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Saunags (Livonian: Sǟnag) is a populated place in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality, Latvia, located from the Cape Kolka, within the borders of Slītere National Park. The name derived from Livonian Sǟnag – pike perch (Sander), a local fish. First mentioned in documents in 1310, it is the oldest of the twelve Livonian villages on the Livonian Coast. It consists of two parts - Saunags and Dižsaunags, the later being the oldest and more preserved one. Located along the coast of the Baltic Sea and formerly inhabited by Livonian people. Saunags is at the same latitude as Gothenburg (Sweden) and the same longitude as Turku (Finland), both important ancient regional trading and cultural centres. Although far from large towns and sparsely populated, this coastal area had strategic importance in many wars because of its proximity to Irbe Strait, the main sea route to Riga. As a result, the nearby seabed is dotted with medieval to modern shipwrecks. During the Crimean war the British navy landed and burned down a military outpost of the Russian Empire here. In the First World War the Russian navy placed a large number of naval mines off-shore - largest such emplacement at that point in Baltic Sea history. This led to many German ships being destroyed here. During the Second World War German guns located here and opposite at Saaremaa island controlled the Irbe Strait. After World War II, this area became the Soviet western border. There remains a USSR border guards tower, projector light base, and small security house (the only one still standing). An old road, located behind the dunes parallel to the coast, connects Dižsaunags with the former lighthouse (as the light is dismantled, the tower now functions as the Saunagciema navigational sign) in the direction of Vaide. Along the route is Akacijas estate and a few abandoned German and Soviet military bunkers. During World War II and after, this narrow road was used as a military supply route by Soviet border guards, as well as coast guards servicing the lighthouse.

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Related concepts (4)

Pitrags

Pitrags (Pitrõg) is a village situated in Kolka Parish, Talsi Municipality, in the Courland region of Latvia, at the mouth of the river Pitraga. It is one of twelve Livonian villages. Other names: Pitraguciems, Pitrag, Pitraga Ciems, Petragga, Pitraga, Pitragutsiyeme. It was founded in the Middle Ages by several brothers who arrived from Saaremaa and settled there. For many years, due to its geographical location on the river, Pitrags was a regional centre of shipbuilding, providing small timber fishing boats for locals and the nearby villages of Saunags and Vaide.

Livonian language

The Livonian language (līvõ kēļ or rāndakēļ) is a Finnic language whose native land is the Livonian Coast of the Gulf of Livonia, located in the north of the Kurzeme peninsula in Latvia. Although initially its last native speaker died in 2013, a child born in 2020 is reported to be a native speaker of Livonian. Her parents are Livonian language revival activists Jānis Mednis and Renāte Medne. Also, there are about 40 reported L2 speakers and 210 having reported some knowledge of the language.

Saunags