Rose Square
Rožu laukums

Rožu laukums is the central square of Liepāja and one of the historical and administrative centers of the city. The square was built in the 18th century as part of the expansion of Liepāja’s old commercial center around Lielā iela, which served as the main axis of the city’s trade and traffic towards the river and the port. Originally, the square served as a market, where farmers from the Kurzeme region sold agricultural products and fish to local merchants. In 1792, the area was formally regulated, while the surrounding buildings gradually acquired two- to three-story houses with shops on the ground floor and apartments above. The name Rožu laukums originates from the 19th century, when the city’s gardeners created a public flower garden in the center of the square, and the roses became a permanent part of the city’s visual identity.

After the fire in Liepāja in 1868, a large part of the center was rebuilt, and Rožu laukums took on its current form with paving and rows of trees along the edges. In the early 20th century, the square was surrounded by monumental Art Nouveau and Neoclassical buildings, including the current Liepājas Universitāte and several banks. During the First Latvian Republic in the 1920s, the square served as a gathering place for major ceremonies and military parades. During the Soviet period, the flowerbeds were removed, and a statue of Lenin was erected in the middle of the square in 1970. After 1991, the monument was removed and a new reconstruction was carried out, where the historical structure with flowerbeds, fountains and benches was re-established according to urban plans from the 1930s. The square regained its function as the city’s primary meeting place.

Today, Rožu laukums forms a central part of Liepāja’s urban identity. Around the square are the Town Hall, a cultural center and several historical buildings, and it serves as a junction between the old town and the modern part of the city to the east. The existing buildings represent a broad architectural period from the 1870s to the 1930s, where one can follow the transition from classicism to art nouveau. The square’s green areas are designed in a symmetrical tradition with a central fountain, and the roses that bloom from June to September have been preserved as a historical symbol of Liepāja.

Liepāja University
Liepājas Universitāte

Liepājas Universitāte is the city’s oldest higher education institution and a central cultural and architectural element in the center of Liepāja. The university’s main building, located at Lielā iela 14, was built in 1890–1892 according to designs by the German-Latvian architect Paul Max Bertschy, who was the city architect of Liepāja in the period 1870–1902. The building is a monumental example of historicist architecture in the Baltics, made with details in shaped stone and sandstone cornices. The façade is symmetrical with three floors, round-arched windows and a central tower-decorated risalit, and the construction bears witness to the city’s role as a regional educational centre in the Russian Empire at the time.

The institution was founded in 1919 as Liepājas skolotāju institūts. It was shortly after Latvia’s independence, and the focus was on teacher training. During the interwar period, the number of students grew from approximately 60 to over 400, and the building was expanded with laboratories and a library. During the Soviet period, the university was nationalised and renamed Liepājas Pedagogiskais institūts, with the focus broadened to include languages, culture and natural sciences. In the 1960s, the rear building was added in a functionalist style with a concrete frame and large glass sections, contrasting with the original brick architecture. In the 1990s, after regaining independence, the institution was reorganised as Liepājas Universitāte, and the building was protected as a cultural heritage site.

Architecturally, the complex stands as an important example of Liepāja’s educational and urban planning history. The original Bertschy building has been preserved almost unchanged, including the staircase halls with cast-iron railings, mosaic floors and stucco ceiling decorations. The university continues to be an academic and cultural center with over 2,000 students and a broad collaboration with the city’s art and technology communities. The building also functions as part of Liepāja’s historical axis around Rožu laukums, where many of the city’s administrative and cultural institutions are concentrated.

Holy Trinity Cathedral
Svētā Trīsvienības katedrāle

Svētā Trīsvienības katedrāle ligger i hjertet af Liepāja og er en af de mest betydningsfulde lutheranske kirker i Letland. Den blev opført mellem 1742 og 1758 efter tegninger af arkitekt Johann Christoph Dorn, og den er et hovedværk inden for baltisk barokarkitektur. Bygningen blev opført i mursten, pudset og kalket, og den har en markant tårnkonstruktion på 55 meter, som ved indvielsen var den højeste bygning i Letland. Kirken blev indviet den 5. december 1758 og blev centrum for det tyske og lettiske lutherske samfund i Liepāja, som på det tidspunkt var en blomstrende handelsby under hertugdømmet Kurland.

