Liepaja

The city of wind, amber and musicians. In the literature sources Liepaja was mentioned for the first time in 1253. The city strived as a trade harbour already at the end of the 16th century. Especially important was the ruling period of Kurzeme Dukes Jacob and Friedrich, when the export and import of Lithuania and Kurzeme goods was provided through Liepaja harbour. Instead of the Līva River that was filled with dune sand a channel was excavated and wharf was formed. The growth of the city continued in the 18th century also after the Northern War and the plague epidemic. When in 1795 Kurzeme was added to the Russian Empire, as one of the most important western harbours of the Empire the harbour of Liepaja developed even more rapidly. From the end of the 18th century until the 19th century Liepaja also became a popular recreation place for the aristocrats of Petersburg. At the end of the 19th century the construction works of War Port and fortress begun. The city became a military strategic place. It suffered hard during World War II. In 1967 the sea trade harbour terminated its operation in Liepaja and Liepaja became a closed city where the War Port was "a city within a city". Today the War Port and its offer is one of the top tourism spots in Latvia.