Due to its rich cultural heritage, this territory is included in the Latvian national list of UNESCO World Heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Latvian National Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Latvia coordinates the activities of the UNESCO World Heritage Program and ensures the implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage. In 2011, the Assembly of the Latvian National Commission of UNESCO approved the nomination \"Kuld\u012bgas old town in Ventas senlej\u0101\" in the Latvian national list of UNESCO World Heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main values of the nomination included in Latvia's national list of UNESCO world heritage are the territory, buildings, objects of \"Kuld\u012bga old town Venta senlej\u0101\":<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The integrity and authenticity established when preparing the materials for receiving the nomination for World Cultural Heritage status, in the sense of World Cultural Heritage, is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thanks to the strict legal prohibition in the historic city, and the well-maintained urban conservation area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The urban environment and architectural heritage of Kuld\u012bga is well preserved both in terms of materials, design and execution. The city continues to function in the local community, both for housing, auxiliary buildings and commercial space. The old town has also preserved its authenticity in terms of the surrounding environment and location. Here, not only the planning and size of the city, but also the overall urban landscape around the Venta river have been preserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On February 28, 2020, the municipality of Kuld\u012bgas region submitted an application prepared in accordance with the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage to the Latvian National Commission of UNESCO. It was prepared on the basis of two extensive scientific studies: J. Krasti\u0146\u0161 \"Kuld\u012bga. Architecture and urban planning\", A. Melluma \"Kuld\u012bga. Times, people, landscape\" to justify the nomination of Kuld\u012bga at the World Heritage level. In the UNESCO World Heritage Center, the nomination was accepted under the new name \"Kuld\u012bga (Goldingen)\". Based on the data of scientific materials, identifying and mapping unique attributes in the urban environment, it was concluded:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The old town of Kuld\u012bga is the best-preserved and last remaining evidence of the urban environment, which is reflected in the layout of the streets and plots of land with essential preserved elements of the architectural character and infrastructure from the times of the Duchy of Kurzeme and Zemgale. The following are emphasized as the main World Heritage values:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kuld\u012bga provides a unique testimony of the Duchy of Kurzeme and Zemgale and its era of prosperity, international trade relations and cultural exchange, both as the residence of the first ruler and as an administrative center. Kuld\u012bga has preserved not only the city planning, but also the image and remarkable architectural form, the origins of which can be traced back mainly to the 17th and 18th centuries. With the fact that up to three-quarters of the masonry architecture built up to the 19th century has been partially or fully preserved in the city, Kuld\u012bga is the best and last remaining evidence of the urban environment of the Kurzeme era. The historical center of Kuld\u012bga, which has been preserved in good condition, is a reminder of the prosperity and trade development of Kurzeme in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, when the city was known as Goldingen. Kuldiga was the main residence and administrative center of Duke Gotthard Ketler, the first ruler of Courland, since 1561. During the co-rule of Gotthard Kettler's heirs, Goldingen was the residence and administrative center of Duke Wilhelm Kettler, who was granted power over Kurzemi in 1596 and who ruled until 1616. In the census of 1613, it was documented that there were 175 buildings in Kuld\u012bga. In addition to the traditional log buildings, Kuld\u012bga also had brick buildings, wooden construction buildings, which were often decoratively plastered and painted, as well as buildings covered with wooden panels - both residential and auxiliary buildings. Kuld\u012bga's architecture flourished due to the rich exchange of traveling craftsmen from other Hanseatic cities and centers around the Baltic Sea, as well as from Russia, which is still evident in the city's architectural style, crafts and decorations. In 2007, \"The city of Kuld\u012bga in the ancient valley of Venta\" was recognized as the most outstanding tourist destination in Europe, while in 2008, the historical center of the city of Kuld\u012bga was awarded the European heritage mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n