Katedralens interiør er berømt for sit orgel, som blev bygget mellem 1779 og 1885 af Johann Wilhelm Sauer. På tidspunktet for færdiggørelsen var orglet det største i verden med 131 registre, 7.000 piber og fire manualer. Instrumentet har overlevet både krige og moderniseringer og anvendes stadig i dag ved koncerter og festivaler. I 1800-tallet blev katedralen delvist restaureret, og tårnet fik et nyt spir i klassicistisk stil. I 1862 blev der installeret en ny facadeudsmykning og farvet glas i korvinduet.

I sovjettiden blev Svētā Trīsvienības katedrāle bevaret som aktiv kirke, men i reduceret brug, og mange af interiørets gulddekorationer blev fjernet. Efter 1991 blev en omfattende restaurering igangsat, og i 2012 blev orglet fuldstændig restaureret til sin oprindelige stand. Katedralen bruges i dag både til gudstjenester og som koncertsal for klassisk musik. Den er en del af Letlands nationale kulturarv og udgør et centralt symbol for Liepājas religiøse og musikalske historie.

Liepāja Teater
Liepājas teātris

Liepājas teātris er det ældste eksisterende professionelle teater i Letland. Det blev grundlagt i 1907 og er stadig i drift som en af landets førende teaterscener. Bygningen, der ligger på Teātra iela ved Rožu laukums, blev opført i 1906–1907 efter projekt af arkitekten Max Paul Bertschy, som også stod bag en række af Liepājas jugendstilbygninger. Teateret blev opført i nybarok stil med klassicistiske træk og har en facade med dekorative relieffer. Salen har plads til omkring 600 tilskuere og er udstyret med balkon, loger og en halvcirkelformet sceneåbning med gulddekorationer. Akustikken blev ved opførelsen regnet for en af de bedste i Baltikum.

Teateret blev i sine første år brugt til både lettiske og tyske forestillinger, hvilket afspejlede byens multietniske sammensætning. Under Første Verdenskrig blev bygningen beskadiget, men genopbygget i 1921 som nationalt teater under navnet Liepājas Valsts teātris. I 1930erne havde teatret sin første guldalder med opsætninger af klassiske og moderne lettiske stykker, og huset blev moderniseret med ny belysning og ny sceneteknik. Under Anden Verdenskrig blev bygningen igen beskadiget, og dele af loftet og scenen brændte, men den blev hurtigt repareret i 1946 og genåbnede under sovjetisk ledelse.

I dag fungerer Liepājas teātris som et af Letlands vigtigste provinsteatre med fast ensemble og et omfattende repertoire på både lettisk og russisk. Arkitektonisk fremstår bygningen som et af de bedst bevarede teatre fra begyndelsen af det 20. århundrede i Baltikum, og den indgår i det historiske bymiljø omkring Rožu laukums og Lielā iela. Teateret er desuden fredet som nationalt kulturmindesmærke og bruges jævnligt til internationale teaterfestivaler og samarbejder.

Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral
Svetā Trīsvienības pareizticīgo katedrāle

Svetā Trīsvienības pareizticīgo katedrāle is the oldest Orthodox church in Liepāja and a central institution of the Russian Orthodox community in the city. It was built in 1866–1870 according to the design of the Russian architect David Grimm, who also participated in the construction of churches in Saint Petersburg and Tallinn. The cathedral is located on Bāriņu iela in the eastern part of Liepāja, where it replaced a smaller wooden church from the 1840s. The building was built in the Neo-Byzantine style and features five domes covered with copper and gilded crosses.

The main plan of the cathedral forms a Greek cross, and the central dome rises 42 meters above the ground. The facade is decorated with ceramic friezes, horseshoe-shaped arches and mosaic icons in niches above the entrances. The interior is richly decorated with frescoes by Russian artists from the imperial court studio, and the iconostasis is carved from linden wood with gold leaf. The consecration in 1870 was attended by representatives of the Russian Navy and the local governor, as the church had the status of a garrison church for Orthodox sailors.

