The Curonian Spit and the Curonian Lagoon view from Vecekrug Dune, Lithuania. An interesting version of these Spit and Lagoon names origin exists. The Livonian Order by a preliminary agreement with the bishop of Courland (part of today’s Latvia) founded Memel Castle (today’s Klaipėda) in 1252 in front of the Curonian Spit on the bank of the Dangė River near the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. Before the arrival of the Livonian Knights the spit and lagoon have had no names related to the Curonians (a Baltic tribe, which lived there and in Courland). After the Memel Castle foundation, the Order in its chronicles and documents started to use names “The Curonian Spit” from 1283 and “The Curonian Lagoon” from 1303. Probably, it was done to stress relation with Courland, which already was governed by itself and the bishop of Courland, thus to justify the foundation of Memelburg and seizing an area around the castle.