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The Rumbula airfield was originally a military facility, established after World War II at a place where many single family farms had been before. When the Spilve airfield shut down, civilian aircraft moved to Rumbula, while military aircraft were based at the Rīga airport. Today the world “Rumbula” is most often associated with the automobile and spare parts market that has been established on part of the former airport’s territory. A certain “heritage” at the site is pollution from the former airfield’s fuel containers, where petroleum was stored. Paragliding occurs at the airfield.
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The hydroplane airfield is on the eastern shore of Lake Durbe, not far from Līguti. It was built between 1939 and 1941. During the Soviet era, the 43rd aviation escadrille was located here, and it had 13 MBR-2 hydroplanes. All that’s left today are the cement sheets on the shore of the lake. You can look at the site itself.
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The local museum offers an interesting and extensive exhibit related to World War II at the Kurzeme fortress and the fate of Latvian soldiers who took part in the war. There are also exhibits related to the history of World War I and World War II, complete with a collection of civilian and military objects. Among them – a YI-2 airplane, an armoured personnel carrier, a Red Army tank, and all of the trenches and bunkers of the relevant era.
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In addition to the Northern Forts, coastal batteries and Karosta district of Liepāja that are all mentioned in this database, there are other impressive elements of the former fortifications system – Lunete (the southern part of Lake Tosmare), the Central Fort (between Grīzupes Street and 14 November Boulevard), the Eastern Fort (to the South of Brīvības Street and the North of Lake Liepāja), the Southern Fort (at the Pērkone canal), and the Old Forts at the Olimpija stadium. All of these locations are freely accessible, but be careful if you go inside the former forts – they were blown up at one time and may remain dangerous.
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In Soviet times, all lighthouses were military objects. Today the lighthouse at Pape is managed by the Latvian Maritime Administration, and it can only be viewed from the outside.
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Liepene, in the Ventspils District, was once home to a coast guard division. The facilities are now privately owned and offer accommodations to tourists.
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The zenith missile base at Rucava is in the forests of the Baltic coastline. The facility is owned by the regional local government and is not used at this time.
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Brāļu kapos apbedīti aptuveni 2000 karavīru. Pirmos kritušos strēlniekus — Andreju Stūri, Jēkabu Voldemāru Timmu un Jāni Gavenasu — apbedīja 1915. gada 15. oktobrī. Sākot ar 1915. gadu, kapos sāka apbedīt Pirmā pasaules kara kaujās kritušos strēlniekus, vēlāk Februāra revolūcijas laikā nošautos kareivjus. Stučkas valdības laikā 1919. gada pavasarī šeit apbedīja Brīvības cīņās pret vācu vienībām un Dienvidlatvijas brigādi kritušos latviešu strēlniekus. Pirmās Latvijas brīvvalsts laikā Brāļu kapos apbedīja ap 800 Latvijas armijas kareivjus un virsniekus. 1941.—1942. gadā Brāļu kapos apbedīja 15 nacionālos partizānus, kā arī pārapbedīja komunistiskā režīma terora upurus. Līdz 1944. rudenim šeit apbedīja arī vairākus desmitus bijušās Latvijas armijas virsnieku un karavīru, kuri bija dienējuši Latviešu policijas bataljonos un Latviešu leģionā. Abās pusēs ieejas vārtiem (augstums 10 metri, platums 32 metri) divas jātnieku skulptūru grupas (augstums 3,3 metri). Liepu gatve (205 metri) savieno vārtus ar galveno terasi, kuras centrā novietots 1 metru augsts mūžīgās uguns altāris, bet abās pusēs ozolu birzis. No terases abpusējas kāpnes ved uz regulāri veidotu kapulauku. Tā malās atrodas divas "Mirstošo jātnieku" skulpturālās grupas (augstums 3,6 metri), vidus daļā atrodas augstcilnis "Kritušie brāļi". Pret katru kapa vietu novietota smilšakmens vai plienakmens plāksnīte ar kritušā uzvārdu un vārdu vai uzrakstu "Nezināms". Ansambli noslēdz 6 metrus augsta siena ar Latvijas apriņķu un pilsētu vēsturiskajiem ģerboņiem. Pie sienas atrodas četri senlatviešu karavīru tēli, kas simbolizē Latvijas novadus - Kurzemi, Zemgali, Vidzemi un Latgali, bet tās centrā uz 9 metrus augsta sienas masīva paceļas monumentāla figūra "Māte Latvija", kas noliekusi vainagu pār kritušajiem dēliem. Brāļu kapu memoriālais ansamblis ir izcirsts no Allažu šūnakmens, izmantots arī Itālijas travertīns un smilšakmens. Pirmmetu izstrādāja tēlnieks Kārlis Zāle, arhitekts Aleksandrs Birzenieks, Pēteris Feders un Andrejs Zeidaks. |
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In 1944, between November 14 and December 9, there were fierce battles between SD and SS units from the German 16th Army, under the command of Police General Friedrich Jekeln, and a separate battalion of the Kurelians, under the command of Lt Roberts Rubenis. The battles were waged in the Ugāle, Usma, Renda and Zlēki parishes. Rubenis’ men were well-armed and organised. There were more than 600 troops, and the soldiers saw themselves as a national force which stood apart from the two hostile occupant regimes. This was the longest and most extensive battle in the history of Latvian national resistance. As the military force of the Latvian Central Council, the unit enjoyed extensive public support and confirmed a high level of morality in fighting for the restoration of a democratic Latvia. (The preceding text comes from the Rubenis Fund.)
