Blindage
I WW1, I Wars of Independence, II WW2, IV Soviet Occupation

The Latvian War Museum is located in the Old Town not far from the Freedom Monument in a historic defence building called the ‘Powder Tower’. There are 11 exhibits in the museum. There are various weapons, documents, uniforms, awards, badges and other items detailing the everyday life of a soldier in war. The Latvian War Museum is one of the oldest museums in Latvia. Its origins can be found in World War I. Museum’s collection was made up mainly of personal items of soldiers or items found on battlefields. After Latvia gained its independence the main goal of the museum became to create an exposition on the military history of Latvia and the active role of the population in protecting their land. In 1937 the museum was expanded and was technically one of the most modern museums in Europe at that time. The Powder Tower was one of the fortification towers of Riga. Some evidence dates back to 1330 where it has been mentioned as the ‘Sand Tower’. The tower was destroyed in 1621 when Riga was besieged by the Swedish Army. But in 1650 a new tower for storing gunpowder and weapons was built. After the city’s fortifications were taken down, the Powder Tower remains as one of the most important pieces of evidence of the Riga defence system.

It is located in Inčukalns municipality, on the side of the road near the village of Gauja, near the motorway A2 and A3 junction.

The fortification is a very rare and valuable example of a fortification. The building is designed for one person to observe an important traffic junction. In the NW direction there is a bridge over the Gauja, A - crossing over Inčupīte, SW - road branching and D - one of the main traffic roads - Vidzeme highway. The reinforced concrete fortification was part of the surrounding trenches, the exact time of which is unknown. It was probably built by the German army during World War II. The site needs further research to clarify the information.

At the end of the 19th century, the surroundings of Inčukalns manor became an important traffic hub. During World War I, the place gained the importance of a defense area where possible warfare was planned. Fortifications were built near the traffic roads, Inčukalns railway station and the Gauja river crossing. The place retained its strategic importance in the following wars.

Nowadays you can see the fortification, which is freely available.

Latvian Riflemen dugouts and trenches in Tīreļi are located in Babīte parish, Mārupe municipality, in the vicinity of the Antiņi Latvian Riflemen Cemetery and the former medicine warehouse. During World War I this was the defensive position of Latvian Riflemen of the Russian Imperial Army. A complex of trenches and surface dugouts was built in the sandy hills. Trench or positional warfare is the best way to accurately describe World War I and emphasise the importance of fortifications. They were based on the research of military engineers and adapted to the environment and the development of new weapons. The everyday life of a soldier is a continuous improvement of defensive fortifications. Sometimes soldiers would give the dugouts names that reminded them of their homes and would help to forget about the reality of the war. Trench lines were complex defensive systems that were hard for the enemy to take. With the development of weapons these defences became even more sophisticated. The roofs of dugouts were reinforced to withstand artillery shells. Trenches were made in changing patterns and directions so that explosions would cause as little damage as possible. Movement passages had pockets that were used as short-term hiding spots during artillery fire, because they protected soldiers from shrapnel and rubble. Today part of the fortification has been restored and you can visit 3 restored dugouts and a 100 m long section of the trenches.

The private collection “Family Barn” is located at the family estate “Ābeļu Putniņi”. Created in 2007, it reveals the history of one family through stories, objects and a reconstructed trench shelter. Visitors are offered an insight into the history of World War I, the Latvian Army, World War II, the Brothers’ Cemetery in Riga and the Christmas Battles. The old barn displays embroidered table cloths, homemade folk costumes, a cupboard with tableware, skis and a chariot wheel donated by Baron Korf. In 2011, the equipping of the restored birch wood trench shelter was com menced. In it, a furnace, a sleeping area, and stands display ing objects related to the First World War – broken tableware, photographs and rusted weapon parts are on display there. The exhibition allows visitors to experience the scenes of the First World War as described in the Blizzard of Souls, a novel by Aleksandrs Grīns. Special attention is paid to the Vidzeme 4th Riflemen Regiment and the Christmas Battles. The following soldiers are mentioned: Robert Soks, who is buried at the Broth ers’ Cemetery in Riga, as well as writers Aleksandrs Grīns, Jānis Akurāters, composer Arvīds Žilinskis and others. The exhibition grounds feature bomb pits from World War I and a spring from which the soldiers drew drinking water. A tour of the site lasts for 1.5–2 hours and is available in Latvian and Russian.