Monuments and memorial places of the city

Fortress of Daugavpils

 is considered one of the most significant symbols of Daugavpils. The fortress is an architectural monum ent of state importance and a unique object of the cultural and historical heritage of the city. The development of the fortress in the course of time is indissolubly connected with the historical events. The land of Daugavpils and the fortress has been tread by the boots of soldiers of foreign armies, distinguished victories and severe defeats have been experienced here, for years the fortress had witnessed the immense sufferings of people. To this very day the presence of several centuries still can be felt in the fortress.

The history of the fortress begins in the year 1772, when the council of War of the Russian Empire made a decision to begin the construction of the fortress. It is the only model of the fortress in Eastern Europe dated back to the first half of the 19^th century, that has been preserved unchanged. The fortress ensemble is made of the main fortress (citadel) and a rampart, 8 bastions (bulwarks) - pentagonal, moved out fortifications in the frontal part of the  fortress corners, ravelins (fortifications in the form of a triangle situated in the frontal part of the rampart of the fortress between the bulwarks), external defensive rampart with a secret passage and a glacis at the right bank of the river Daugava and also separate bridgeheads at the left bank  of the river. The territory of the fortress has an oval shape; it is divided into sections, in the centre of which there is a foursquare parade ground. In all directions round the parade ground there are blocks of administrative buildings and dwelling houses. In the facades of the buildings the Russian Empire style can be recognised.

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Church Hill Every traveller, who wants to see the sights of Daugavpils, should visit Church Hill (Baznīckalns), a unique place where churches of four different confessions are situated - St. Boris and Gleb's Orthodox Cathedral, Martin Luther Church of the Lutheran parish, the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin and the 1^st Old - Believer's Community house of prayer and St. martyrs Boris and Gleb's Orthodox Cathedral.

St. martyrs Boris and Gleb's Orthodox Cathedral - in the place where nowadays the cathedral is situated, in year 1866 an iron church for the needs of army was erected. In 1904 by order of the Polock's eparchy leaders this church was carried to Jersika (in Preiļi district). The cathedral was constructed in the year 1905. From 1025 the church had two parishes - the Latvian and the Russian. In 1938 bishop Alexander of Jersika was ordained there, since that time the bishop resided in this church and it bears the name of cathedral. The building of the cathedral is impressive: the middle part of the building is elevated, on its eastern side on a rectangular foundation  5 turrets were built, 10 domes in all, some of them are aureate, over the entrance there is a belfry;  the exterior of the cath edral is  decorated with ornamental wedge-shaped arch elements, cornices, pillars. Over the entrance of the cathedral there is a painted icon of Christ. The walls of the cathedral are covered with paintings. The framework of iconostasis is made of polished oak-wood. There is a point of view that icons of the iconostasis are copies of icons painted by Viktor Vasnetsov (originals are in St. Vladimir's cathedral in Kiev).

Martin Luther Church of the Lutheran parish - architect Vilhelm Neimanis. The cornerstone of the church was laid in 1891. The church was consecrated in 1893. In year 1941 the church was burnt out. During the years 1941 - 1943 it was partially restored. After the Second World War the parish could use only the premises of the former chapel. In year 1975 the chapel was expropriated by the local authorities. During the Soviet era the sacral building was used as a warehouse and a boxer sporting-club. In year 1985 the building was destroyed by the fire. The church was regained by its parish in 1992, repair work began. New benches and altar have been placed in the church (the author of the project is Maija Avota, the altar was made by students of Ogre Trade and Craft Secondary School). The church is built in neo-gothic style. The red brick building of the church has an asymmetrical planning and a single tower.

The Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin (1905). The legend says that once in the place where the church is now situated there was a lake, in which devout daughters of a rich merchant were drowned. The merchant drained the lake and  built a church with two towers in this place. The building of the church was designed by architect Vilhelm Neimanis. He is the author of the designs for the Martin Luther Church and Griva Roman Catholic church as well. The facade of the church with two slender towers is built in the style of Neo Barock. Inside the church there is a chapel of the Virgin of Lourdes. The most beautiful element in the interior of the church is the copy of the painting "Immaculate Virgin" by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (author - painter from St. Petersburg Alexander Sergey Borvasky). In the church there is the great organ - the biggest in Latvia, built by Polish organ builders in 1909.

