Daugavpils Fortress Museum
![D-pils fortress [192-]. Source: Digital collection of the National Library of Latvia.](/g/Poi/00056/43843.png?size=1024)
225
Daugavpils Fortress is an architectural, cultural and historical heritage monument of national importance. It is the last bastion-type fortress built in the world and the only surviving example of a fortress from the first half of the 19th century in Central Europe, which has been preserved without significant changes.
Its construction began in 1810, as Tsarist Russia prepared for Napoleonic invasion, and continued until 1878. In 1812, Russian and French troops fought at the unfinished fortress. After the Napoleonic Wars, the construction of the fortress continued, however, already during its construction, it began to lose its military importance.
During World War I (1915–1918), the fortress served as a support and logistics base for the Russian Army. In February 1918, it was occupied by German troops, and in December – by Bolshevik forces. In January 1920, the fortress was recaptured by Polish troops, who helped the Latvian Army to liberate Latgale from the Bolsheviks. From 1920 to 1940, the 4th Zemgale Division of the Latvian Army was stationed in the fortress.
After the occupation of Latvia in 1940, Red Army units were stationed at the fortress, and during the German occupation, it became the site of the prisoner-of-war camp for Red Army POWs “Stalags-340”. After the second Soviet occupation in 1944, Soviet troops were again stationed in the fortress. Latvia regained the fortress in 1993 after the Russian Army had left.
Educational programs
Short tour of Daugavpils Fortress
Students are offered a 45-minute short excursion, during which they will have a brief insight into the history of the fortress, a tour of the former Water Lift Building with an exhibition on the history of the fortress, a walk along the fortress's defensive wall, a tour of the historic Nicholas Gate and the fortress guardhouse, and an opportunity to see the fortress's most popular environmental object, the "Ghost of the Fortress", which is also a favorite place for taking selfies and photographs.
Excursion “Discover Daugavpils Fortress!”
Daugavpils Fortress offers a 1.5-hour excursion “Discover Daugavpils Fortress!” designed especially for schoolchildren, during which you can listen to a story about the history of the fortress in an attractive way, assemble a puzzle of the fortress, see the fortress history exhibition and the former Water Lift building, climb the ancient stairs to the historical water reservoir, solve various practical tasks. As well as see a model of the Daugavpils Fortress in the fortress guardhouse, shoot an air cannon in the fortress powder cellar and see the oldest stone building in Daugavpils.
Thematic excursions to the Daugavpils Fortress “I am such a soldier…” and “The Soviet period in the life of the fortress”.
It is possible to order a thematic excursion “I am such a soldier…” (1.5 hours), dedicated to the time of the Latvian Army’s 4th Zemgale Division in the fortress (1920-1940) and the daily life of the army, as well as a thematic excursion “The Soviet period in the life of the fortress” (1.5 hours), during which you can learn about the Soviet period of the fortress citadel, the daily life of the cadets and instructors of the Daugavpils Military Aviation Engineer School.
