Wolmar

Valmiera
City
Town centre with St. Simon's Church behind
Flag Coat of arms
Valmiera Location in Latvia
Coordinates: 57°33′N 25°24′E / 57.550°N 25.400°E / 57.550; 25.400Coordinates: 57°33′N 25°24′E / 57.550°N 25.400°E / 57.550; 25.400
Country	Latvia
Town rights	1323
Government
• Mayor	Jānis Baiks
Area
• Total	18.18 km2 (7.02 sq mi)
Population
• Total	24,818
• Density	1,365/km2 (3,540/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code	LV-4201 LV-4202 LV-4204
Calling code	+371 642
Number of city council members	13

Valmiera ( pronunciation ; German: Wolmar; see other names) is the largest city of the historical Vidzeme region, Latvia, with a total area of 18.1 square kilometres (7 square miles). As of 2002, Valmiera had a population of 27,323, and in 2017 – 24,818.

Valmiera lies at the crossroads of several important roads, 100 kilometres (62 miles) to the north-east from Riga, the capital of Latvia, and 50 km (31 mi) south of the border with Estonia. Valmiera lies on both banks of the Gauja River.

The name was derived from the Old German given name Waldemar or the Slavic name Vladimir. The town may have been named after the kniaz of the Principality of Pskov Vladimir Mstislavich who became a vassal of Albert of Riga in 1212 and for a short time was a vogt of Tālava, Ydumea and Autīne. Another version, it may have been named after the King of Denmark Valdemar II who allied with the Livonian Brothers of the Sword in Livonian Crusade. In the second half of 13th century Livonian Order built a castle which they called Wolmar in German. During the Livonian War the town was known in Russian as Володимерец (Volodimirec), but during the period of the Russian Empire it was known as Вольмар.