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All that’s left of the battery today are the ruins of a cement blockhouse which have slid all the way down to the beach because of years of abuse by the wind and the waves. It is an interesting monument to history with a long-term fate that we can guess at – it will disappear under the sea.
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Until the 1680s, where the Vecdaugava neighbourhood is located, there was a castle which, because of natural changes in the riverbed of the Daugava, was then dismantled and “moved” to the Left Bank of the Daugava. Nothing remains of the castle, but people can still see the remnants of old barriers and moats. Swedish soldiers used the facility at the beginning of the Great Northern War. The place is certainly interesting in the context of Rīga’s history and military heritage, and if you’re in the northern reaches of the city, we recommend that you go and have a look.
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During Soviet times, Vaiņode was the site of one of the Soviet Union’s largest military airfields in the Baltic States. During the period of Latvia’s independence, the country’s first dirigibles were based here. Eventually their hangars were dismantled and brought to Rīga, where they were used for the Rīga Central Market. They are still there today. Some of Latvia’s first gliders took off from Vaiņode. During the Soviet occupation, the airfield was home to an air defence and destroyer squadron, with 38 SU-27 “Flanker” destroyers on site. After the restoration of Latvia’s independence, the Vaiņode airfield was dismantled in part, and the big plates of concrete that covered the runways and the rest of the airfield were used to improve the Liepāja port. There are still 16 hangars at the airport, and 1,800 of the formerly 2,500 metres long runway are also still there. More information about the airfield can be found at the Vaiņode Regional Research Museum.
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The Northern Forts of Liepāja are on the edge of the Baltic Sea, and some parts of them have been washed away. This is a small, but very impressive part of the Liepāja fortifications which once encircled the entire town. The underground bunkers of the forts are on two levels, and it’s worth visiting them in the company of a knowledgeable guide from Karosta (tours are organised from the Karosta prison). There’s a car park alongside the forts. It’s also worth walking down the beach for a distance of around four kilometres to the Northern breakwater. On the shore and in the sea, you’ll see two coastal defence batteries and some pretty impressive views.
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The Jūrkalne Air Defence Division facility is privately owned at this time. A motor racing track has been installed there.
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The boiler house of Karaosta has been used for decades to ensure heat for the city of Liepāja. Although it is part of the heating network, the facility is not guarded and has largely been abandoned.
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On the shore of the Daugava River, to the East of Lielupes Street and South-east of Jātnieku Street, there are the remnants of four battery positions that were blown up in their day. The batteries had 152-mm cannons, and this was part of the former system of fortifications in Rīga (see also Komētforts, the Daugavgrīva fortress, and the fortifications of Mangaļsala). The aim was to protect the city from invaders who came from the sea. From the top of the batteries you can see the Daugava and the northern segment of the manmade Krievu Island (a huge pile of sand). It does have to be said that the condition of this historical monument is quite pitiful.
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This is the rumoured location of a military aviation engine testing laboratory. The territory is now industrial and locked off, and nothing remains to suggest that such a lab was ever really there.
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The current Ventspils airport began its life as a military object. Today regular passenger flights to and from Rīga have been suspended, and the airport is only used for small planes.
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The job for the No. 15 Radio Technology Brigade at Saraiķi was to defend Soviet Latvia’s shoreline back in Soviet times. Today the facility is owned by the Defence Ministry, and the No. 17 Home Guard Battalion uses it for training purposes.
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Ramocku stacija atklāta 1889. gadā reizē ar dzelzceļa Pleskava-Rīga atklāšanu. 1916.gadā pēc jauna dzelzceļa izbūves līdz Gulbenei, šīs stacijas nozīme ievērojami pieauga. 1918.gadā tā kļuva par divu dažādu sliežu platumu dzelzceļa iecirkņu saskares staciju. Intensīva vilcienu kustība caur šo staciju tika izvērsta Brīvības cīņu laikā. Sadursmes pie Ieriķu stacijas notika jau 1918.gada decembrī. 1919.gadā jūnijā te sākās Cēsu kaujas. Starp Cēsīm un Ieriķiem vācieši uzbruka igauņu bruņuvilcienam. Par dažādiem nopelniem Brīvības cīņu laikā Ieriķu apkaimē, vairāki karavīri saņēma apbalvojumus, arī Lācplēša kara ordeņus.1919. gadā stacija nodēvēta par Ieriķiem. Otrā pasaules kara laikā te atradās lokomotīvju depo.1953.gadā depo vietā izveidoja stratēģiskās rezerves tvaika lokomotīvju bāzi. Pēdējā tvaika lokomotīve L-3599 Ieriķu bāzi pameta 2002.gadā un tagad ir redzama kinopilsētā Cinevilla.Ieriķu stacija vairākkārt pārbūvēta.Otrā pasaules kara laikā nodedzināta pavisam. 1956.gadā uzbūvē pašreizējo ēku. |
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