Preili District is located in the Southeast area of Latvia. The region has 84 lakes. First time the name of Preiļi appears in the historic annuals of 1348. In 1828 Preili while being a village, it was given the status of a town in 1928. In 1949 Preili started developing fast due to its becoming the centre of the district.
In 1938 President Karlis Ulmanis approved the blazon of Preili with a black raven on the golden field on it, symbolising wisdom, courage and strength.

A special place in the history of Preiļi belongs to the aristocratic family of Count Borch who left to the town a building complex, a romantic park and a castle. The park is one of the most significant landscaped parks in Latvia.