Zemgale (Nikolai) Gate Fortification

Located in the southern part of the Daugavpils Fortress. The gate was built in the period from 1824 to 1827 in the neo-Gothic style. Unlike the other gates of the fortress, this one had side rooms on both sides, where during the Tsarist era the guards were stationed and prisoners were imprisoned.

During the interwar period – the 20th century. In the 1920s, the old wooden bridge that led from the 1st bank lunette across the moat to the Zemgale Gate was demolished. During this time, the Nikolai Gate also acquired a new name – the Zemgale Gate, which marked efforts to free itself from the tsarist past and strengthen Latvia's national identity.

During the Soviet years, the gate on the Daugava side was walled up and used for storing vegetables.

In 2012-2013, the gate was restored. The 55 m long and 8 m wide wooden bridge was restored on the historical foundations. In 2014, the restoration of the 1st bank lunette with the guardhouse and barrier gates was completed. A souvenir shop and the Daugavpils Bat Center have been established in the gate, as well as the Historical Costumes Exhibition “Memory Chest”. To view the exhibition, you need to apply at the adjacent Daugavpils Fortress Culture and Information Center.