Interesting historical facts about Daugavpils. The main attractions of Daugavpils: list, photo and description

If I visited the rest of Latvia in July, having arrived there by train, Latgale - in May and by car. And it should be noted that this was a typical case of how you can spoil the impression of a country by grabbing it "from the wrong end." The first Latvian city that I visited was Daugavpils (101 thousand inhabitants) - the second largest in Latvia, but most similar to our cities of the "105th kilometer". Daugavpils is a rare example of a city that I frankly did not like, a bad caricature of Russia for Europeans and the Baltic for Russians.

However, its history is rich and there is something to see. I will tell about Daugavpils in three parts - the center, factory suburbs and the huge Dinaburg fortress.

Depils (as it is popularly called) is 230 kilometers away from Riga: by local standards, it is almost the Far East. Daugava is the Latvian name for Dvina, "pils" means "castle" or "city", so all variants of its name - Daugavpils, Dvinsk, Dinaburg - actually mean the same thing: "a city on the Western Dvina". Its history began with the Teutonic castle, founded in 1275 by Landmeister Ernst of Ratzenburg as the residence of the Komtur. In subsequent centuries, it was besieged and even captured by Lithuanians, Swedes, Ivan III (1481) and Ivan the Terrible, and finally in 1577-78, neither the governors of the latter, nor Stefan Batory, who conquered Latgale, considered the restoration of the castle inappropriate. New Dinaburg was founded 19 kilometers down the Dvina, and in 1581 received the Magdeburg Law. The Russians returned here in 1656 (when the Swedes had already held Latgale for a year), and with the clear expectation that this would be for a long time - they even managed to rename Dinaburg to Borisoglebsk, but in 1666, under the terms of the Andrusov Peace, they returned the Commonwealth - but not if you had done it then, now hardly anyone would have remembered his non-Russian past ... According to Section I (1772), Latgale became part of Russia, initially (1772-1802) in the Pskov province, and from the 19th century - in Vitebsk. At the same time, Dinaburg was again moved five kilometers higher - on the site of the Old Town, the construction of a fortress began in 1810, but in its current form, Daugavpils was created, of course, by the railway:

One of the first railway junctions in the empire was formed in 1860-73, and has 6 directions, in terms of resembling a cross with two crossbars: the Petersburg-Warsaw railway on different banks of the Dvina was crossed by Riga-Orlovskaya and Libavo-Romenskaya. What did it mean in those days? Of course, explosive growth - at the beginning of the 20th century, the county Dvinsk (this name became official in 1893), the provincial Vitebsk and subsequently the capital Minsk were approximately equal in population (100-110 thousand people), and then the main population here were Jews (46%), Russians (30%) and Poles (16%). After the fiercest battles of the First World War and the collapse of the Russian Empire, about 20 thousand inhabitants remained here, by 1941 the city had grown to 59 thousand, and then was devastated again - and not in 1941 (when the Germans occupied it on the 3rd day of the war, but the Red Army did not even have time to blow up the bridges), and in 1943-44 - by air raids and battles for liberation. However, the Soviet Union needed an industrial city, Daugavpils was restored quite quickly, while populating it with working people from all over the Union, and it reached the peak of its population by the end of the 1980s - 127 thousand people lived here, almost a third more than now ..

3. Zavokzalnaya part of the city - formed at the beginning of the twentieth century, the district of the New Building. The tower on the left is a shot foundry, an interesting industrial monument.

Present Daugavpils - a sight really depressing. The city seemed to have gone on a binge, time stopped here in the mid-1990s - at least this is how I remember Perm from my childhood. Спившиеся работяги, гопники наподобие ниггеров из фильма "Брат-2", какие-то мутные личности в подворотнях, олимпийки, бритые головы, мат даже на пороге костёла, равнодушная злоба во взглядах - все эти впечатления я уже излагал в . The ethnic composition complements the situation: there are only 19% of Latvians, another 14% are Poles, 7% are Belarusians, and 55% are Russians, which of course makes nationalists from Estonia to Ukraine very happy. But the fact of the matter is that a normal hundred-thousander in Russia, even the deadliest, in terms of their contingent, if not more pleasant, then livelier.

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The contrast with neighboring Lithuania was especially great. Going here, you need to tune in not to the Baltics, but to places like the Donbass or the Urals, that is, be mentally prepared for possible aggression against yourself and not provoke it with things like photographing passers-by. However, here the gopota is peculiar - dull, shabby and prone to vile rudeness more than to a real scuffle.

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In general, forgive me locals(among which, of course, there are many adequate and intelligent people who love their city and are aware of its decline with sincere pain), but - this is my impression. One, however, a positive moment after Lithuania, I immediately noted here - in Daugavpils there is a tram, opened in 1946 - I already wrote about it (including cars with "trolleybus" horns) in.

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All the footage above was filmed in the vicinity of the station. It should be noted that before the war, the railway junction here was even more complicated than it is now - there were as many as two passenger stations in the city. The St. Petersburg railway station was located outside the city, where the Daugavpils-Sorting station is now, and was one of the largest in the empire for its time (1858-60):

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Rizhsky railway station closer to the center was the end point of the private Riga-Dinaburg railway (1861):

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Both of them were destroyed by the war, and they did not begin to restore Petersburg, and on the site of Rizhsky they built a "tattered Stalinist" station, a large, but completely ugly station. Now it's quiet here - only one passes it distant train Petersburg-Vilnius and several diesel engines to Riga. We chose the station as a starting point, hoping that there would be an exchanger, but (it was on Sunday) the station employees advised us to go to the market and exchange litas for lats (sounds like "an awl on soap"!) By hand - an unheard of thing for the Baltics.

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Nearby is a monument to the Dvinians - Bolshevik soldiers, who in the summer of 1917 declared disobedience, began to fraternize with the Germans and demanded "all power to the Soviets!" Soon they (about 800 people) were tied up by the Cossacks and sent to Moscow in Butyrka, which was a strategic mistake - in October, the Dvintsy became the striking force of the red uprising, seven of them rest near the Kremlin wall.

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My harsh remarks about Daugavpils related primarily to its contingent and to the outward appearance of the suburbs. the center is quite well-groomed, especially the pedestrian Rizhskaya street, starting right from the station facade:

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Typical Latvian contrasts. From neglected yards:

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To cute installations... in the background is the same bazaar:

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The center in Daugavpils is clearly delineated and is a historically developed area, which is usually classified as New town: Old Dinaburg was almost completely demolished in 1810 during the construction of a fortress - a similar story was in Bobruisk and Brest. The new city was built at some distance from the fortress and according to a regular plan (1826) with a rectangular grid of long streets. He preserved pre-revolutionary buildings much better than Vitebsk and Minsk, equal to him at that time, and Rizhskaya forms the western border of this integral area:

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Approximately halfway to the Daugava is the oldest surviving temple in the city, the Church of St. Peter in chains (1845-48). Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Old Believers (which will be discussed later) in Daugavpils are approximately equivalent, and noticeably prevail over Lutheranism: after all, even the local Latvians are primarily Catholic Latgalians.

