Latgale (Latgalian: Latgola; Latvian: Latgale; Russian: Латгалия, romanized: Latgaliya; Polish: Łatgalia; German: Lettgallen; Belarusian: Латгалія, romanized: Lathalija; Belarusian Latin: Łathalija; Latin: Lettgallia), also known as Latgalia or Latgallia, is one of the Historical Latvian Lands.

Rēzekne, often called the heart of Latgale, Krāslava, and Ludza are other large towns in the region, which also has a Belarusian minority.

Since 2004, use of the Latgalian language has been the subject of a major sociolinguistic/ethnolinguistic poll and study, conducted by the Rēzekne Augstskola and the Centre d'Étude Linguistiques Pour l'Europe.

As of 2011 97,600 people in the region spoke Latgalian language,[6] which is a standardised form of local varieties of High Latvian dialect.

In addition Latgalians inhabited parts of modern Pskov Oblast in Russia and Vitebsk Region in Belarus.

Ivan IV of Russia annexed Latgale in 1577, but renounced his claims to Livonia after the successful Livonian campaign of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Stephen Báthory in Truce of Yam-Zapolsky on 15 January 1582.

During this period the Latgalian language was influenced by Polish and developed separately from the Latvian spoken in other parts of Latvia.

[11] In 1865, as part of Russia's anti-Polish policies, a period of Russification was begun, during which the Latgalian language (written in Latin script) was forbidden.

Two years later, Latgalian politician Francis Trasuns was elected as a member of the State Duma of the Russian Empire.

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the restoration of Latvian independence in 1991, Latgale regained its status of one of the cultural regions of the Republic of Latvia.

Latgale region historically had its cultural differences in comparison to the rest of Latvia, such as religion, traditions, and language.

Built in 1780, Basilica of the Assumption of Aglona that is one of the eight international shrines recognized by the Holy See,[16] historically has been a popular destination for the pilgrims.

Thousands of pilgrims from Latvia and abroad visit Aglona every year on 15 August, to attend the feast day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[18] Archeological investigations have shown that Latgalians were well acquitted with the pottery craft in the period of early medieval state of Jersika.

"over-handle", a vessel for bringing food to the field), bļūda (bowl) and kryuze, were used in the local households for everyday use for several centuries.

Latgalian ceramics rose to the international prominence, when Andrejs Paulāns and Polikarps Vilcāns works were awarded with a Gold Medal at the 1937 Paris Exhibition.

[23] In Rainis Museum in Jasmuiža are located the relocated workshop and kiln of Andrejs Paulāns, and a unique tile stove made by ceramicist Ādams Kāpostiņš.