Top 10 Things to do in Latgale Region, Latvia

Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre - multi-functional contemporary art and culture centre located in the Artillery Arsenal building (1833) of Daugavpils Fortress, where history goes hand in hand with the contemporary and creates a unique and inspiring place for creative expression and experience. Permanent exhibition: „Mark Rothko. Life and Art.” - Hall of Mark Rothko’s original paintings; - Digital exposition about Rothko’s life and art periods; - Rothko Research Hall (temporary exhibition); - Video Hall; - Silence Room; - Library. Temporary exhibitions: In Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre are displayed well-known Latvian and foreign artists’ exhibitions, created in different artistic media - painting, photography, graphic, textile and ceramic art, etc., as well as historical and cultural expositions. Throughout the year, there are 5 major exhibition season openings, showing best regional, Latvian and foreign art projects. We offer: • guided tours in Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre and Daugavpils Fortress; • children and youth educational programs; • workshops and master classes (with and without preliminary knowledge); • Residence Programs for artists; • rooms for conferences, seminars and other events;

The Rezekne Green Synagogue was built in 1845 and is one of the oldest wooden synagogues preserved in the Baltic States. In 2016, the synagogue opened its doors after restoration and today functions as a prayer house, a concert hall and a historical exposition where you can learn more about the traditions of the Jewish people and the history of the Rezekne Jewish community. During the opening hours, the guide will take you on a tour. You can also visit the museum educational programs (for example, about Jewish holidays), a tour of the Jewish sites of Rezekne, or a thematic tour of the old town around the synagogue. In the Rezekne Green Synagogue, you can see the geniz, unique to the Baltic countries (the storage place of the Torah scrolls and sacred texts) and the oven for baking matzoh. In addition, visitors can see a collection of religious objects and learn about their purpose.

The monument ("Latgale’s Mara") is a symbol of Rezekne, which reveals the idea of freedom fights against the outside reign, nation’s efforts to create and to defend its state – Latvia. The monument was unveiled for the 1st time on September 8, 1939 (the author of the project – Leons Tomasickis, the sculptor – Karlis Jansons). In 1992 the monument was restored again (the sculptor Andrejs Jansons).

Daugavpils (Dinaburg, Dwinsk) fortress is located in the very heart of the second biggest city of the Republic of Latvia - only two kilometres away from the actual historical city centre. Still in the 18th century the small town of Dinaburg was situated in the place that is now occupied by an impressive low fortification complex - the last bulwark or bastion-type fortification in the world. Daugavpils fortress was created as a fortified ideal city, and nowadays the fortress has become a city in a city with ten wide streets, 80 buildings, squares, and public gardens. The total area of the fortress situated on both banks of the River Daugava is more than two square kilometres. The fortress has data on 1200 inhabitants officially registered in the fortress and living in 18 apartment houses. Daugavpils fortress is architectural and town planning monument of State significance. Its territory comprises 35 more individual historical monuments. Today the fortress undergoes dynamic development as the greatest regional culture, tourism and business centre. We invite you to have a walk around Daugavpils fortress and enjoy its creative life! The Fortress territory is open 24/7 to visitors. In general, you can walk on the main rampart and along inner streets here. Fans of an extreme tourism can explore various outside fortifications and underground galleries, as well as meet the bats. In the Fortress you can visit Mark Rothko Art Centre (contemporary arts), the exhibition hall of historical costume, purchase local souvenirs at two shops, eat at the cafe, organize conference. /Daugavpils Fortress Culture & Information Centre/

Castle Ruins, situated on the hill by the river are the reminders of the ancient fortified residence of ancient Latgalians which existed there from the 9th to 13th centuries. At the end of the 13th century Livonian castle was built (Rozitten castle). The castle was situated in a strategically important place, so the Russians, Lithuanians, Poles were seeking to conquer the castle, but it was completely destroyed during the Polish–Swedish war (1656–1660).