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Another quarter (on the reverse side, beyond the edge of the frame, there are a multi-storey hotel and a shopping center, on the first floor of which we changed the currency):

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And you go out to the main Unity Square (Vienibas) in the city, before the revolution, Alexandrovskaya Square. As you can see, in terms of landscaping, everything is not hopeless - both the curly tile (and in Latvia they put it, to put it mildly, not like ours), and the flower coat of arms:

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And dominates the square (besides the already mentioned hotel) of the totalitarian type of House of Unity (1935-37) from the time of Ulmanis. The concept in this was: The house united a theater, a concert hall, a museum, a hotel, a department store, a library, a bookstore, a swimming pool, a bank, a tourist information center - not all at the same time, but at least a few of the listed objects were constantly in it. Therefore, when viewed from different sides, it produces a completely different impression - clearly a department store or a household on the right, a hotel or a bank on the left ...

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And from the facade of the classic House of Culture. This is the largest monument of the First Republic of Latvia outside of Riga and Jurmala and perhaps the only building of those times in Daugavpils. However, still - if at the beginning of the First Republic the city was 5 times smaller than the pre-revolutionary one, and at the end - twice, there was nothing to fill the old houses with.

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The House of Unity was built on the site of the shopping arcade, and the square of Andrey Pumpur (the creator of "Lachplesis"), located behind it, the former Alexander Garden, was expanded in order due to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral demolished in 1969 (1859-66), an unbanal, albeit rather cumbersome versions of "clone XXC":

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There is no talk of recreating the cathedral, and the remodeled church of Alexander Nevsky, for me, is much more elegant than its predecessor:

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Behind the square - a group of buildings of the station of the Petersburg-Warsaw road (1820-26), with their architecture suspiciously reminiscent of the buildings of the Dinaburg fortress - possibly built by the same architects.

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And on the other hand, closer to the Dvina - a typical post-war regional committee. In fact, the regional committee was: in 1952-53 in the Baltic SSR they decided to introduce a regional division: in Lithuania they created Vilnius, Kaunas, Siauliai and Klaipeda regions, in Latvia - Riga, Daugavpils and Liepaja, in Estonia (!) - Tallinn, Tartu and Pyarnusskaya, and at an accelerated pace began to build administrative buildings. Then the idea was considered inexpedient, and the regional committees (everything will come in handy in the economy!) As they were put into operation, they were given to universities. Similar monuments have been preserved at least in Liepaja.

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Although there are many post-war "patches", the characteristic gloomy range of which was noted by Darriuss (whose story is much more detailed than mine):

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There is also its own architectural "chip" - the Latgalian baroque. Rather, neo-baroque - brick style with a characteristic decor:

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Among the examples of which were synagogues:

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As you might guess, Dvinsk was part of the "Pale of Settlement" and, as the largest county town in it, had perhaps the largest Jewish community in the Belarusian provinces (about half of the population). American artist Mark Rothko and Abraham Yitzhak Kook, Israel's first chief rabbi, are from here. About the place where the Dvina Jews perished, I will tell you more in the following parts. The Choral Synagogue did not survive either:

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But two synagogues still stand at the corner of Tsietoksnia (Fortress, leads in a straight line to the fortress) and Lachplesis - one former:

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Another, built in 1850 as a prayer house "Kadish" ("Memorial"), was restored, including donations from Mark Rothko's relatives. It is significant that the neighborhood of synagogues is the most well-groomed place in the center of Daugavpils:

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But back to Unity Square - from the lower side along Rizhskaya, a fire station adjoins it:

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And behind it, to the Daugava itself, there is a long square with a fountain, a monument to the mayor (1876-90) Pavel Dubrovin and a military memorial "Victory Day":

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On which the most memorable House with Eagles in the city center (1883) looks, since 1959 the museum of local lore (founded, in turn, in 1938 at the House of Unity):

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The center is separated from the Dvina by a high dam (1833-41) - it turned out that the place for the new city was periodically flooded, and this problem had to be somehow solved. The dam is raised approximately to the level of the second floor, the busy Daugavas Street passes through it, and since the car park here is represented mainly by used ears, there is really nothing to breathe under the dam.

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Daugava is wide and severe:

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On the other side is the Griva suburb, where the Unity Bridge leads (1935, the canvas was replaced in the 1980s). The fact is that Latgale was not in vain correlated with the Duchy of Zadvinsk under the Commonwealth - the entire ex-Livonian left bank became part of the independent Duchy of Courland, and its eastern third - the historical region of Seliya (to which, by the way, Zarasai belonged in ancient times, even the name its Selonian), so the bridge really connected Latgale and Kurzeme.

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Along the dam and along it we went to the east. The City Council in the building of the former Divisional Assembly (1889) is perhaps the brightest example of "Latgalian Baroque".

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Ahead is a sharp turn of the dam, behind which the CHP pipe looms:

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The border of the center - the dam runs perpendicular to the coast until the natural elevation of the relief. From its outer side - the factory suburb Gayok, but so far - the views are only "inside":

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About Nut, Mane and New Structure - in the next part.

Daugavpils from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Daugavpils.

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The second largest Latvian city, Daugavpils, has been renamed four times in its history. And although its original history went from the Dinaburg fortress, which belonged to the Livonian Order, later the city passed "from hand to hand" either to the Lithuanians, then to the Poles, then to the Russians. The fusion of histories, cultures and destinies has created a special atmosphere and charm in modern city Latgale region.

Search for flights to Riga (nearest airport to Daugavpils)

How to get there

Daily from Riga to Daugavpils there are 4 trains (4 hours on the way) and 8 buses (every 2 hours, 3 hours 30 minutes on the way; www.autoosta.lv). Buses can also be reached from Rezekne (every 7 hours, 2 hours on the way) and Aglona (3 runs daily, 1 hour 30 minutes). The schedule of routes from Daugavpils can be found on the official website www.buspark.lv. Trains also run from Gomel, St. Petersburg and Vilnius (3 trains daily, 3 hours on the way).

The nearest airport is in Riga, but the Latvian authorities promise to soon open flights to Daugavpils itself.

