Mērsrags lighthouse and former border guard
Infrastruktūra
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Mērsrags Lighthouse is located in the Mērsrags village, about 1 km north of the village centre. The lighthouse was put into commission in 1875. It is an 18.5 m tall freestanding, cylindrical, riveted iron tower, the lower part of which has been fortified with reinforced concrete counterforts. The height of the signal light is 21.3 m. At the top all around the tower there is an iron balcony supported by consoles. The lighthouse tower was made by Sotera, Lemonier & Co in Paris, so this lighthouse is commonly known as the ‘Frenchie’. At the end of 1944, the 1003rd Artillery Division Battery of the German Army with 60 cm spotlights was located right next to the lighthouse. In May 1945, the Nazi Germany high command planned to move the 15th Latvian SS Grenadier Division to the area, but these plans failed, because Latvian soldiers surrendered to the Western Allies. Near the Mērsrags Lighthouse there are still remains of a building where during the USSR times Soviet border guards had a large, extendable spotlight for illuminating the sea. There is a bird-watching tower next to the lighthouse. Tours need to be booked beforehand by contacting the Mērsrags Tourism Information Centre.
Susijusi laiko juosta
Susijusios temos
Susijusi istorija
Uždrausti švyturiai ir pajūris
SSRS laikais Šiaurės ir Vakarų Kuržemės pakrantė iš tikrųjų buvo visuomenei uždaros karinės zonos, tačiau lankytis švyturiuose ar net fotografuotis buvo draudžiama.
Kurzeme coast - closed area
During the Cold War, the entire Kurzeme coastline was a closed zone to the public - Soviet border guards were the main decision-makers here, with guard posts at certain distances and observation towers with spotlight stations on the beach. Civilians were only allowed on the seafront during daylight hours.
Apie Kolkos pakrantės pasieniečius
Kolkiškietės Valijos Laukšteinės prisiminimai apie laikus Kolkoje, kai buvo pasieniečiai.