Bunker in Buļļuciems Bunker

bunker in Buļļuciems
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 Buļļuciems, Jūrmala, Latvia
 +371 67147900
 Jūrmalas tūrisma informācijas centrs
25

It is located in Jūrmala, on the territory of the Ragakāpa Nature Park at the mouth of Lielupe in the Gulf of Riga.

The reinforced concrete fortification of the Latvian army, or kaponieris, was most likely built in the 20th century. In the 1930s, as an important element of the coastal defense system of the Latvian army. Designed for shooting the enemy with machine guns in two different directions. It was secretive, hard to see and not marked on maps.

After World War 1, the Latvian army did not yet have a strong navy. The sea border was long and coastal defense was a problem. The main emphasis was placed on the defense of Riga from the attacks of the enemy fleet. The artillery of Daugavgrīva and Mangaļsala had to shoot enemy ships that would try to break into the mouth of the Daugava, while the support points at Lielupe (in Jūrmala) and the mouth of Gauja into the sea (in Carnikava) would stop the enemy's landing. There was one specially equipped armored train for coastal defense, which would provide artillery support and reinforcements in the direction of Saulkrasti or Jūrmala. The purpose of fortifying strategic locations was to increase the effectiveness of weapons by using special structures and terrain advantages. Coastal defense fortifications were deployed over a wide area to reduce the impact of an adversary in the event of war.

Today, a rare and well-preserved fortification structure can be seen in the territory of the seaside nature park.

Used sources and references:

Priedītis, E. Latvian Navy. 1919-1940. Riga: Typography Citrons, 2004.

Andersons, E. Latvian armed forces and their background. Toronto: Daugava Vanagu Central Publishing House, 1983.