Rigas Jurmala, particularly Dubulti, where the forests got hewn
out, and trenches were dug out. However, after the formation of
independent Latvia, the life of the resort soon recovered, active building
of summer-houses started, as well as the establishment and functioning of
medical institutions. The Kemeri resort started operating throughout the
year. A number of warm water bathing establishments also functioned in
Rigas Jurmala. Cinemas and concert halls were opened, as well as other
communal buildings. The Railway Bridge across the Lielupe River was
restored in 1922. New station buildings were opened in Kemeri, Asari, and
Priedaine, the Bulduri station was rebuilt. A bus service started
operating in the town since 1934. Under Soviet rule Jurmala gained importance ass a resort of
All-Union rank. In the late sixties planning and building processes
started in opposition to the historically developed style of wooden house
and individual home building in Jurmala, as well as with the whole
previous traditions of the resort. The following numbers may bear testimony to the scope of this
process. For instance, some 70-78 thousand of holidaymakers visited
Jurmala in 1914. There were 40 thousand in 1940. Under Soviet rule the
number of visitors reached 300-400 thousand on holidays. The number of
places in the cafes, dining halls, restaurants and buffets of Jurmala was
over 10 000 in 1974. More than 6 million people visited Jurmala in one
year, coming from all parts of the Soviet Union (the population of Latvia
numbered about 2.5 million in those years). The building of sanatoriums and rest homes by All-Union, as
well as Latvian enterprises and institutions got started; using silicate Building of industrial enterprises also got started. Some of
them were unique, such as the "Dzintars" plant, the only place
in the Soviet Union where they built boats for rowing competitions,
canoes, as well as boats for academic rowing. About 6000 boats a year were
built there in the seventies. The highly developed industry created a threat to the
environment. The greatest harm was inflicted upon the Lielupe River.
Swimming in it had to be forbidden, the pollution of the Baltic Sea
increased, which in its turn jeopardized the status of Jurmala as a health
resort. The investigation of the cultural and historical heritage of
Jurmala was started too late, not before the seventies. In the time span
after World War II many architecturally and historically significant
edifices got irreversibly lost, many valuable masterpieces of craftsmen
and artists had disappeared |
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After
the railway was opened in 1877, Majori developed into one of the liveliest
centres, with stores and places of entertainment. In the main street of
Majori (now also of Jurmala) - Jomas street - Horn's concert garden was
situated (the Rainis and Aspazija memorial stands in that place now). 
bricks and prefabricated concrete constructions. The newly established
medical and rehabilitation centres changed from seasonal work to work in
all seasons. The number of inhabitants rose quickly, building of large
apartment houses were started. Kaugurtsiems became the largest residential
district in Jurmala with its multi-storey houses. The high school of
Kaugurtsiems built in 1974 has place for a thousand pupils.