Ķengarags
Ķengarags is a neighborhood in the city of Riga, Latvia. It is located in the southern part of the city. Ķengarags borders the Daugava River to the west, the Riga-Moscow railway line to the east, Rumbula to the south, and Krasta Residential Neighborhood to the north.
Ķengarags | |
|---|---|
Neighborhood of Riga | |
 Maskavas street in Ķengarags | |
 Location in Riga | |
| Country | Latvia |
| City | Riga |
| District | Latgale Suburb, Riga |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5,190 km2 (2,000 sq mi) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 53 352 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
History
Ķengarags was the location of the Sword Brothers fort, built in 1208. Knights settled in Ķengarags even before Riga was founded. The name "Ķengarags" dates back to the late 16th century and is a combination of two words "Ķenga", a name of a farmer who lived in the area, and "rags", the Latvian word for horn. (The Daugava river makes a horn shaped turn in the Ķengarags area.)
Present
Ķengarags consists of three neighborhoods, known as Ķengarags, Ķengarags-2, and Ķengarags-3 from the north (center of Riga) to the south (outskirts) respectively. Each of these parts of Ķengarags consists of both residential and commercial areas. The main streets of Ķengarags are Lokomotīves iela and Maskavas iela bordering Ķengarags on the east and west respectively. There are several public transport links with central Riga in Ķengarags. The train stations on the railway line within Ķengarags are Jāņavarti, Daugmale and Šķirotava stations. The elektrichka, a suburban train service uses the Riga-Moscow railway. From Riga Central Train Station by elektrichka it takes about 15 minutes. An alternative to taking the elektrichka would be either route 7 or 9 tram which follows Maskavas iela and terminates at the Dole supermarket.
The most commonly used method of Ķengarags residents to get to city center is the route 15 trolleybus, which runs through residential neighborhoods and terminates at the southern tip of Ķengarags on Višķu iela.
The residential areas of Ķengarags consist of private houses and apartment buildings, consisting of 4, 5, 9, and 12-story buildings. Most apartments have cable television which was installed in the last years of the Soviet period. Most other Riga neighborhoods receive their television programs through on-roof antennas. The residents of Ķengarags also benefit from the proximity of the Daugava river which is within walking distance for many people.
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