In the sea of Lithuania Minor, flat-bottomed oared and sailing boats have been used for fishing since time immemorial. The lagoon is shallow, and Curonian Spit dunes protect it from mighty Baltic waves. These two circumstances lead to the construction of a unique type of ship to suit the region . . . the various modifications of which sometimes are called “Curonian boats”.
Lithuanian lands were united under MINDAUGAS in 1236; over the next century, through alliances and conquest, Lithuania extended its territory to include most of present-day Belarus and Ukraine. By the end of the 14th century Lithuania was the largest state in Europe.
An alliance with Poland in 1386 led the two countries into a union through the person of a common ruler. In 1569, Lithuania and Poland formally united into a single dual state, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This entity survived until 1795, when its remnants were partitioned by surrounding countries.
During the 1700s, ballast was needed for empty sailing ships to maintain stability in stormy seas, so the local government put effort into keeping permanent dwellers at Kopgalis (formerly Suderspitze), a spit separating the Baltic Sea from the Curonian Lagoon. Manpower was needed to care for equipment necessary to improve ballast reloading work and to fight the constant sand invasion.
The warder's hut was mentioned in 1805. However, due to severe living conditions, few residents stayed for long. The first permanent residents in Koipgalis settled just after the Prussian government granted many privileges. Seven huts stood there in 1821. Those who lived there worked reloaded ballast, strengthened and turfed shores, fished and grew potatoes. Kopgalis was devastated by a storm in 1829, when the raised water in the lagoon washed away farmsteads, broke sand barriers and destroyed alder plantations. Residents then moved away from the lagoon and families of military officers, state clerks and civil servants began moving in. Barracks for workers were constructed next to Kopgalis.
Between 1865 and 1890, the impressive and imposing Neringa Fortress was buil to defend the entrance to Kalipėda’s harbor. The Fortresss School was opened in 1879; the lazaret and quarantine were established nearby in 1887.
It was a place where sailors and passengers with infectious illnesses were cured and, during the 1800s, the area was frequented by visitors to its beautiful golden beaches.