The journey by car from Riga will take about 3 hours. There is also an international highway E262 going from Lithuania (Kaunas) to Russia.

Popular hotels in Daugavpils

Entertainment and attractions of Daugavpils

The main pearl of Daugavpils is its fortress, which today is the largest in all of Europe. This architectural structure was built at the beginning of the 19th century to strengthen the borders of the Russian Empire and has seen and survived many wars and battles in its lifetime.

All buildings in the historical center of the city belong to the "Latgale Baroque" - the buildings are distinguished by their original shape and facades made of red brick with various elements of decoration. For example, the building of the city museum of local lore with an openwork pattern on the vault of the front doors, which was built in the 2nd half of the 19th century using multi-colored tiles. Even in the center, you can look at the church ensemble Jaunbūve on the Church Hill, consisting of an Orthodox cathedral, a Lutheran church and a Catholic church (all buildings of the late 19th - early 20th centuries). The central street of Daugavpils is Rigas, along which there are 80 architectural monuments. In the 80s of the last century, it became the first pedestrian street in Latvia. In the middle of the 20th century, the House of Unity was built between Rigas and Saules Streets, which today houses a library, theater, shops, cafes, and a bank. All major city events take place here.

For detailed information on “what to see and where to go”, as well as all the events and performances in the city, head to the center tourist information Daugavpils: Rigas street, 22a.

At the end of the 19th century, the head of the city, Pavel Dubrovin, created a park of 3 hectares in the center of Daugavpils - today this park bears the name of its founder and is a favorite vacation spot for all citizens. In the northeastern part of the city, Stropi, in the area of ​​Lake Lielais Stropu, there is a popular recreational area. Daugavpils is also proud of its sports complex with the Ice Palace and the largest open-air swimming pool in the Baltic states.

On the way from the Daugavpils to Kraslava, on the picturesque banks of the Daugava River, there is the national park Daugavas loki. On its territory, a model of the Dinaburg fortress of the 13th century was built, which laid the foundation for the history of the city. Also not far from Daugavpils, in the town of Pilskalne, there is a forest landscape park Pilskalnes Siguldina with educational trails and thematic wooden figurines.

In general, Daugavpils, like no other Latvian city, is surrounded by water and forest resources: 15 lakes, 8 rivers, countless streams and 10,000 hectares of forests and parks.

Useful information for tourists about Daugavpils in Latvia - geographical location, tourist infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.

Daugavpils is a city located in the south-east of Latvia and is the second largest city after Riga. This is a city with a rich and varied history, which has repeatedly changed its name: Dinaburg, Borisoglebsk, Dvinsk, Daugavpils (since 1920). The city is located on the Daugava River (Western Dvina), 25 km from the border with Lithuania and 33 km from the border with Belarus.

The population of Daugavpils is more than 100 thousand people, of which more than half are Russians. Historically, the city was formed as a multinational, which also reflected in architecture, art and traditions. The climate in Daugavpils is more continental compared to other cities in Latvia. The air temperature in the summer months is higher, and in the winter months it is lower than in other regions of the country.

The history of the city dates back to the time of the Livonian Order, when a castle was founded here by the master of the Livonian Order Ernst von Ratzburg in 1275. The Dinaburg castle strengthened its position so much that it became a threat to the lands of the Polotsk and Lithuanian principalities, so Russian and Lithuanian troops made repeated attempts to capture the castle. In turn, the Livonian Order spared no expense to strengthen the castle, since it was of great strategic importance.

In 1577 the troops of Ivan the Terrible captured the castle. During the many years of the Livonian War, the Dinaburg castle and the trading settlement were destroyed. By this time, the castle stood for 300 years and lost its military significance. Ivan the Terrible began the construction of a new fortress 19 km downstream of the Daugava River from the old castle, the city today stands on this very spot. Under a peace agreement in 1582, the city passed to the Poles, who continued construction. Later, the city was captured either by the Swedes or by Russian troops.

The city was heavily damaged during the Great Northern War. In 1710, the plague raged. The war destroyed and devastated the city, and the epidemic killed almost the entire population. The city and fortress fell into decay. In 1772 the city was annexed to Russia. In connection with the threat of Napoleon's attack, in 1810 the construction of a new Dinaburg fortress began, which, although not completed by the beginning of the war, played a role in protecting the northwestern borders of Russia. Construction work was finally completed in 1878.

In the middle of the 19th century, due to the construction of railways, the economic development of the city took place. Gradually, Daugavpils becomes the largest industrial and cultural center of the North-West region of Russia. After the liberation of the city during the First World War, the city received its modern name - Daugavpils. During the Second World War in 1941, the Soviet occupation was replaced by the Nazi one. On July 27, 1944, units of the Red Army entered Daugavpils.

In the postwar years, the city was actively restored and developed. New industrial enterprises were built. New schools were opened. New districts appeared. After the restoration of the independent Republic of Latvia in 1991, the development of the city began to continue in the new conditions.

In the Ice Palace of Daugavpils, you can enjoy winter sports all year round. In the paragliding club you can ride a special tandem paraglider or motorized hang glider, as well as learn how to ride these aircraft on your own.

Daugavpils fortress is considered one of the main symbols of the city. The beginning of its construction dates back to 1810. Until now, the breath of several centuries is felt in the Fortress. At the corners, the fortress is fortified with 8 pentagonal bastions. The inner territory of the fortress has a rectangular shape, divided into quarters. In the center is the front square, and around the administrative and residential buildings.

In Daugavpils, you should definitely visit the Temple Hill - a place where churches of 4 confessions side by side: Orthodox Cathedral Sts. Boris and Gleb, the Lutheran Cathedral Church of Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the prayer room of the 1st New Building Old Believer Community.

The busiest street in the city is Rigas Street, which was one of the first pedestrian streets. It houses a network of shops, offices, banks, cafes. On this street is the Daugavpils Regional and Art Museum, which is one of the oldest and largest Latvian museums. The museum, founded in 1938, instills in society love and respect for cultural heritage and traditions.

If suddenly in Latvia part of the territories decided to repeat the fate of Crimea, organize a referendum and come under the rule of Russia, then its second largest city, Daugavpils, could easily become a kind of Sevastopol of these places. These cities have many similarities.

Modern Daugavpils appeared thanks to the Russian military and has been an important outpost for Russia and the USSR throughout its history. Before the independence of Latvia, this city experienced its industrial and economic heyday, after which there has been a decline for almost three decades, and people still remember the past fat years.

