Surveys of objects, battlefields, former military bases, buildings and museums in Kurzeme for the creation of a military heritage route have been taking place since June and will continue until September! They are carried out in cooperation with municipal representatives, tourism information centers, historians and museum staff. To date, more than 45 sites have been identified – we list, survey and document them to obtain initial data on the location, GPS coordinates, take photos and gather information about the services available at these sites, as well as meet with their owners. All information about the objects after its collection will be available on the currently online platform www.militaryheritagetourism.info. Travelers will also be offered 10 travel routes with a military theme.
Examining more than half of the military heritage objects known to us in Kurzeme, we conclude that in Kurzeme military heritage objects are found in almost all 20 municipalities, but most abundantly – in the big cities – Liepāja, Ventspils – and their surroundings, Saldus and Vaiņode counties, and coastal areas. Karosta in Liepaja with the established 10 km long Freedom Trail, Karosta Prison, the water tower recently opened to the public and many other unique objects, where you can explore the War of Independence, developments in the war and the Soviet military closed zone in Karosta.
Unfortunately, we conclude that less than 10 Soviet military heritage sites have survived from the USSR military heritage – more than 50 military bases, landfills, airfields and army warehouses as a result of time and human destructive activities. One of the special examples that has been saved is the Irbene radio telescopes, but the adjacent buildings are unfortunately already part of the heritage that has disappeared – only stories and photographs from their heyday have remained. It should also be mentioned that most of the former Soviet sites have been completely lost, while many are in very poor condition, including life-threatening, and are already destined for demolition. Several sites are located in privately owned and nature reserves, and it is still unclear whether and how these sites could be preserved for future generations.
We invite private owners and municipalities, which would be ready to start a discussion on the preservation of military heritage sites for tourism, to contact us so that we can provide our support to you!
#militaryheritage #militāraismantojums #Militaarajaloopärand #Militärerbe #Военноенаследие
Jana Kalve,
Kurzeme Planning Region
“Military Heritage” Project Manager
Ph. +371 29524558,
E-mail: jana.kalve@kurzemesregions.lv,
www.kurzemesregions.lv
This information reflects the views of the author. The managing authority of the programme is not liable for how this information may be used.
