Top Things to do in Liepaja
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10 Things to do in Liepaja That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Liepaja, Latvia including Skede Dunes Memorial, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Northern Forts, Jurmalas Park, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Liepaja Museum, St. Nicholas Orthodox Sea Cathedral, Concert Hall Great Amber, Liepaja lake watchtower, Karosta Prison.
Restaurants in Liepaja
1. Skede Dunes Memorial
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 17 reviews
Reviewed By Hawk470 - Baltimore, United States
In the infamy that is the World War II Holocaust, the execution of thousands of Jewish women and children in the Skede dunes outside of Liepaja, Latvia in December 1941 by the Nazis and their Latvian collaborators, often with spectators watching, is perhaps the most well-documented. Photographs and film, along with eye-witness testimony, tell the story of horrific, cold-blooded slaughter at a personal level. These are unique individuals, people like you and me, being led to trenches dug into the beach and shot. Nearly all of pre-War Liepaja Jewish population of 9,000 along with many thousands more Roma, Latvian civilians and Soviet prisoners of war were murdered in and around Liepaja. In a few short months, in 1941, the heirs to the 150 year history of the Liepaja Jewish community were snuffed out. Located just inland from those dunes, a short drive from the city center, you will find a magnificent memorial to the murdered and the righteous few who saved some of the remnant. The memorial to the murdered, dedicated in 2005, takes the form of a stone menorah (Jewish candelabra) lying down on the beach. Along the walk in from the parking area, stone pillars commemorate the 26 Non-Jews of Liepaja recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” and the 135 in all of Latvia for having risked their lives and those of their relatives to save Jews during the Holocaust. At the entrance and along the path you will find inscribed stones in several languages describing the atrocities and the creation of the memorial. Just beyond the top of the menorah and the stones with Hebrew inscriptions representing the lit candles, you will see a small dune crowned by beach grass and beyond that the sand, the wind, and the waves rolling as they did during those dark, December days and as they had for millennia before and decades since. Nearby, you will also find an earlier Soviet-era memorial for the Soviet prisoners of war murdered there. We visited on an appropriately overcast autumn day when the winds for which Liepaja in known (“The City Where The Wind Is Born”) swept in with a chilling, light rain. Walking along the path of the Righteous and within and around the stone arms of the menorah, pelted by the rain, the range of what humans are capable of became frighteningly clear.
2. Holy Trinity Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 71 reviews
3. Northern Forts
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 154 reviews
Reviewed By hteele - Tallinn, Estonia
Quite interesting place where you cant get a lot of different pictures and angels. Definitely worth a visit.
4. Jurmalas Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 96 reviews
Reviewed By maijao2018 - Riga, Latvia
Fantastic place for hiking, specious and beautiful park with old trees that leads to the dunes and white sand beach, where you may watch a spectacular sunset.
5. St. Joseph's Cathedral
6. Liepaja Museum
7. St. Nicholas Orthodox Sea Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 81 reviews
This monumental symbol of both the Orthodox Church and the tsarist monarchy must have been at odds with communist doctrine and no doubt a thorn in the side of the party devout. Finished in 1903 and christened by Nicholas II himself, it served as the garrison’s church much as it did during the Latvian period. The Soviets however used it as a warehouse, gymnasium and meeting hall.
Reviewed By 20martinsv - Jurmala, Latvia
Majestic from outside, bright inside - amazing cathedral. Located in the centre of huge regula park it dominated over the surrounding. Must see
8. Concert Hall Great Amber
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
The concert hall „Great Amber” comprises eight stories of 14’126 m². It has 3 concert halls – the Great Hall with 1010 seats, the Chamber Hall and the Experimental Stage, in addition to public events spaces Civita Nova and a restaurant. The unique interior and excellent acoustics of „Great Amber” permit to say that a visit to this centre will suresurely become an unforgettable experience!
9. Liepaja lake watchtower
10. Karosta Prison
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 181 reviews
Reviewed By hteele - Tallinn, Estonia
Interesting place, it is not actually that big how it looks. But it is definitely worth visiting. The ticket price was really cheap and you get about an hour long guided tour there.
