Found in the western part of Daugavpils and on the banks of the Daugava River, this is almost the only fortress in Northern Europe that has been preserved since the first half of the 19th century. Work on the fortress began in 1810, though it suffered much damage during the war of 1812 and because of flooding in 1829. The fortress was of strategic importance in terms of its location, not least in terms of the battle against Napoleon’s forces. It was consecrated in 1833, though construction work ended nearly half a century later, in 1878. The fort is divided up into squares, with the Parade Field in the centre of the whole fortress. After it lost its strategic importance in 1897, a warehouse was installed there. Prior to World War I, General Jānis Balodis, Colonel Frīdrihs Briedis and others served at the local garrison. In 1912, in honour of the centenary of the aforementioned war, a monument was unveiled in the park of the fortress. During the Soviet occupation, Red Army units took over the fortress, and a technical aviation school was established there. Even today, the fortress is a “city in a city.” It has a residential area, though the buildings are quite shabby. Both inside and outside the fortress are many elements that relate to military issues. Right now fundamental work is being done to reconstruct the buildings, water pipelines and streets of the fortress. The fortifications of the fortress are home to one of the largest colonies of bats in all of Latvia, and it is strictly forbidden to disturb them when they are asleep. Major restoration of the fortress has included the establishment of the Mark Rothko Art Centre. The distinguished artist was born in Daugavpils in 1903, when Latvia was still part of the Russian Empire.
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