Valdemārpils is a small and quiet town along the shore of Lake Sasmaka.  A village of craftsmen and merchants was established on the land of the Sasmaka Estate in the 17th century.  There were quite a few Jewish merchants and craftsmen in towns in Kurzeme during the mid-19th century, and Sasmaka was known as their capital city.  The city was named Valdemārpils in 1926.  Its historical 19th century centre is a monument to urban construction.  The town has a Lutheran church, an Orthodox church, a former synagogue, a monument to Krišjānis Valdemārs, and an outstanding linden tree.