In this city, the vast majority of the inhabitants are still Russians, supplemented by Belarusians and Poles, many of whom used to be somehow connected with the Soviet military forces and they clearly sympathize with Putin's modern geopolitics.

This city, in fact, has not yet got out of its past, therefore it is not ready for the future, which is already beginning to change it little by little. We visited here at the end of December and the dull, dank weather only intensified the feeling of a gloomy, hopeless real Daugavpils. This city cannot be called beautiful, but it is very interesting and literally filled with unusual, exciting stories. I'll try to convey his aura in my today's photo essay...

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Depressive Latvia begins immediately when crossing the border with Lithuania. The quality of the road surface drops instantly, and swamps and peat bogs stretch around to the horizon. Part of the road to Daugavpils began to be repaired on a large scale, but the presence of a huge amount of road equipment only frightens drivers so far, but does not make the trip any easier.

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The first thing that every visitor will see when entering the city from the Lithuanian side is the huge Griva prison. You can't think of a more unique object to start exploring Daugavpils! But we will return to it a little later.

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I think it's worth remembering a bit of the history of this city. Latvians are now emphasizing that their Daugavpils is already 740 years old. But it should be noted right away that old City, founded by the Order of the Sword, was actually located 20 kilometers from modern Daugavpils. At one time, it was repeatedly attacked, robbed, burned either by Russians, or by Swedes, or by Lithuanians. To this day, only a few stone foundations on the castle hill have survived from that city.

Modern Daugavpils appeared precisely thanks to the Russian military. These territories went to the Russian Empire after the division of the Commonwealth back in 1772, and here it was vital for the new government to somehow seriously gain a foothold. That is why it was decided to build a powerful fortress, which would become the guarantor of stable government in not very calm lands.

The construction of the fortress dragged on for 60 years and, as a result, it occupied an area of ​​150 hectares. Its construction and further use gave a powerful impetus to the rapid development of a new city in the neighborhood. He got the old German name Dinaburg from the nearby ruins, which the Latvians later remade in their own way into Daugavpils.

The Dinaburg fortress has been the main focus of this city for more than 200 years. Back in 1812, the first battle was given here to the advancing forces of Napoleon, and then for more than a hundred years it housed the main Russian military base throughout the Baltic.

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The second powerful breakthrough in the development of Daugavpils was when the most important railway of the then empire from St. Petersburg to Warsaw was laid through it. Russian autocrats and members of their families often began to stop in this city. Surrounded by numerous soldiers, they felt completely safe here.

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The regiments stationed in the fortress participated in the suppression of two Polish uprisings, and Dinaburg itself became a real stronghold of tsarist Russia. Then industry flourished here, beautiful buildings were erected, shops and hotels were opened, a river port was built.

At the same time, the city was given a new name by decree of Nicholas II - Dvinsk. During the First World War, the Germans broke through here back in 1915, but then the front line stood up tightly along those swamps described above for a long three years.

Only after the revolution and the beginning of the civil war did the German army manage to occupy the city, however, soon surrendering it to the Red Army without a fight. Then it was captured by Polish troops, but again not for long. In the end, the city was part of Latvia and got its current name.

The Second World War turned out to be much more tragic for Daugavpils. During the bombing and fighting, the city was destroyed by 70 percent. A prisoner of war camp was set up in the fortress, and opposite it, on the other side of the river, a Jewish ghetto.

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Now here is the same Griva prison, which we saw at the entrance. About 20 thousand Jews passed through this ghetto, and no more than a hundred people survived. Instead of a museum, there is now a prison, which is symbolic in its own way.

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In total, more than 160 thousand people were killed in Daugavpils during the war, although only a part of them were local citizens. But in 1944, during the offensive of the Soviet troops, Daugavpils briefly became the capital of the Latvian SSR.

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As part of the USSR, this city was completely revived and became one of the most important military and transport centers of that vast country. A huge airport was built nearby, capable of receiving everything, including the largest military aircraft produced in the USSR.

The fortress was also transferred under the control of the military. Here they arranged one of the largest engineering and technical flight schools in the country at that time and equipped a military camp. Many new businesses, factories and residential areas were built.

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The population of the city exceeded one hundred thousand. Tram lines were built in Daugavpils, and more than 40 ships were based in the local river port. Cruised and pleasure boats.

The plans included the construction of the Daugavpils hydroelectric power station, and hence the further growth and development of the city. Daugavpils, by the way, was included by NATO in the list of one hundred mandatory objects for destruction in the event of a nuclear war.

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At the very peak of this rapid development, perestroika suddenly broke out, and then the collapse of the Soviet Union. Overnight, from a rich and wealthy center, Daugavpils turned into a backwater, like a poor relative, barely making ends meet.

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The fortress turned into a giant abandoned building, the hydroelectric power station was never completed, many enterprises closed, and the population was reduced by almost a quarter. Only after 20 years of this crisis, the city began to gradually recover.

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The city authorities suddenly remembered that in the city there is and has not yet completely collapsed a giant fortress. Now it is being restored little by little and has even been nominated for the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. She alone is worthy of a mandatory visit. I will write a separate report about it.

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We also thought about restoring the almost completely destroyed airport. It is a pity that the river fleet, completely cut into metal, can no longer be restored, and the long-uncleaned Daugava is now very shallow.

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The fact that the city is developing little by little, I noticed myself, because with my family we already drove through it about seven years ago. But still the overall impression remains depressing.

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In Daugavpils, an attentive observer will notice a monstrous mixture of architectural styles.

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The city has partially preserved pre-revolutionary buildings, which are mixed with the "masterpieces" of Soviet monumentalism, constructivism and rationalism.

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This cocktail looks defiantly mediocre and tasteless.

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But some objects deserve special attention. One of the symbols of modern Daugavpils is famous prison"White Swan".

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This legendary prison is already 150 years old. This prison stands almost in the center of the city, not far from the main city Orthodox church (the largest in Latvia) and the church.

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This establishment got its original name in honor of the swan-shaped weather vane, which is clearly visible above the main building, painted in white. By the way, once only after the construction, this building was red.

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Walking next to this prison gives a lot of emotions. Blank walls, barbed wire around the perimeter, towers with machine gunners in the corners - the pictures are unforgettable and instructive.

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According to one of the urban legends, the architect of this building later ended up in the prison he designed as a prisoner. As you have already noticed, this is the second old prison in the city, so it is quite appropriate to make tourist tours in Daugavpils, a la “I am sitting behind bars in a damp dungeon” or “Today a tourist, and tomorrow a convict”.

In the forecourt area you can find many interesting buildings.

