Former USSR Army Town or "Gorodox" Military town
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Located in Mārciena, Mārciena parish, Madona region.
1957 The construction of a rocket base in Mārciena and the construction of a concrete access road and railway to Gaizinkalns, where a rocket launch site was planned, began (construction was suspended in Gaizinkalns when the United States and Great Britain opened this plan). Several apartment houses for military personnel from other USSR republics were built in the military town.
Currently, the former army base area is partially deserted and overgrown with bushes and part is owned by companies or individuals and is no longer available for public inspection. The ruins of the brick buildings have mostly remained at the army base. In the village of Mārciena - in an apartment house (some are still inhabited), an army officer service hotel (former Mārciena primary school building), an officers' house (Mārciena culture house) and an army shop building.
Used sources and references:
Madona Museum of Local Lore and Art, LTV program "Atskeyas": Occupying troops leave Latvia
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USSR army base in Marciena
The Baltics were one of the most important lines of defense for the Soviet empire, the extreme western bastion, so the concentration of troops here was enormous. It is believed that Latvia was the most militarized territory in the world at that time. The exact number of military personnel is unknown, various sources mention 200,000 to 350,000 at different times. In 50 years alone, 3,009 troops were deployed in more than 700 locations in Latvia. One such place was the USSR army base in Marciena.