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This is one of the most visually expressive coastal defence batteries in Latvia. Why? Because most it has been fully or at least partly washed into the sea, creating a truly unusual landscape, particularly during stormy weather. This is an historical monument which is subject to the mighty power of Mother Nature. The battery can also be seen from the Northern breakwater of Liepāja. It’s worth hiking the four kilometres along the beach to the Northern Forts. Along the way, you can take a look at the No. 23 Coastal Defence Battery.
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A small part of the impressive fortifications of Liepāja, these encircle the city’s perimeter and its shoreline. They’re found at the Olimpija stadium. See also Objects No. 30077, 30078, 30079, 30080 and 30098.
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The Karaosta canal and its naval and submarine base date back to the tsarist era in advance of World War I. The former submarine base is now closed to visitors and is used for business purposes. The canal can be viewed from Pulvera Street and the restored Kalpaks bridge.
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The projector buildings of the former border guard facility have been preserved at Labrags, but they are privately owned.
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The former military zone in this location is not in use at this time, and there is no specific information about what it was used for in the past. The territory is privately owned and is not open to visitors.
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An impressive set of military structures between the Baltic Sea and Lake Liepāja and Lake Tosmare. Construction of the fortress began in the late 19th century on the basis of a decree by Russian Tsar Alexander III, and it cost 45 million gold roubles. The fortress includes accommodations and elements of fortifications – sites for cannons, trenches, gunpowder cellars, systems of canals, a narrow-gauge rail line, etc. In 1908, the fortress was shut down because of a change in Russia’s defence concept, and the construction of it was declared to have been a strategic mistake. There were attempts to blow up the underground structures and cellars during World War I, but that did not really succeed. Some elements of the fortress were of great importance in Latvia’s liberation battles. Surviving today are the Northern forts, the Central fort, the Eastern fort, the Southern fort, the shoreline defensive batteries (No. 23, 3), Redāns, Lunete, and others. Most are not improved, so visits may be dangerous. The northern part of the fortress includes the Military Port, which has experienced seven different armies and regimes. During the Soviet years, it was closed to civilians. There are many outstanding monuments to military history. Tourists love the Karosta prison, which offers educational programmes. |
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These are the ruins of World War II fortifications near what is now the Ķegums hydroelectric power plant. One blockhouse was found on the left bank of the Daugava River, approximately one kilometre to the South-Southeast from the plant’s dam. A second is also on the left bank of the river, opposite the Rēzijas campground. It has slid down the abraded shore of the reservoir and is partly underwater. It is mostly accessible by boat.
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The museum is in Gunpowder Tower, which was an important component in the Medieval fortifications system of Rīga. The basic subject of the museum is Latvia’s military and political history, and exhibits are related to these subjects.
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This café in Ciemupe in the Ogre District has an exhibit of military equipment, artillery and other objects.
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There’s hardly anything left of the zenith missile base which once stood here for the purpose of protecting the western boundaries of the USSR – even specialists would have a hard time finding the location.
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Today it seems unbelievable that just 20 years ago there were buildings on the coastline with massive projectors that were rolled onto a platform at night so as to shed light on the nearby sea and beach and to look for potential violators of the border regime. Only the buildings and the ruins of the platform are still there – they have been seriously damaged by the waves of the sea.
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In the small town of Pļaviņas, at the place where the Skanstupīte River flows into the Daugava (Friendship Park), there are the remnants of a set of small and low fortifications known as the Swedish bastions. This was a place of military and political importance, because here was the place where the boundaries of Vidzeme (under Swedish rule), Latgale (under Polish rule), and the Duchy of Kurzeme (on the opposite side of the river) all came together. In 1625, the Swedes were defeated by the Poles here, and Swedish King Gustav Adolf almost lost his life. Medieval bastions of this kind can be seen in some other places of Latvia, as well.
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A coast guard facility was located near the village of Užava during Soviet times. There is a lack of information about the use of the facility at this time.
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This was at one time an important element in the protection of Soviet Latvia’s shoreline. A visually interesting and impressive territory near the seashore, it has sadly not been properly managed and is thus full of trash.
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The largest collection in Europe of Soviet aviation and military equipment is on the territory of the Rīga International Airport and is open to visitors. The collection was assembled over the course of 40 years.
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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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Ein am Ende des 19. Jh. gebautes Teil der Festung. Ein Museum, das Verbrechen totalitäre Regimes gegen Menschlichkeit wiederspiegelt. |
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This testimony to World War II can be found in the Blīdene Parish. It is one of the very few objects of its type to still be in good condition.
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Dole Island is the largest river island in Latvia, and it is the site of the Dole baronial estate. The mansion of the estate was built in 1898 by the aristocratic family which owned the estate. Today the mansion is home to the Dole Museum with a rich exhibition which tells about the lives of people on the shores of the Daugava River. The adjoining park features ethnographic buildings, as well as lamprey and salmon spawning grounds. There are five unique cannons that were found in Salaspils when a new stadium was being built there. In 1910, a tsarist military camp was here, and a monument to Tsar Peter the Great was unveiled. One of the cannons is in the exhibition of the museum itself.
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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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