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No less interesting are the Daugavpils bridges. They have their own stories. For example, about how in 1941 German saboteurs were able to successfully capture them, thereby preventing the bridges from undermining the hastily retreating Red Army. In 1944, they were much less fortunate, and already in the post-war years, the bridges had to be restored.

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We spent almost the whole day in the city, walking along its streets, having lunch at a local restaurant, talking to some of its old-timers.

Many modern tourists are increasingly thinking about visiting post-Soviet countries. For example, independent, but hospitable Latvia is always glad to tourists. There are settlements in Latvia that develop tourism and remember their history. One of these cities is Daugavpils - a city where the unusual Baltic nature borders on modern parks, and medieval fortresses coexist with modern houses.

Brief description of Daugavpils

Daugavpils is a large city in the eastern part of Latvia, the second largest in the country after Riga. Daugavpils is the cultural, industrial and educational center of the Daugavpils region.

Daugavpils is located in the east of Latvia and is close to Belarus, Lithuania and Russia

Table: practical information

Brief history of the city

The existence of the city began with the construction of the stone castle Dinaburg (1275), the founder of which was the Livonian baron Ernst von Ratzeburg. Dinaburg was destroyed in 1313, and it was rebuilt only in 1347. This time the fortress was larger and stronger, however, it could not resist the enemy. During the Russian-Livonian war, the castle was captured by the army of Ivan III. In the middle of the 16th century, Dinaburg was surrendered to the Lithuanian prince Sigismund II August, and 10 years after this attack, the castle became part of the Commonwealth. Later there were several more attempts to capture this city, but each time it was returned back.

The city had great prospects in the economic sphere, which made it attractive to enemies.

In 1772, the Commonwealth gave Dinaburg to the Russian Empire. The city became part of the Pskov province, and after another 30 years Dinaburg became the center of the district of the Vitebsk province. After that, a new Dinaburg fortress was erected in the already developing city (1878). The county town developed rapidly, in the middle of the 19th century a section of the St. Petersburg - Warsaw railway was built here, which contributed to the development of industry. Alexander III ordered that the city be renamed Dvinsk. However, the railway junction played an important role in the fate of the further existence of the city.

The capture of a section of the railway in the First World War allowed the German troops to facilitate their attack on Petrograd. After the February Revolution, the front decomposed, and in December 1917 Dvinsk was given to the Republic of Iskolata, but after the next revolution, the German troops surrendered the city to the Red Army. A few years later, Dvinsk was captured by the Polish army, but according to the Riga Peace Treaty, the city was given to Latvia (in 1920 it was renamed Daugavpils).

Daugavpils suffered heavy losses during World War II. The city was destroyed by more than half, human losses - more than 165,000 people. Now Daugavpils is one of the most popular cities in Latvia, and its geographic location gives it a special tourist attraction.

The city of Dvinsk stood in the way of the invaders many times, due to its location on the border of Latvia

How to get there

It is convenient to get to Daugavpils in the following ways:

1. By train from Riga (from Riga-Passageriou railway station). The train leaves every other day, departure time is 20:20, ticket price is 16.55 euros, travel time is about 3 hours.
2. By bus from Riga (for example, by bus Riga-Daugavpils - it runs to the desired city 8 times a day). Travel time - 3.5 hours, ticket price - 8.9 euros. The bus station is located at the address: Pragas street, 1.
3. By own or rented car. Motorways: P73, E-22, A6, P-63.

In Daugavpils there is an airport from which planes flew to Riga 20 years ago. Unfortunately, it doesn't work now. The most convenient way to get to the city is considered to be a bus ride from Riga. In addition, Daugavpils is located very close to the capital.

The city's attractions

The most beautiful places in Daugavpils can be divided into several categories of attractions:

• architectural;
• cultural;
• historical;
• natural.

Architectural sights of Daugavpils

Almost all old cities can boast of beautiful architectural creations. In Daugavpils, such places are:

• Orthodox Borisoglebsky Cathedral;
• Old Believer St. Nicholas Church;
• Catholic Cathedral of St. Peter;
• monument to P. F. Dubrovin.

Borisoglebsky Cathedral is the main Orthodox church in the city, which was consecrated in 1905. The official name of the temple is the Daugavpils Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Princes Boris and Gleb. This beautiful and expressive cathedral was built by the architect M. Pozarov on the site of the old "iron" church, which was erected in 1866 for the army. Since 1925, there have been Russian and Latvian parishes in the cathedral, and now Bishop Alexander constantly serves in it.

Boris and Gleb Cathedral, built in the neo-Russian style, is considered one of the most luxurious cathedrals in Latvia

St. Boris and Gleb Cathedral is located in the New Building district (address: Tautas street, 2).

Old Believer St. Nicholas Church

The Old Believer St. Nicholas Church is a prayer room for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in 1928. The emergence of the church is closely connected with the fate of the Old Believers. The fact is that until 1905 there were some restrictions for them, which were lifted after the issuance of a special decree. But the construction itself was started only in 1908. The construction of the temple was delayed for several more years, this was facilitated by the lack of money, the First World War and the revolution.

The completion of the construction and consecration of the church was a grandiose event. 30 spiritual mentors, deputies and other important people arrived at the solemn consecration ceremony. Old Believer communities from other cities also sent their representatives that day.

Nikolskaya Church (as it is called by the people) in different years was:

• the prayer house and the Community Council;
• Old Believer Sunday School;
• Daugapils Old Believer Brotherhood;
• post-war seven-year school, etc.

Outwardly, the Old Believer Church is not much different from other Orthodox churches.

The temple is located at: st. A. Pushkin, 16 "A" (on the left side of the road from the Borisoglebsky Cathedral).

St. Peter's Catholic Cathedral

St. Peter's Basilica is a Roman Catholic church that was built in 1848. Initially, it was a small church, but in 1924, during the reconstruction, it was expanded, and the cathedral began to resemble St. Peter's Church in the Vatican. Therefore, officially this temple is called the Daugavpils Church of St. Peter in chains.

The cathedral is a small light building, and the dome of the temple rests on four double pillars. The building is made in the style of classicism. During the Second World War, the roof and walls of the church were damaged by a bomb, but the city authorities took care of the restoration.

St. Peter's Cathedral in Daugavpils belongs to the Rezekne-Aglon diocese

St. Peter's Catholic Cathedral is located at Rigas Street 39 (in the quarter of Saknu, Cietokshnia, Mikhoelsa streets).

