Jaunjelgava ( ) (literally:"New Jelgava") is a town on the left bank of the Daugava River in Aizkraukle Municipality, in the Selonia region of Latvia, about 80 km southeast of Riga. The population in 2020 was 1,762. History There is no evidence that territory of a modern Jaunjelgava had been inhabited before 15th century. However, a selonian Sērene hillfort existed from the modern town. A country estate Vecsērene manor was established around 1450 not far from modern town. During the 15th century the territory of the town was used as a place where merchants from Riga would transport their goods from boats to carriages because, due to the Daugava rapids, it was difficult to navigate further downstream. As a result, a small port emerged. In 1567 Duke of Courland and Semigallia Gotthard Kettler called the small port Neustadt (German for 'new town'). In 1590 the next Duke Friedrich Kettler founded the town market and granted village rights to Neustadt. At that time about 60 families lived in the town. The village was devastated in 1621, during the Polish-Swedish war. It was re-established as a town in 1646 when Friedrich Kettler's widow Elisabeth Magdalena of Pomerania renamed the town to Friedrichstadt in honour of her husband. In 1647 king of Poland Władysław IV granted town rights and approved the coat of arms of Friedrichstadt. In 1652 a Lutheran church was built in the town by order of duke Jacob Kettler. The town saw rapid development in the second half of the 17th century when after Second Northern War town was important transport hub. In 1710 the plague epidemic started. There were also several large fires during 18th century and a great deal of damage was inflicted by four major floods; the largest was in 1778 when around 100 houses were destroyed. In 1795 Friedrichstadt as a part of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was incorporated into the Russian Empire (in the Third Partition of Poland) and became part of the Courland Governorate. During Napaleon's 1812 invasion in Russia several small battles were fought around the town. In 1831 and 1848 cholera, raged. During the first half of the 19th century the town prospered thanks to merchant activities. Local inhabitants owned warehouses, taverns for rafters and were involved in transportation of goods by carriage to Jacobstadt. In 1820 there were 24 taverns in the town. After the opening of the Riga–Daugavpils