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In Soviet years, Ventspils was the site of tank training. The facility has been degraded, and only the former tank repair facility and some outbuildings are still being used. The rest of the territory is not used or guarded any more.
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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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The Bauska Castle contains a collection of cast iron cannons which date back to the latter half of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. They were manufactured in the Duchy of Courland. The cannons that are in the garden of the castle were not found there – they were found in different locations in Zemgale. Four of the largest cannons came from Jaunsvirlauka, where they were found on the banks of the Lielupe River opposite Emburga. They are the best preserved weapons of their type in Latvia. The only cannon that was found in the castle itself is currently in its South-eastern tower as a thematic exhibit. When it was being cleaned, two cannonballs were found in the weapons. The local Livonian Order castle is in ruins, but it and its defensive structures, including earthen ramparts that were installed from the mid-15th until the early 18th century, represent an important element of Latvia’s military heritage.
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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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By far one of the most impressive Soviet military objects in Northern Vidzeme, this base has now been abandoned. There are buildings, underground bunkers, missile silos, areas of the firing of missiles, etc. This is one of the few remaining places in Latvia where a monument to Lenin still stands. The stone bust once stood in the central square of Alūksne. During the restoration of independence, it was taken down and moved to the missile base. We recommend that you bring a guide with you – otherwise it won’t be worth much.