In 1915, the cathedral was damaged during German bombing, but was quickly repaired. During the Soviet period, it was not closed, but functioned in a limited form as a parish church. In the 1990s, a comprehensive restoration was initiated with the support of the Russian Orthodox Church and local authorities. The domes were renewed with a new copper covering, and the mosaics were reconstructed according to original drawings. Today, the cathedral is an active religious center of the Liepāja Orthodox community and a significant architectural monument. Its neo-Byzantine style, mosaic decoration and preserved interior make it one of the most authentic examples of 19th-century Russian church architecture in Latvia.

St. Joseph’s Cathedral
Svētā Jāzepa katoļu katedrāle

Svētā Jāzepa katoļu katedrāle is the main Catholic church in Liepāja and the episcopal seat of the Liepāja Diocese. It was built between 1894 and 1896 according to designs by architect Louis Melville, and the construction was financed by local Catholic parishes and the German community of the city. The cathedral is located on Toma iela in the center of Liepāja, where a smaller chapel from the 1750s used to stand. The new church was built to replace the older one, which had become too small for the growing congregation. The building is a prominent example of neo-Gothic architecture in the Baltics.

The cathedral’s facade is three-part and adorned with two 55-meter-high towers, flanked by buttresses and decorative brick bands. The main portal is framed by a Gothic arch with a rose window above. The interior consists of a three-nave church with a vaulted ceiling and ribbed arches supported by columns of shaped stone. The altar was made by the German sculptor Heinrich Buhlmann and is richly decorated with wood carvings and gilded elements. The church received its first organ in 1898. It was built by Krišjānis Rudzītis’ workshop in Jelgava, and the instrument was expanded in 1939 with a new set of pipes.

During the Soviet period, Svētā Jāzepa Church remained one of the few active Catholic churches in Western Latvia. It was named a cathedral in 1937, when the Liepāja Diocese was established. Despite periods of restrictions, the church was continuously maintained by the congregation. After 1991, the facade was restored and the spires were given new copper coverings. The cathedral was officially listed as a national architectural monument in 1998. Today it is the seat of the Bishop of Liepāja and serves as the center of Catholic liturgy in Kurzeme. The building’s tall spire and symmetrical facade make it a dominant element of the Liepāja skyline.

Peter’s Market
Liepājas Pētertirgus

Liepājas Pētertirgus is one of the largest and oldest covered market facilities in the Baltics. The market was built between 1910 and 1911 to replace the former open square on the same site. The architect behind the main building was Paul Max Bertschy, who used a combination of Art Nouveau and rationalist brick architecture, which was characteristic of Liepāja’s public buildings at that time. The central hall was constructed of steel and glass, with a length of 80 meters, a width of 40 meters and a domed roof structure supported by riveted iron arches. The building was one of the most modern in Latvia at the time of its construction and was equipped with electric lighting, drainage and a ventilation system.

The market was divided into sections for fish, meat, vegetables and grain, and the surrounding side buildings were used for stalls and workshops. It initially had over 300 permanent stalls and was a central trade hub in Liepāja’s economy. During World War I, the market building was damaged, but was rebuilt in 1923. In the interwar period, new functionalist-style pavilions were added, including the eastern dairy hall and the western fish pavilion. During the Soviet era, the market was nationalized, but continued as the city’s largest food market, and it retained its architectural structure unchanged.

St. Anna’s Lutheran Church
Svētā Annas luterānu baznīca

Svētā Annas luterānu baznīca is one of Liepāja’s most significant religious buildings. The first church on the site was built of wood in 1508, but the current brick church dates from 1587, making it one of the oldest surviving Protestant churches in Latvia. The building was expanded with a tower in the 1670s, and in 1737 it underwent a major renovation, when the Baroque interior, altar and pulpit were added. The altarpiece, executed by master Nicolaus Söffrens the Younger, is one of the most important Baroque works of art in Latvia. It is 10 metres high and richly decorated with figures, reliefs and gilding.

