Victory Park Memorial site
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Located in Riga, Pārdaugava, near the National Library of Latvia.
Victory Park is one of the largest and most controversial parks in Latvia. It occupies a territory of 36.7 ha, where a monumental ensemble glorifying the Soviet occupation power "For those freed from the German fascist invaders of Soviet Latvia and Riga" has been created. Built in the place where the 17th century fortifications and was the last known place of public execution in Latvia.
20th century in the beginning, a landscape park was created on the territory of the former Kobron skanst. It is dedicated to the Russian emperor Peter I, whose army captured Riga in 1710. After the establishment of the State of Latvia, an ambitious project - Victory Park - was planned in the territory. It was conceived as a place of honor for the heroes of the War of Independence, a symbol of the greatness and self-confidence of the Latvian state. The park, built on public donations, was intended for major events, but World War II interrupted the plan.
During the Soviet occupation, the territory of the park became the place of execution of 7 German army officers. It was a significant event to open in 1985 the largest object glorifying the Soviet power and its army in the Baltic States.
Until 23.08.2022. g. (dismantled) it was possible to view the monumental ensemble, which represented the prevailing trends in the construction of monuments in the Soviet Union. The wide park area is perfect for walks and active recreation.
Used sources and references:
Mintaurs, M. Victory monument in Riga: history and politics. On the official website of the Latvian Occupation Museum. Available: http://okupacijasmuzejs.lv/lv/aktualitates/uzvaras-piemineklis-riga-vesture-un-politika-264/ [accessed 19.02.2021].
Strautmanis, I., Asaris, G. Memorial ensembles of Soviet Latvia. Riga: Science, 1986.
Yearbook of the Latvian Occupation Museum: 2006. War after war. Riga: 2007.
The so-called "Victory Monument" and the events taking place near it were one of the places glorifying the Soviet occupation and totalitarian criminal regime. The monument was dismantled in 2022. August 23 – a symbolic date (the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in 1939, which divided Europe into the spheres of influence of the USSR and Germany).