The 1^st Old - Believer's Community house of prayer - Community is one of the biggest communities in Latvia.  Consecration of the church took place in 1928 in honour of birth of the Blessed Virgin and St. Nicolay. During the Second World War the church burned out during a bombardment, only  its walls remained.  After the war the house of prayer was reconstructed. In 1983 repair of the building took place and a new six-row iconostasis was set up. There are a large number of icons in the house of prayer. Particularly important are icons "The birth of the Blessed Virgin" and "St. Nicolay" created by Ivan Mihailow - icon painter from Vilnius. The majority of icons of the church have been created in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, some can be traced back to the 17^th and 18^th century. The 1^st Old - Believer's Community house of prayer owns more than 30 books dated 1575 up to 1909.

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Rigas Street. It is one of the first streets in Latvia with the pedestrian traffic (pedestrian street). Currently it is the liveliest street in the city with a wide range of shops, cafes, branches of the banks and offices of the companies.

House of Unity (Vienibas nams, 1937) - cultural, recreation and business centre. The biggest building in the Baltic States, constructed during the times of independence of Latvia.  The cornerstone of the building was laid by the president Kārlis Ulmanis. Currently there is located Latvian cultural centre, Daugavpils theatre, tourism information centre, Latgale Central library, USA informative centre, bank, shops, café, etc.

HISTORY OF FORMATION

On 17^th August 1934 president of the State Kārlis Ulmanis visited Daugavpils. On the place where the House of Unity is currently situated the president was greeted by the representatives of Latvian Society of Daugavpils, who asked for his support for the idea to erect the building. The answer of the president was short and clear: „On this place the House of Unity will arise!"
About 7000 square metres of land was bought from the city council for the building of the House of Unity. Financial manager of the construction was the Latvian Society; the head of the Society during the time of construction was the chairman of Daugavpils regional court A.Kociņš. The building was designed by architect Verner Vitands, who synthesized the best features of two architectural trends - Functionalism and Neo-classicism: rational organisation of layout and monumental exteriors. The cornerstone of the building was laid on May 15^th 1936; the House of Unity was consecrated and opened on December 19^th 1937. Cubic capacity of the building reaches 78 000 cubic metres.

ARCHITECTURE

The House of Unity is constructed in simple architectonic forms - prisms and cubes. According to the structuring of the city and position of the House of Unity the building has diverse design of the facades. The external walls of the building mainly have a neutral vertical design, alongside of the closely built-up street the cubical composition with some horizontal divisions is used, the monumental entrance facade of the theatre with a peculiar portico of six pillars looks against the square.

THE HOUSE OF UNITY TODAY

The biggest part of the house is still being occupied by the Daugavpils State theatre, which has had several bright peaks of the fame, long years of oblivion and prohibition and revival. Today the Daugavpils theatre continues to live and it owns something that others are still searching for - mutual understanding: two languages, two companies and one love! The theatre loves its audience. 
One of the organisations located in the House of Unity is Latgale Central library, the number of its visitors exceeds 90 thousand, and the number of its users reaches slightly more than 15 thousand of people. The library offers its visitors books for taking home, books and periodicals in the reading-rooms (Art reading-hall, general reading-room, technical literature reading room), periodicals from year 1950 up to nowadays, old and rare books, interlibrary loan, electronic data bases and  main master catalogue in Internet.

The Latvian Centre of Culture (LCC) is also located in the House of Unity. The Latvian Centre of Culture is the leading institution of culture in Daugavpils, its main focus of attention being the activities aimed at preserving and popularization of the Latvian cultural environment in the city. LCC is the initiator and organizer many important culture activities in the city including several international festivals (sacred music, accordion and jazz music, children ballet, mask traditions festivals).  The activities and festivals organized by LCC not only promote the cultural life in Daugavpils, Latgale region and Latvia, but also encourage the beneficial coexistence of various ethnic minorities and integration of society.

The theatre, library and Centre of Culture lead and organize the life of this complex cultural building. The House of Unity in Daugavpils is still fulfilling its historical mission - it unites the multinational society of the city and stirs to activity the cultural life of Daugavpils. It is the symbol of nation's unity and harmony.

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The historical centre of Daugavpils presents itself a specific monument of urban construction.  The historical centre of Daugavpils  is located on the territory of following streets: Riga street from Daugavas street up to Cietokšņa street, Cietokšņa street up to Sakņu street, Sakņu street up to Stacijas street, Stacijas street up to Lāčplēša street, Lāčplēša street up to Viestura street, Viestura street up to Raiņa street, Raiņa steet up to Alejas street, Alejas street up to 18. Novembra street, 18.Novembra street up to Daugavas street, Daugavas street up to Raiņa street.

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Daugavpils region Tourism Information Centre

Rigas iela 22a, Daugavpils LV - 5403
tel: +371 542 28 18
fax: +371 542 28 18
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