The church was damaged during the fire of 1868, which destroyed large parts of the Liepāja city centre, but was rebuilt soon after. It was restored in the 1890s with new windows in the neo-Gothic style and an organ from the workshop of Friedrich Ladegast in Germany, which is still in use. During the Soviet period, the church remained active, which was unusual in Latvia, and many of its interior elements therefore survived unscathed. The architecture of the building combines Gothic and Baroque features, and its 55-metre-high tower forms a prominent landmark in the Liepāja skyline.

Jūrmala Park
Jūrmala parks

Jūrmala parks is one of the largest city parks in Latvia, covering an area of ​​about 70 hectares along the Baltic Sea coast in the western part of Liepāja. The park was created between 1899 and 1902 as part of the city’s transformation into a modern spa town, when Liepāja became a popular seaside resort for both Russian and German aristocracy around the turn of the century. The area, which previously consisted of sand dunes and pine forests, was regulated and designed as a recreational facility with a promenade, pavilions, a bandstand and flower beds. The original layout of the park was carried out according to plans by city engineer Jānis Medveckis, and many of the planted trees, especially pine, birch and linden, were selected to stabilize the dunes and create shelter from the sea wind.

During the interwar period, Jūrmala parks became a central element of Liepāja’s identity as a seaside resort. An open concert area, sports field and several cafes were built, and the park’s paths were paved with gravel. In the 1930s, it was connected to Roņu iela and the sea baths by a network of footbridges and stairs. During the Soviet period, the park was expanded to the south, and a number of monuments were erected; for example, memorials to Soviet sailors and partisans. The park’s sports infrastructure was expanded with tennis courts, mini-golf and an open-air theatre. After Latvia’s independence in 1991, many Soviet elements were removed, and the park was restored as a recreational area with a focus on historical axes and plantings.

Today, Jūrmala’s parks are a combination of historical landscape architecture and modern recreational infrastructure. The park includes a 1.5-kilometre-long music path with sculptures dedicated to Latvian composers, an open concert area with space for 2,000 spectators, and a number of preserved wooden pavilions from the early 20th century. It serves as the city’s green belt between the seafront, the old bathing facilities and the modern city centre. Jūrmalas parks represent a rare type of urban coastal park from early modernity, where functions such as recreation, music and urban nature were integrated into a unified urban planning system.

Liepāja Museum
Liepājas muzejs

Liepājas muzejs is the city’s largest cultural-historical institution and one of the oldest museums in western Latvia. The museum was founded in 1924 by local historian Jānis Sudmalis with the aim of preserving objects from Liepāja’s maritime, industrial and cultural development. The current museum building is located on Kūrmājas prospekts and was built in 1901 as a private residence for the merchant Peter von Osten-Sacken. The building is an excellent example of Liepāja Art Nouveau with an asymmetrical facade, ornate cornices and rich decoration in stucco and wrought iron. After nationalization in the 1920s, the house was converted into a museum, and the collections grew rapidly, with items from archaeology, seafaring, art, and ethnography.

During World War II, parts of the collection were evacuated, but the building survived relatively unscathed. During the Soviet period, the museum was expanded with new exhibition rooms, and a section for social and industrial history was established. In the 1980s, the collection included over 100,000 items, such as documents, photographs, ship models, uniforms, and local artwork. After 1991, the museum was reorganized as a municipal museum, focusing on the regional cultural heritage of Kurzeme. The interior of the building was restored in 2000–2003, and the original wooden floors, stairs, and stucco ceilings were preserved.

Today, Liepājas muzejs has several permanent exhibitions, including an extensive section on Liepāja’s maritime history from the 17th century to the present day, a collection of classical and modern Latvian art, and a section dedicated to the city’s German and Jewish history. The museum also operates branches in the Liepāja area, such as military history exhibitions in Karosta. The building itself stands as a central example of Liepāja’s turn-of-the-century civic architecture.