Monument to P. F. Dubrovin

The monument to P.F. Dubrovin is a sculpture erected in 2007 in memory of the former head of the city. Dubrovin was a military man, but he dreamed of engaging in social activities. At the age of 25, he left the army and began to take care of his hometown. He became mayor of Daugavpils in 1876. And after 6 years, Pavel Fedorovich bought a small swampy area (3 hectares) and began to ennoble it. Drained and planted with trees and bushes, the park was named "Dubrovinsky". It was here that the main city celebrations and concerts took place.

Daugavpils loved Dubrovin very much, people talked about his incorruptibility and honesty. At the age of 51, Dubrovin died, and a monument in his memory was erected in that very garden. The sculpture represents the figure of Dubrovin and his beloved dog.

So that the sculpture would not be “lost” in the green garden, it was installed on a wide marble pedestal

The famous Dubrovinsky garden with a monument is located at the address: Parades street, 5.

Cultural attractions of the city

The main cultural attractions of Daugavpils, perhaps, can be called:

• Rigas central street;
• House of Unity;
• Mark Rothko Art Center;
• Daugavpils Museum of Local Lore and Art.

Rigas central street

Rigas Street in Daugavpils is the main pedestrian street in the city, popularly nicknamed "Broadway". On this street you can meet not only quietly walking citizens, in the evenings Rigas becomes a place of rest for skateboarders and cyclists. The Russian-speaking part of the city calls this street Rizhskaya (until 1920 it was Rizhskaya).

Rigas is the main street of the historical center of the city. And yet this street has managed to vilify the name of the leader of the revolution. Old-timers still sometimes call it Lenin Street. In 2009, it was restored, and now it is a model of the fusion of past and present.

In Moscow there is Arbat, in Penza - Moskovskaya street, and in Daugavpils - Rigas

Rigas Street stretches through the entire city center, you can start your walk from the railway station.

The House of Unity in Daugavpils (Vienības nams) is a place of concentration of the cultural life of the city, its multifunctional center. The Unity House was built in 1937 and was once the largest stone building in all of Latvia. The building now houses the following facilities:

• drama theatre;
• cinema and concert hall;
• city ​​Library;
• book store;
• Latvian Cultural Society;
• fitness club, etc.

An interesting fact: the construction of the building took 600 wagons of brick. The architect K. Ulmanis became the author of the project. Despite the large scale of work, construction was completed a year after the laying of the first brick. Another amazing fact: the creation of a multifunctional center was not included in the budget, and the project was implemented at the expense of donations from the townspeople. The building was considered so beautiful and unusual that its photo is featured on a 1939 LR stamp.

On November 17, 2011, a memorial plaque to the mayor Andris Švirkst (1938–1940) was opened from the side of the Central Square, the facade along Rigas Street

The House of Unity is located at the address: Rigas street, 22 "A". The entrance to the building is open around the clock, but the facilities work differently. For example, the library is open from 10:00 to 17:00, and a nightclub from 21:00 until the morning.

Mark Rothko Art Center

Mark Rothko Art Center (Daugavpils Marka Rotko mākslas centrs) is a contemporary art and culture center opened in 2013. The building of the Arsenal of the Dinaburg Fortress became the place of creation of the modern art center. Of course, the building had to be reconstructed, but the architects tried to preserve its layout as much as possible.

Mark Rothko was an abstract artist. Currently, the art center, named after the master, is the only museum in Europe that has its own collection of works by Mark Rothko. These are 6 paintings that were donated to the center by the artist's children (Christopher and Kate).

In addition to paintings by Rothko, the art center exhibits works by other world-famous artists (Edward Munch, Erin Lovelor, Richard Danny, etc.).

The Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Center exhibits not only paintings, but also other masterpieces - art objects in the form of sculptures, installations, etc.

Center opening hours:

• from Wednesday to Saturday - from 11 am to 7 pm;
• Tuesday and Sunday - from 11 am to 5 pm;
• Monday is a day off.

Ticket prices range from 2.5 euros to 8 euros (depending on the exposition). Discounts are available for people born on April 24 and September 25 (discount price - up to 4 euros). A family ticket costs 14 euros (from 4 people).

The art center is located at the address: Mikhail street, 3.

Daugavpils Local History and Art Museum

The Daugavpils Museum of Local Lore is the only state museum of municipal government and a cultural history monument. It was founded in 1938 and initially occupied a small building on the former 5 August Street (now Vienibas 3). The title of local lore was awarded to him in 1945. And in 1959, a new building (which was then considered the most beautiful in the city) at 8 Rigas Street was given to the permanent location of the museum. Later, the neighboring building was given to the museum, but it soon filled up, and another room had to be built. This is how the "Museum Yard" was formed.

Currently, the museum holds almost 90,000 exhibits:

• old photographs and documents;
• models (including a steam locomotive model) and models (including Dinaburg castle);
• mummified animals and insects of the Daugavpils region, as well as plants listed in the Red Book;
• national costumes, household items, ceramics and antique jewelry;
• archaeological finds (including a human skeleton, paintings, and more).

The museum acquaints visitors with archaeological finds from the banks of the Dviete River and Lake Lubans, as well as from the excavations of the Jersik and Dignai settlements

The museum is located at Rigas Street 8. Opening hours: from 10 am to 6 pm (Monday - until 4 pm). The cost of tickets depends on the age of the visitor: an adult ticket costs 1.14 euros, a child ticket costs 0.36 euros.

Historical monuments of Daugavpils

The most significant historical sights of the city of Daugavpils include the following objects:

• Dinaburg fortress;
• prison castle;
• monument to the soldiers of the revolutionary 5th army.

Dinaburg fortress

The Dinaburg (Dvina) fortress is a large defensive structure, consisting of 10 streets (150 hectares) and built in the 19th century. Daugavpils fortress does not look like medieval fortresses, for the most part it is a semi-earth bastion building. The fortress is in a dilapidated state, but the city authorities have launched a large-scale reconstruction project, because this is the main attraction of Daugavpils. On the territory of the Dinaburg fortress you can see several interesting objects:

• artillery arsenal;
• a water-lifting building in the form of a tower (the center of culture and information of the Dinaburg fortress operates here);
• Nicholas Gate and a wooden bridge leading to them;
• Mikhailovsky, Konstantinovsky and intermediate gates;
• the building of the former commandant's office and parade square;
• 8 old bastions;
• small brick buildings - casemates (it is better not to walk on them because of the large number of bats);
• monuments, etc.

Until the middle of the 20th century, there was a fortress cathedral near the Mikhailovsky Gate, but during the war it was almost completely destroyed, and in 1958 its ruins were also dismantled.

The fortress is located west of the center (crossroads of Odu and Valnu streets). You can get here by almost any type of transport. Entrance to the territory of the fortress is free.

