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Klaipeda is located on the eastern coast of Lithuania where the Curonian Strait (Kursiu marios) flows into the Baltic sea...The town was founded in 1252, when the Livonian Order, after occupying the coastal lands of the Balts, built a wooden castle at the mouth of the Dane river and called it Memelburg...Repeatedly raided by the Zemaiciai, Sembai and the Lithuanian army, several times occupied and burnt to the ground, it was restored again and remained under the rule of the Order. A town grew around the castle, and as early as 1254 it was granted the Lübeck rights; a port, as well as shipping and commerce, expanded. In 1593, commercial shipbuilding started there. In 1540, 1678 and 1854 the town was devastated by fire...For centuries, the town was ruled by the Livonian Order, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the German Empire. In 1629-35 it was occupied by the Swedes and in 1757-62 by the Russians. It was only in 1923 that Lithuania incorporated the ethnic Baltic lands, i.e., the territory of Klaipeda. In 1939-45 the territory was once again seized, this time by fascist Germany...By the end of the war, the town was heavily damaged; the greater part of the Old Town was destroyed and few inhabitants remained. During the years of Soviet power (1945-90), the churches, even those only slightly damaged, and also the many other valuable buildings, were reconstructed (only 2 of 7 churches were left). Klaipeda was turned into an industrial town; it expanded and far overstepped its ancient borders. The remaining and restored Old Town preserved its old-time spirit and charm. At present, Klaipeda with its population of 205,000, ranks third among the towns of Lithuania and is one of the most important towns of the Republic with an ice-free port, stretching for 15 km along the coast of the Curonian lagoon. It is an important sea transport centre with an international ferry port, oil export, commercial and fishing ports, and shipbuilding and ship-repairing, fish and food processing, and