The Great Amber
Lielais dzintars

Lielais dzintars is the name of Liepāja’s modern concert hall and cultural centre, built between 2013 and 2015 as a key initiative in the city’s cultural revitalisation. The building is located on Radio iela in the eastern part of the city centre and was designed by Austrian architect Volker Giencke. It is designed as a sloping octagonal glass cube in amber tones, symbolising the Baltic amber, which has historical significance for the region. The structure is 30 metres high and has a total area of ​​14,000 m². It consists of a main hall with 1,000 seats, a chamber music hall, rehearsal rooms, an art gallery and office space. The building was constructed of steel and concrete with laminated glass facades that change colour depending on the light conditions.

The project was financed by the EU Structural Funds and the Latvian state with a total budget of approximately 30 million euros. The aim was to create a permanent base for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and a new centre for music and art in the Kurzeme region. The acoustics of the main hall were designed by the German company Müller-BBM, and since its opening in October 2015, Lielais dzintars has hosted classical concerts, theatre, conferences and international cultural festivals.

Liepāja Promenade
Liepājas promenāde

Liepājas promenāde stretches along the Tirdzniecības kanāls, which connects the city’s port with the Liepājas ezers lake area. The original port promenade was built in the 1890s as a trade and transshipment area, where grain, timber and coal were transshipped from the railway to the ships. During the Soviet period, the area was military and inaccessible to the public, but after 1991 it was gradually transformed into a civilian port and cultural district. The current promenade was established in 2003–2006 as part of a larger urban development project, where the old warehouses and quayside were restored and integrated into a modern urban space.

The promenade is over a kilometer long and includes walkways, bridges, art installations, and restored 19th-century buildings. A central element is the Lielais dzintars concert hall, which was built in 2015 near the eastern end of the promenade. The building was designed by Austrian architect Volker Giencke and designed as a 30-meter-high glass cube in amber shades, symbolizing the name, which means Great Amber. The concert hall seats 1,000 and serves as the home of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra.

Liepājas promenade today represents a successful combination of industrial heritage and modern urban design. The original cobblestones and quaysides have been preserved in several places, and some of the cranes from the former port facility stand as technical monuments. The area is currently used for city festivals, music events and maritime festivals, and the promenade is an important element of Liepāja’s tourist infrastructure. From an architectural-historical perspective, the area reflects the city’s transformation from an industrial port to a modern coastal city with a focus on culture, recreation and sustainable urban development.

Liepāja Harbour Bridge
Liepājas ostas tilts

Liepājas ostas tilts is a bridge connecting the city centre with Karosta, and is one of Liepāja’s most important technical and historical structures. The bridge was built in 1906 as part of the expansion of the Russian naval base, and it originally functioned as a swing bridge to provide access to the harbour basin via the Tirdzniecības kanāls. It was designed by Russian engineers according to German and British model principles and is made of steel with riveted lattice girders. The bridge is 133 metres long, and the swing part consists of a central axis that can rotate 90 degrees to open the passage for ships. The mechanism was originally hand-operated, but was electrified in the 1920s.

During both world wars, the bridge played a strategic role as an access road to Karosta. It was partially damaged in 1941 during German bombing, but was quickly rebuilt by the German Navy. During the Soviet era, the bridge was modernized with new steel parts and an electric control system. It was closed to car traffic in the 1990s for safety reasons, but still functions as a pedestrian connection and technical monument. In 2006, the bridge’s original turning mechanism was restored, and it can now be opened on special occasions as part of the city’s maritime festivals.

St. Nicholas Cathedral
Svetā Nikolaja Jūras katedrāle

Svetā Nikolaja Jūras katedrāle is located in the northern part of the city of Karosta and is one of the largest and most monumental Orthodox churches in Latvia. It was built between 1901 and 1903 as a garrison church for the Russian Imperial Navy, which had a significant base in Liepāja. The cathedral was built on the initiative of Admiral Stepan Makarov, and the project was led by architect Vasily Kosyakov, who was also behind the large and famous Naval Cathedral in Kronstadt. The building was built in the Neo-Byzantine style with a ground plan shaped like a Greek cross and five onion-shaped domes, with the central dome having a height of 56 meters. The building material is mainly brick faced with limestone and ceramic details, while the interior is richly decorated with mosaics, frescoes and an iconostasis made of gilded wood.

