Liepāja

Liepāja (Liepoja in Lithuanian, Libau in German, Lipawa in Polish, Ли́епая in Russian) is a 78,144 inhabitants city on the Baltic Sea coast, being the main Latvian and Baltic ice-free port and the 3rd city of Latvia in population. Liepāja is also the largest city of Kurzeme region. Its nickname is "City where the wind is born" (Pilsētā, kurā piedzimst vējš).

How do I arrive to Liepāja?

  Liepāja is an important seaside city so there are many ways to arrive there from all over Latvia and the nearest country, Lithuania. 

• Plane: there are flights to Liepāja Airport from Riga (3 times per week), 9 km east from the city center. To go from the airport to the city, there's the bus #2.
• Boat: there are ferries from/to Travemünde (Germany) or Nynäshamn (Sweden).
• Train: there are train routes from Liepāja to Riga (aprox. 3 hours) once in a week. 
• Bus: there are 2-3 buses each hour to Riga (aprox. 4 hours 30 minutes) from Liepāja Bus Station for 9€ (one way). There are also 7 daily buses to Kuldīga (aprox. 3 hours), 7 daily buses to Ventspils (aprox. 3 hours, via Pāvilosta) and Jūrkalne (aprox. 1.5 hours). There are 5 daily buses from Liepāja to Pāvilosta (aprox. 1 hour 20 minutes).
• Car: in case of having a car Liepāja can be reached from Alsunga (aprox. 25 minutes), Sabile (aprox. 40 minutes), Pāvilosta (aprox. 50 minutes), Ventspils (aprox. 1 hour 30 minutes), from Kuldīga (aprox. 1 hour 10 minutes) and from Riga (aprox. 2 hours 45 minutes). The city isn't far from the border with Lithuania so it can be reach in a 1 hour journey from Palanga and 1 hour 15 minutes from Klaipėda.

History

There's a legend which says that Liepāja was founded by a Curonian fishermen but it's confirmed that the Teutonic Order settled here a town in 1263 called Libau, which was burnt by the Lithuanians in 1418. Libau flourished due to trade along river Līva till 1520 (when it became too shallow). The area was given by Gotthard Kettler to Albert, Duke of Prussia, going back to the Duchy in 1609 and being burnt in the Livonian War by the Swedes. Liepāja gained city rights with Duke Friedrich Kettler, becoming one of the main ports of Courland, starting the process of Couronian colonization in West Africa and the Caribbean. In the Great Northern War Libau was captured by Charles XII of Sweden, but then given back to Poland and then to the Russian Empire after the third Partition of Poland in 1795, placing it in the Courland Governorate. Liepāja's port was captured by the British Royal Navy during the Crimean War and during the whole 19th century, the city got an important growth, being one of the major ports of the Russian Empire on the Baltic Sea. During WW1 it was occupied by the German Army and after it and the Latvian independence, Liepāja was the second major city in the new country. In WW2 Liepāja was conquered first by the Red Army, then by the Nazi German Army (with some local collaboration) and again Red Army. During the Soviet occupation there were mass deportations to Siberia but the city was reconstructed and considered a closed city, with a Soviet Baltic naval base and nuclear weapons. After the Latvian independence, Liepāja is home of Latvia's largest naval flotilla and the largest warehouses of ammunition. In 2006 Liepāja was visited by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, a direct descendant of Jacob Kettler.
 

What can I visit in Liepāja?

Liepāja is a nice city and has an interesting walk enjoying its Art Nouveau architecture, which stands proudly among the best examples of the style in Europe. Between the city and the Liepāja Beach there's a nice park called Jūrmala Park. Aproximately 1/3 of the city is the Karosta district, constructed in 1890-1906 as a naval base for the Russian Tsar Alexander III, where The Northern Breakwater is located too.

These are Liepāja's main attractions:

• Karosta Prison (9-19 from Jun to Aug; 10-18 May and Sep; 12-16 Sat-Sun from Oct to Apr; 5€/ 3.50€  adults/ retiree, students and kids over 6): the only military prison in Europe open to tourists has a wide offer of activities: guide excursions, excursions with elements of spectacle, escape rooms, spy game and it's also a hotel (where you can have an extreme night and be in prisioner's shoes).
• Karosta Water Tower: early 20th century water tower that was part of the formerly Russian Tsar Alexander III Mořských city.
• St. Nikolaja pareizticīgo Russian Orthodox Cathedral (8-17): impressing 1901 cathedral built in the 17th century traditional Russian churches style (its cornerstone was laid in Tsar Nicholas II presence). Its rich inner decoration was partially stolen during WW1 and after it used as Lutheran church and a gymnasium (being back as an Orthodox Cathedral after Soviet occupation).  
• Oskara Kalpaka Bridge: iconic metal bridge designed by the German engineer Harald Hall and built in 1906 that connects Karosta with the rest of the city. It's often opened to make way for ships.
• Amber Clock: sundial-shaped design object created from thousands of pieces of amber that shows time every hour by a special light performance (it's better to see it when it is dark outside).
• Liepāja Museum (10-18 from May to Aug; 10-18 Wed-Sun from Sep to Apr; free): this museum, placed in former Katzenelsons family 20th century Neo-Gothic mansion, shows the history of Liepāja from Stone and Bronze Age with tools to WW1 and WW2 objects. It also has an interesting collection of jewery and an exposition dedicated to a wood carver Miķelis Pankoks.
• Jūrmala Park: 19th century seaside park with fountains, monuments, the open-air concert stage Put, vējiņi!, children playgrounds and places to exercise outdoors. Next to the concert stage appears a statue called Ghosts Tree, dedicated to the legendary band Līvi. 
• St. Trīsvienības Lutheran Cathedral: 18th century cathedral with Rococo style interior and whose highlight is the organ, one of the largest in Europe, built by H.A. Contius. From its tower there's a great view of the city.
• House of Craftsmen (10-17 Mon-Fri and 10-15 Sat from Apr to Sep; 10-17 Mon-Fri from Oct to Mar; free): building with many workshops where national costumes, ceramic works, metal ornaments, paintings, amber jewelery, leather goods and homemade dolls are made. It has the biggest work of art done with amber in the world (tapestry).
• St. Jāzepa Catholic Cathedral: Neo-Romanesque cathedral built in the early 20th century of yellow bricks with many small towers, following a ship model in the church (that was believed to bring good luck for fishermen). It's the biggest Catholic church in Liepāja. 
• St. Annas Lutheran Church (10-17): oldest church in Liepāja (first built in 1508) but rebuilt several times (the last in the 19th century). Its altar from 1697 by wood-carver Nicolaus Söffrens is considered a Baroque masterpiece from that period in Eastern Europe.
• Museum of Liepāja under Occupation Regimes (10-18 Wed-Sun; free): museum which shows social, political, economic and cultural life in Liepāja and its region during German and Soviet occupation from 1939 to 1991 and the country's fight for independence.
• St. Meinarda Catholic Church: church that was in the Vatican's pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hannover and was gifted to Liepāja and brought here in 2002.

St. Nikolaja pareizticīgo
Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Liepāja Beach

 

 

 

 

Pāvilosta's harbour

In the way from Liepāja to Ventspils can be found Pāvilosta (Paulshafen in German), a small port town with 1,134 inhabitants 50 km north from Liepāja. This town is very popular to practice surf, kitesurf, windsurf and renting traditional wood boats, particularly in summer, and it's a great place to enjoy if it's possible due to the weather. It has a small museum Pāvilosta Local History Museum (9-17 Wed-Fri and 12-16 Sat-Sun from May to Sep; 9-17 Mon-Fri from Oct to Apr; 2€/ 1.50€/ 0.50€  adults/ students/ retiree and kids) with some elements of local history like 18th century bronze Latvian brooches and belts, items used for fishing, ancient craftworks, folk costumes of the Saka region and a exhibition about boats; and the beaches surrounding Pāvilosta have grey dunes, EU protected biotopes. If you stop here a choice to eat is the Latvian traditional food Āķagals (Dzintaru iela 3).

Where can I buy in Liepāja?

Liepāja has some interesting places where buying like Peter's Market (Rakstvežu iela 7), 17th cenutry market where buying from fresh vegetables and fruits to second-hand clothes or House of Craftsmen (Dārza iela 4/8), to buy Latvian craftwork.

Where can I eat in Liepāja?

Concert Hall Great Amber

As Liepāja is a quite big city in Latvia, the gastronomic offer is quite important. If you have a low budget some recommendations are the fast-food joint Fontaine Delisnack (Dzirnavu iela 4), the bakery Boulangerie (Kuršu iela 2) or the cafe Workshop (Lielā iela 8), which turns into an interesting pub at night; if your budget is a bit higher and you want to try Latvia food, the restaurant Pastnieka māja (Friča Brīvzemnieka iela 53) can be a good place. The city has also a vast pubs and clubbing offer because Liepāja is the musical center of Latvia (especially in rock and similar genres). Some nice places to have a drink and listen to music are Fontaine Palace Club (Dzirnavu iela 4), the night club BIG7 (Baznīcas iela 14/16), Klondaika (Stendera iela 3) and the Concert Hall Lielais Dzintars (Great Amber; Radio iela 8), placed in a beautiful building designed and built by Volker Giencke in 2015. You can buy entries for its spectacles or visit it (guided tours booking in advance; 2.50€/ 1.50€  adults/ retiree, students and kids).

Posted in: Europe,Latvia