Russian Army Concrete Fire Point (Jaunolaine)
Bunker

Located in Olaine municipality, on the side of the Jaunolaine A8 highway at the turnoff to Plakanciems.

During World War I, the reinforced concrete fortification or fire point built by the Russian army was a fortification structure to increase the effectiveness of machine guns and protect soldiers. It has a specially created opening in its wall for shooting (embrasure) and observing the enemy. The fire point was a part of the fortified area and a support point for the defense system to hinder the activities of German army units in the area of the Misa River near Olaine.

The swampy terrain was a very inhospitable place for warfare. Natural obstacles allowed the Russian army to create a strong, but difficult to defend defensive line in a semicircle around Riga – the center of political and military command. For the warring parties, certain places in the Olaine area became particularly important. The main traffic routes connecting Jelgava with Riga passed through Olaine. It was important for the German army to find weak points in the enemy’s defense system and reach the right bank of the Misa River, which would open the way to more advantageous positions for the capture of Riga.

Today, you can visit the fortification. 4 km away is the Olaine History and Art Museum and the World War I Educational Trail. 7 km away is Plakanciems, where one of the first, particularly successful attacks by Latvian riflemen on the German army took place.