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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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There are several large territories on either side of the Irbe River that were linked at one time by tank roads. Tank training and inspections were conducted here at one time, but now the territory has been abandoned and is slowly being reclaimed by the forest.
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Another example of a costal defence battery along the Kurzeme shoreline is found here.
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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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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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The military communications facilities at Pāvilosta are along the southern part of the town. The facilities are owned by the local government, and there is no information about their use 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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This battery is easiest to find if you walk on the beach, because one of its four positions is right there, rinsed by the waves of the sea. Other positions, including a telescope tower, are in the pine forest not far from the coast. The battery was installed in the 1940s, and you can see the Northern Forts from here.
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One of the largest tank bases in the Baltic War District was located during Soviet times just South of Gardene. The territory has largely been abandoned, and there are just a few remnants of the buildings that were once there. If you drive down the Dobele-Annenieki road, you will find a paved military road splitting off from it. It is still used today. The buildings and urban planning of Gardene are also of interest – during the Soviet era, soldiers and their families lived there.
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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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Viens no parka neparastākajiem vēstures objektiem, kas apvīts ar daudzām leģendām un noslēpumiem, par kuriem vēl joprojām nelabprāt izsakās ar to saistītie cilvēki. Zināms, ka bāzi laikā no 1960. – 1962. g. ļoti stingrā slepenībā cēla ~ 10 000 kareivji no citām padomju republikām. Pazemes ejas bija būvētas tā, lai pa tām varētu pārvietoties tikai maza auguma cilvēki. Zem zemes atradās 4 šahtas, no kurām varēja palaist vidējā rādiusa ballistiskās raķetes R – 12 U ar kodolgalviņām. Blakus atradās apkalpojošā personāla telpas, elektrības ģenerators, sakaru centrs u.c. Līdz 2010. g. bāzi varēja apskatīt vietējā gida pavadībā. Tagad to rekonstruē un 2012. g. plāno atklāt Aukstā kara muzeju. Bāze atrodas austrumos no Plateļu ezera, liela meža masīva vidū. |
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The former air defence missile base took up a large territory to the South of Pāvilosta in its day, but today that land has been abandoned and degraded. It can be dangerous for visitors.
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This was a coast guard facility with a zenith missile division, and it was meant to protect the outer border of the Soviet Union. At this time the Ventspils Naval Guard Battalion has an observation point at the location.
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The norther part of the Liepāja fortress includes the so-called military port, which was opened to the public after the restoration of Latvia’s independence. The forts, defensive batteries, the Orthodox Sea Cathedral of St Nicholas, a water tower, a sports hall, the port’s prison, the northern breakwater, and the rotating bridge of Oskars Kalpaks are all interesting destinations. |
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The border guard facility at Pāvilosta is closed to civilians at this time, because it is used by the Latvian Navy.
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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.
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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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A rare monument survives in Skulte – a Soviet-era jet bomber, the IL-28, which supposedly was equipped to carry winged missiles. The airplane is on three cement pedestals.
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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 projector buildings of the former border guard facility have been preserved at Labrags, but they are privately owned.
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