The Prison Castle (Baltais gulbis), also known as the "White Swan", was built in 1863. The original color of the facade of the building is red, and now the prison castle is a quadrangular white prison with high walls and towers in the corners. In 2008, this castle was merged with the second Daugavpils prison (in order to save money on the maintenance of both prisons).

There is a legend in Daugavpils according to which the first prisoner of the White Swan was the architect who built the building. Allegedly, after the completion of the work, the construction manager Fridlan sent an urgent telegram to the governor with the text "The prison is ready for you." The unsuccessful text was perceived ambiguously, and Friedlan was placed in a cell. However, he spent only 3 days in captivity.

The White Swan is still a functioning prison, so you can only look at it from the outside.

The most famous prisoner of the Daugavpils prison is the serial maniac K. Petrov (now he is serving a life sentence for the murder of 38 women)

The Monument to the Soldiers of the Revolutionary 5th Army is a monument erected in 1967 and dedicated to the "dvintsy". The front-line soldiers of the 5th Army of the Northern Fleet, who in 1917 rebelled against military operations, were called Dvintsy. More than 800 soldiers refused to fight the German fighters. The officers compiled a list of rebels, who were subsequently arrested and taken into custody. First, the Dvina (Dinaburg) fortress became the place of detention, and then they were transferred to the Butyrka prison. The "Dvintsy" were not going to give up, since at that time a separate Bolshevik organization was already taking shape inside the arrested.

The imprisoned soldiers went on a hunger strike, and a week later they began to be released one by one. "Dvintsy" worked closely on the structure of their organization, they chose platoon and company commanders. The system worked so smoothly that in October 1917 half of these soldiers transferred to the Petrograd Military Revolutionary Committee. The first battle for Soviet power, in which the "dvintsy" took part, took place on Red Square. A detachment of 300 officers tried to stop several platoons of the rebels (there were almost half as many dvinets). As a result of the skirmish, 45 people were killed, and a battle began in Moscow that lasted a week.

The rebellious soldiers gave their lives for Soviet power, and the inhabitants of Daugavpils did not forget about this sacrifice. After all, no one knows how the further fate of the city would have developed if it were not for the “dvintsy”. You can visit the stele of these fighters with your children.

The monument to the "Dvins" was erected in honor of the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution

The monument to the soldiers of the revolutionary 5th Army is located on Dvincev Street (Dvincu iela), not far from the station square

Natural beauties of Daugavpils

There are many beautiful natural attractions in the eastern part of Latvia, and some of them can be noted in the Daugavpils region:

• natural park "Daugavas loki";
• large Nitzgal stone;
• Slutishk cliff;
• lake Lukna.

Nature Park "Daugavas loki"

"Daugavas loki" is a natural park founded in 1990. The name of the park is translated as “Bends of the Daugava”, since this valley is the center and structural axis of the park. The Daugava Valley is considered the oldest geological formation in Latvia, in 2011 it was included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

The valley bears the name of the Daugava River, from the banks of which picturesque landscapes open up. It was thanks to this river that Daugavpils history developed so rapidly.

The area of ​​the Daugavas Loki valley is almost 13,000 hectares and spreads over several regions (Taborskaya, Skrudaliyonskaya, Kraslava, etc.). The bends of the river stretch up to 8 km (this is perhaps the most beautiful place in the valley). There are places for recreation, there is where to put up a tent and stay for the night.

The nature park is located in the Daugava valley, among the picturesque protected landscapes of Augšdaugava

Entrance to the park is free, you can come here any day. You can get to the park from anywhere in Daugavpils (conveniently - along the A6 and P69 highways).

Large Nitzgal stone

Nitsgale stone is the name of the largest boulder in Latvia. Its diameter reaches 10.5 meters and its height is 3.5 meters. It is believed that this stone was left here by a glacier, so it is recognized as a natural monument of federal significance.

Once upon a time, holidays were held around this stone and hunters gathered. In 1938, the forester of the Nitsgale forestry ordered to cut steps in this boulder, since then the stone has become a favorite place for tourists.

Previously, at the large Nitsgalsky stone, the Ligo holiday (Yanov's day) was celebrated - the day of the summer solstice

The stone is located near the Nitsgale forest (6 km from Nitsgale station).

Slutishk cliff

Slutiški cliff is a section of exposed rock with a height of about 41 meters. The length of the cliff is 400 m. It is believed that the Slutishki cliff was formed in the Quaternary period, but this is not the only reason for its importance. The fact is that rare and endangered species of plants grow in the neighboring forest (umbrella winter-lover, one-sided ortilia, etc.).

Until 1925, sections of Middle Devonian sandstone could be found in the cliff, but now they are not here. The fact is that the Daugava has now become calmer, the coast is not washed out, and the slope of the cliff is overgrown with vegetation. Tourists are very fond of this place; a beautiful panorama of one of the bends of the river opens from the cliff. In addition, there are well-maintained places for recreation.

The slope of the Slutishk cliff is considered quite steep (38 degrees)

The famous cliff is located near the village of the Old Believers Slutishki. The Moscow cognitive trail begins in the village. The cliff can be reached along this trail or by boat along the Daugava.

Lake Lukna

Lukna (Luknas) is a lake 6 km long and 1.5 km wide. The reservoir has become popular among tourists due to its shape and location. The fact is that in the eastern part of the lake there is a connection with Lake Vishki. Lukna is considered a rather deep lake, its maximum length reaches 6.1 m. There are several interesting offers for tourists:

• on the beach near the Vish technical school, a recreation area was landscaped, as well as a boat station and a pier "Višķi uz viļņa";
• on the beach in the village of Ostrov there is also a well-maintained recreation area and an observation tower;
• Vishki parish administration helps to organize licensed fishing;
• tables, benches, swings, toilets and garbage containers are installed along the entire shore of the reservoir;
• there is a cycling route around Lake Lukna, which is marked in nature with wooden signs.

Lake Luknas is located at an altitude of 181.0 m above sea level, the average depth of the lake is 2.4 m

Lake Lukna is located to the east of the Rezekne-Daugavpils highway (to the left of the village of Vishki). You can get to the lake for free and at any time, but the rental of water transport is only open from Tuesday to Sunday. Rental hours:

• weekdays (except Monday) - from 4 to 8 pm;
• weekends - from noon to 8 pm.

You can take a catamaran or aquaskiper for 2 euros (30–60 minutes), and a boat for 1.5–7 euros (per day).

