LATVIA 83

E Occupation Museum

K Ukstiņa iela 7/9. Tel 6342 0274.

# 10am–6pm Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun,

11am–7pm Fri. ^

The Occupation Museum

(Okupāciju režīmos) offers an

absorbing account of the city’s

treatment at the hands of Nazi

Germany and the Soviet

Union, with notes available

in English. Exhibits include

photographs of people

deported en masse by

the Soviets in June 1941,

everyday objects that

were left behind and an

account of the killing

of the city’s Jews and

other “undesirables”.

At the end, is a dis-

play about the events

lead ing up to indepen dence.

The offices of the Popular

Front, which was based in the

build ing, have been left

intact. Rooms upstairs house

a unique exhibition of antique

photo graphic equipment.

R St Joseph’s Cathedral
Rakstvežu iela 13. Tel 6342 9775.
Decorated inside with scenes
from the Bible, St Joseph’s
Cathedral (šv Jāzepa katedrāle)
attained its current towering
form in the 19th cen tury.
The congregation needed a
larger church but had no land
on which to build, so they
expanded the existing
building upwards.

L Liepāja Beach
The long, sandy Liepāja Beach
(Liepājas pludmale), with its
prestigious EU Blue Flag, is
separated from the Old Town
by the wooded Seaside Park
(Jūrmalas parka). The nearby
streets are lined with elegant
timber buildings in the Art
Nouveau style, many of which
have been restored.

R St Anne’s Basilica

Veidenbauma iela 1. Tel 6342 3384.

First documented in 1508, the

current Neo-Gothic structure

of St Anne’s Basilica (šv

Annas baznīca) dates from the

end of the 19th century. The

interior is dominated by a

E Liepāja Museum
Kūrmājas prospekts 16/18. Tel 6342

2327. 
      

      10am–6pm Wed, Thu,

      
      

      Sat, Sun, 11am–7pm Fri.
      http://www.liepajasmuzejs.lv
      Set in a sculpture garden, the
      Liepāja Museum (Liepājas
      muzejs) is housed in an
      ornate early 20th-
      century building with
      an imp ressive galleried
      hall. The displays trace
      local history, with
      exhi bits including the
      heads of stone cherubs
      from St Anne’s Basilica,
      a series of pewter drink-
      ing vessels topped by
      human figures and the
      traditional costumes of
      the southern region
      of Kurzeme. The museum
      also includes a recon struction
      of the workshop of the
      sculptor Mikelis Pankoks
      (1894–1983), who vanished in
      1944 and was pre sumed
      dead. He had fled the country
      incognito, and ended his days
      in a Swiss mental hospital.

      
      

R Holy Trinity Church

Baznīcas 1. Tel 2943 8050.

# 10am–4pm daily. & donations.

Organ recital (call for timings).

The modest exterior of the

mid-18th-century Holy Trinity

Church (Svētās Trīsvienības

baznīca) belies one of the

finest church interiors in the

Baltic region, adorned with

gilt detailing and wood-

carvings. The church’s organ,

built in 1773, was the world’s

largest until 1912.

House of Craftsmen

Bāriņu 33. Tel 6342 3286.

# 9am–5pm Mon–Fri. ^ =

With a wide variety of fine

handicrafts on sale, the House

of Craftsmen (Amatnieku

namiņš) is a place where one

can watch skilled artisans at

work. The world’s longest

amber necklace, 123 m (404 ft)

long and weighing 60 kg

(132 lb), is also on display

along with photo graphs

docu menting its creation.

Beautifully carved Baroque altar, St Anne’s Basilica, Liepāja

Wooden sculpture,

Liepāja Museum

VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

220 km (137 miles) SW of Rīga.

* 87,000. k Cimdenieki,

Lidostas iela 8. £ Rīgas iela.

@ Rīgas iela. n Rožu laukums

5/6, 6348 0808. ( daily. _

Piano Star Festival (Mar), Baltic

Beach Party (Jul), International

Organ Music Festival (Sep).

http://www.liepaja.lv

Although Liepāja was officially declared a town in 1625,
it expanded only in the early 19th century. The deepen-
ing of the ice-free port and the building of a railway
link were followed, in 1890, by the foundation of a
Russian naval port at the nearby town of Karosta. Today,
Liepāja is Latvia’s third largest city and boasts a vibrant
cultural life. It is dotted with many interesting sights,
most of which are located in its historic core. Many of
the city’s older buildings have been extensively restored.

Liepāja 4

huge Baroque altar, carved in

1697. The altar painting depicts
      the Passion of Christ in three
      panels – with the Crucifixion
      at the bottom, the wrapping
      of his body in the centre and
      the Ascension at the top.