The cathedral was inaugurated in 1903 with the participation of representatives of the Russian Navy and the imperial family. It could accommodate about 1,400 churchgoers and in its early years served as a religious center for the sailors of the Baltic Fleet. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the independence of Latvia in 1918, the Karosta area was gradually demilitarized, and the church lost its original function. During Soviet times, the building was used as a sports hall and warehouse, and much of the interior decoration was lost. Only after 1991 was it returned to the Orthodox congregation, which began a long-term restoration that continued into the 2010s. The original frescoes and floor coverings were reconstructed based on archival drawings and photographs from the early 20th century.

Svētā Nikolaja Jūras katedrāle today stands as a central architectural landmark of Liepāja and one of the most visited places in Karosta. Its golden domes can be seen from much of the city, and the building is a clear example of Russian neo-Byzantine monumental style in the Baltics. The restored status of the cathedral as a religious and cultural center emphasizes its historical significance as a symbol of Liepāja’s role as a port and naval city. At the same time, the building represents a unique architectural phase, when Russian imperial representative architecture was combined with the functional requirements of a military garrison church. While at the church, you can also take a walk in Karosta, which is characterized by green areas.

Karosta Prison
Karosta cietums

Karosta cietums is a prison located in the northern part of Liepāja, as one of the most distinctive historical buildings in the city. The prison was built around 1900 as part of the Russian Navy base complex and originally served as a detention center for sailors and military personnel who had violated service regulations. The prison consisted of two floors with small cells, common rooms and a judge’s office, and had a capacity for about 150 inmates. During World War I, the building was briefly used as a prisoner of war camp, and after 1918 it was taken over by the Latvian Army.

During the Soviet era after 1945, Karosta cietums was used as a military prison under the Soviet Navy. During this period, the interior was modernized with concrete walls and iron gates, but the floor plan remained unchanged. The prison gained a notorious reputation for harsh conditions, and many inmates were political prisoners or soldiers convicted of disobedience. Archival material documents that the building was used continuously as a prison until 1997, making it one of the longest-running military prisons in Europe. After the Liepāja naval base was closed, a museum and experience center was established in 2002.

Karosta cietums is today preserved in its original state and functions as a museum, cultural center, and historical monument. Visitors can see the cells, interrogation rooms, and the former courtyard, which is surrounded by brick walls and barbed wire. The building is a unique example of Russian military prison architecture and a physical testament to the changing political regimes in Latvia throughout the 20th century. The site is also used for film shoots and art projects, and historical reconstructions are organized, where you can, for example, experience a simulated prison night under authentic conditions.

Northern Forts
Ziemeļu forti

Ziemeļu forti or Northern Forts are located on the Baltic coast north of Liepāja and are the remains of the extensive coastal defense system built by the Russian Empire between 1890 and 1906 as part of the Liepāja naval base. The complex originally consisted of seven separate forts located around the city’s harbor, and they were designed to protect against attacks from the sea. The northern forts were the most massive and included concrete bunkers, casemates, gun emplacements and underground passages. The construction was led by engineers A. Zverev and V. Dzierzhinsky, and the complex was built of reinforced concrete with walls up to three meters thick.

However, the forts were only used for a very short time. In 1908, the Russian General Staff ordered them to be partially blown up, as the Liepāja base was considered strategically vulnerable. Large parts of the fort complex were left unused, and the sea gradually began to erode the coast, causing several parts to collapse into the sea. During World War I, the forts were briefly used by German troops as observation posts, and during World War II they served as shelters for both German and Soviet soldiers.

Today, the ruins of Ziemeļu forti stand as a dramatic monument to 20th-century military history. The abandoned bunkers, blown-up corridors and half-collapsed concrete masses form a unique coastal landscape, where the sea continues to erode the old structures. The area is open to the public and is used both as a destination for excursions and as a subject for photographers and historians. Ziemeļu forti is one of the best places to study early concrete military architecture in the Baltics and stands as a visible testament to Liepāja’s strategic importance in the history of the Russian and later Soviet fleets.