What to see depending on the season

The city of Daugavpils is beautiful at any time of the year, especially when it comes to castles and fortifications. But everyone loves to enjoy nature in different ways. Connoisseurs of winter fishing will prefer local lakes, while romantics will like autumn forests and parks. But there are 2 places here that open only in specific seasons:

• Stropskaya recreation center (in summer);
• Eklukalns ski complex (in winter).

Stropskaya recreation center

The Stropu recreation center (Stropu Vilnis) is a cultural and leisure center (a camp site in a mixed forest) located on the shore of the Stropu Lake. An asphalt path (almost 3 km) passes through this section of the forest, which attracts tourists (usually the road is used for jogging and cycling).

An interesting fact: Stropskaya recreation center differs from other camp sites in that the lake adjacent to it (over 400 hectares in area) is considered the cleanest in Latvia. On the beaches of such reservoirs, it is customary to establish a symbol of safety, cleanliness and comfort. Only Stropskoye Lake can boast of such a distinction.

The Stropka recreation center has a lot of entertainment for tourists (including those with children) - quests, attractions, etc.

The camp site is located on the eastern shore of Lake Stropskoe. You can get to the lake from the center of Daugavpils by taxi or bus.

Ski complex "Eklukalns"

"Eglukalns" is a well-maintained ski base near Daugavpils with a developed infrastructure. Organizers winter holiday In Latvia, a whole entertainment complex has been created here:

• ski slopes (with artificial snow cover) for slalom;
• track for snow tubing (descent on balloons);
• children's slide;
• picnic areas and parking;
• equipment rental (skis, snowboards, etc.);
• cafe, etc.

Interestingly, Eglukalns is located at an altitude of 220 m above sea level, so the atmospheric pressure is always low here. This contributes to the long-term preservation of snow (it simply does not melt until late spring). The slides are covered with snow from a special cannon, and a snow plow machine makes it a perfectly even surface.

In "Eglukalns" you can hire an instructor who will teach you the basics of winter sports

"Eglukalns" is located in the village of Svente on the Augshzeme Upland (it's a 20-minute drive from Daugavpils). Schedule:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday - from 12:00 to 21:00;
• Friday - from 12:00 to 22:00;
• Saturday - from 11:00 to 22:00;
• Sunday - from 11:00 to 21:00.

Slides are free, you need to pay for the funicular ride (from 3 to 5 euros for climbs for an hour), sports equipment rental (up to 7 euros per hour) and instructor services (from 12 euros for a 50-minute lesson). If you come with your own skis or snowboard, you can use the help of an inventory maintenance specialist (from 8 euros).

What to see if you come with a child

If your child did not enjoy visiting the listed attractions, then you can visit other places in Daugavpils:

• Latgale Zoo;
• ice palace of sports;
• pottery center.

Latgale Zoo

Latgale Zoo is a kind of exotarium (jungle in miniature), which began its existence in 1987. Some call this place a miniature zoo. Here you can see the following animals:

• spotted pythons and crocodile caimans;
• red koi and Australian opossums;
• macaques and rabbits;
• guinea pigs, etc.

In the Latgale Zoo recreated the "environment" rainforest, so animals live in conditions close to natural

I managed to chat with a girl who was in this exotarium. She said that she would not have found the zoo if not for the sign on the door. It turns out that the facade of the building needs to be repaired for a long time, but there is no money in the city budget for this. Zoo workers are very worried that the authorities may close them unusual place work. However, despite the problems of organization, there are always small visitors to the zoo.

Latgale Zoo is located at Vienibas Street 27. You can visit this place from Wednesday to Sunday (opening hours - from 10 am to 6 pm). An adult ticket costs 0.60 euros, a child ticket costs 0.30 euros, and for preschoolers it is free.

Ice Palace of Sports in Daugavpils

The Ice Palace of Sports in Daugavpils is not just a sports complex with a large skating rink, but a whole entertainment complex for the whole family:

• there are 1234 seats, 750 parking spaces and an area for 6000 disco visitors;
• competitions of European and world scale are held here;
• the open ice hockey championship of the city of Daugavpils is regularly held in the ice palace;
• ice show programs of the palace: ballet, circus on ice, etc.;
• the arena is also used for concerts, festivals and competitions that do not involve the use of ice at all.

And if the child does not want to go to the skating rink, then you can just take a walk in front of the palace. The area in front of the building is decorated with lawns and unusual benches. Unique art objects were created and installed here by ordinary residents of the city.

Entrance to the palace building is free, you only need to pay for visiting certain halls

Daugavpils Ice Palace is located at 47 "A" Stacijas Street. Schedule:

• Monday - Friday (from 7 am to midnight);
• Saturday and Sunday (from 8 am to midnight).

Pottery Center

The Pottery Center in Daugavpils is part of a large creative project "Development of Creative Tourism", launched in 2000. In the center you can:

• develop your creative potential;
• participate in master classes and seminars;
• purchase unique ceramic items;
• to master theoretical and tactical skills in close contact with the environment, culture and people;
• get acquainted with the traditional cultural values ​​of Latvia and Lithuania, etc.

Photo gallery: exhibition of the center of pottery in Daugavpils

During working hours, you can see an exposition of finished products in the Pottery Center. Master classes by professional potters are organized here, where anyone can participate. Non-standard ceramic items are presented in the center. In a separate room of the center, you can watch the work of masters.

• Wednesday - Saturday from 12.00 to 18.00;
• on Wednesdays - from 12.00 to 14.00;
• master classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays (for children) from 16:00 to 18:00;
• Sunday - from 12:00 to 16:00;
• Monday and Tuesday are days off.

Participation in master classes is free, as is visiting the center, and you will have to pay for the chosen souvenir.

How long does it take to see the city

Sights of Daugavpils can be seen in 1 day. You will need up to 3 days to visit other places (Daugavas loki, Nitsgale stone, Eglukalns, etc.). Of course, if you decide to stay in the city for at least 2-3 days, then you will need to check into a hotel. There are not many of them in the city, but in each of them there is always a free room.

Useful tips for your stay in Daugavpils

A tourist who plans to spend several days in Daugavpils needs to remember a few things:

• before the trip, install useful applications on your smartphone (navigator, audio guide, currency converter, etc.);
• you will not need an interpreter, as even native Latvians understand Russian well;
• keep cash and bank cards in several places (in the nearest pocket you need to keep a small amount, for example, for 1 day);
• make photocopies of all important documents in advance (it is better to take copies on a city tour);
• make a list of attractions. which you want to visit first;
• prepare useful cards.

Photo gallery: useful maps of Daugavpils

Before the trip, mark the selected sights on the map If you want to see the sights located in the vicinity, then the route of movement must be marked on the map in advance