Ludza, one of the oldest towns in Latvia, was first mentioned in Russian chronicles dating to 1173 or 1177. In 1399 the Livonian Order built a stone fortress atop an older Latgalian fortress and used Ludza as an eastern outpost in Livonia. Ludza Castle ruins can be visited nowadays. Ludza received town rights in 1777 from Catherine II of Russia.
Until July 1, 2009 Ludza was the administrative centre of Ludza District. On July 1, 2009 due to the introduction of the new administrative division in Latvia it became the centre of Ludza municipality
