Description of the attraction
The military town of Karosta is a suburb in the north of Liepaja, occupying about 1/3 of its total area and being a historical landmark. Karosta originated at the end of the 19th century.
The road to the military town passes through 2 bridges. The first bridge is thrown over a canal that connects the nearby Liepaja Lake and the Baltic Sea. And the second bridge passes through the Karost canal, which cuts into the land for several kilometers. Once in the bowels of the canal there were docks of the Baltic Fleet of the Soviet Union, and a large number of citizens were ordered to get here.
Liepaja became the main trading settlement during the first Baltic Crusades due to the fact that its bay did not freeze in winter. In the 19th century, the city became the fundamental base of the Baltic Navy of the Russian state. The proximity to Prussia was one of the most important circumstances that predetermined the choice of the city of Liepaja as a base for the navy. This military base is the last one that was founded and built by the Russian Empire.
The history of the Liepāja military town of Karosta goes back over a century. The decree on the construction of a fortress, a seaport and a military town was adopted by the Russian Tsar Alexander III in 1890. Simultaneously with the growth and development of the port, an impressive system of forts was created along the shores of the Baltic Sea. After the death of Tsar Alexander III, his son, Tsar Nicholas II, gave orders to name the new naval port in honor of his father. In 1919, after Latvia gained independence, the port of Alexander III changed its name to Karosta, that is, now it is simply called the Military Port.
The port of Alexander III was conceived as an independent facility, including its own infrastructure, power plant, sewer system, church, school and post office. It is interesting that letters sent from Liepaja to the Port of Alexander III and vice versa cost not 1 kopeck, like ordinary messages within the city, but 3 kopecks, as if they were international mail.
Today Karosta has become the most interesting tourist destination in the city of Liepaja. Monuments of those years have been preserved on the territory of the former military port. It is a drawbridge made of steel. It was built in 1906 and is still in operation. Further you can see the amazing beauty of the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas, erected in 1901. And there is also a military prison, consisting of several 2-3-storey buildings made of red bricks. The first arrested were sailors who participated in the 1905 revolution. Here they were shot. They were buried, on the contrary, in the fraternal cemetery. In Soviet times, the corps were used as a guardhouse, later - for the needs of the Latvian army. But the latter did not take root here, and it was decided to give it all to the tourists.
The prisons are now museums. They are open to tourists. The cells created the atmosphere of those times, as if prisoners were kept here: dirty mattresses, metal mugs, stools. And in the administrative section you can see portraits of Lenin, state-owned metal tables, police uniforms of escorts on a hanger.
Another interesting object is the Northern Forts. These coastal fortifications did not last long. In 1908, they were blown up due to the peace treaty between Russia and Germany. But after 6 years, these countries will again become sworn enemies. And the destruction of the forts only undermined the country's position. And in a few years, Tsarist Russia will cease to exist. You can also get into the labyrinths of the Northern Forts and wander through them by torchlight.
Now in the military town there are about 8000 inhabitants. It can be reached from the center of Liepaja by bus or minibus.
Liepaja military town Karosta is an amazing place, a unique monument not only of Latvian, but also of world history and architecture.
