On April 23, 2021, at the beginning of the tourist season, the tower of Ventspils 46th coastal battery will be opened to visitors, it has been completely renovated and has become an observation tower with the possibility of learning about history. As a result of the project, the attractiveness, accessibility, convenience of visitors and safety of the site have been improved and the object fulfills the planned functions.
Product development for military heritage site – Ventspils 46th coastal battery – reconstruction of the constructions and development of infrastructure in its surroundings is completed.
The fire-correction tower of the battery has been reconstructed (renewal works: cleaning the tower with a sandjet, reparation of damaged structures, priming and painting of the load-bearing walls outside (amoeba camouflage of the 1939 sample), reparation and painting inside of the tower has been carried out, new stairs, railings and two (2) lockable doors have been installed (one main entrance door and upper viewing platform door with illuminator window), the viewing – rooftop platform is covered with anti-slip material, two plates of organic glass with 1930s ship silhouettes have been installed in the visor room of the tower to richen the visitors experience and knowledge. The site is developed by using various historical materials. Its possible to see the Ventspils Sea gate and the Venta rivermouth from the rooftop.
Recostruction of cannon positions (removal of overgrowth over and around cannon positions – bunker (mainly bushes, small trees etc.), removal of construction debris, ground leveling works, cleaning of cannon position from construction debris, installation of three (3) metal grated lockable doors for powder basement entrance and adjacent two batteries to secure safety of the visitors journey. These parts will be accesible later with a guide.
Improved accessibility and infrastructure of the object such as gravel paths from the tower to the powder basement entrance as well as to the next 2 cannon positions. Also the bench and waste bin are installed). The roadways from the south-west parking lot to the site and from Saulrieta steet are constructed. An information stand with a QR code is installed next to the site to ensure the interactivity of the object and the site. The QR code scanned on a mobile device (mobile phone or tablet) ensures possibility to watch an animated virtual video on “History of the 46th Red Flagged Coastal Defense Battery” in three languages (LV, RU, EN). There are EU flag and Interreg logos on the information stand.Information about this object is included in the military heritage tourism broshure and the map (printing currently), as well asi n the website: Ventspils 46. krasta aizsardzības baterijas uguns koriģēšanas tornis (militaryheritagetourism.info). https://militaryheritagetourism.info/lv/poi/view/154?1 In addition, there is a sign-plate, which informs visitors on site’s belonging to the developed military heritage network as well as promotes the Estonia-Latvia programme.
Address of the Tower: Saulrieta iela, Ventspils, GPS 57.37789, 21.52664
The Project is co-financed by the INTERREG Estonia Latvia programme 2014. – 2020.
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Information prepared by:
Jana Kalve
Kurzeme planning region
Project manager
mobile: +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.
