Rēzekne is located at an international crossroads, with routes to Riga (242km), Moscow (685km), St Petersburg (450km), and Warsaw (860km). The River Rēzekne flows through the city for a total of ten kilometres, and Lake Kovšu (covering 22ha) lies at the centre of it. Rēzekne is known as the city of seven hills. The city’s footprint covers 17.48km2 (with green areas and water accounting for 16% of this). It has a population of 29,948 (2014).
Rēzekne has been inhabited since the ancient Latgalian wooden castle stood on a hill by the river from the ninth century until the thirteen century. The name Rēzekne was first documented in 1285 (in the German language as Rositten). However, the current version of the city’s name, Rēzekne, was approved in 1920.
After the war, Rēzekne developed as an important industrial city. In 1957, the ‘Rēzekne Dairy Processing Plant’ was built, and its products, especially its condensed milk, were known around the world. In 1962, ‘Rēzekne Milking Equipment Factory’ was built, and this was followed in 1971 by the ‘Rēzekne Electrical Building Equipment Plant’ (REBIR), and others. During the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, various new enterprises were established, including the Rēzekne Meat Factory, and the corn processing company, ‘Rēzeknes dzirnavnieks’, and more.
When Latvia regained its independence in 1991, Rēzekne became the centre of Latgalian cultural activities and today is the centre of the Latgale Catholic clergy, as well as culture and education, a city in which several languages and nationalities coexist.
