GalleryLiepāja, on Latvia's western-most Baltic coast, has been known as a port since at least the mid-13th century (Lyra portus). Its history reflects the conflicts of their time: burned down by the Lithuanians in 1418, mortgaged by the Teutonic Order to the Prussians in 1560, captured by Sweden in 1501, and annexed by Russia in 1795. In history books it is better known as Libau or Libawa ("w" as "v"), home to the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Empire—the navy began building a fortified naval war port in 1893, completing in in 1906.
Prior to the devastation of WWI, Liepāja was a rapidly growing industrial center: factories manufacturing dyes, explosives, machinery belts, sails and ropes, tobacco, furniture, matches, as well as iron works, agricultural machinery works, tin-plate works, soap works, saw-mills, breweries, oilmills, cork and linoleum factories and flour-mills.1 Rail connections to the interior accelerated Liepājas growth as a port. However, its model of trade—as in the rest of Latvia's industrial centers—was one of raw materials for manufacture arriving by ship from Europe; those ships would return to Europe laden with Latvian agricultural goods: oats, wheat, rye, butter, eggs, spirits, flax, linseed, pork, timber, horses,.... Manufactured goods were destined largely for the rest of the Empire. The main port could accommodate ocean-going liners; nearby there was a small fishing village.
With independence came economic decline. Much of Latvia's industrial capacity had been evacuated to the Russian interior in WWI never to return. Factories and warehouses stood empty.
Still, Liepāja remained a destination for the wealthy and the masses. There was entire series of parks between the town proper and the coast and its white sandy beaches—amber washing up out of the sea. Families would go to the parks and beaches to stroll and picnic. The rich enjoyed life in fancy villas. The town had shops and cafes. The Liepāja I visited still held hints of that lost beauty. The swan lake was still there with its Grecian-style pagoda on a small island in the middle. Some villas were still standing, but more derelict, and many just empty shells.
But to the reason for my visit, the organ of the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Trīsvienības baznīca).
As much as the Soviet era was responsible for much of what still ails Latvia today, whose second independence now eclipsing its first in years, it had also brought tour buses to the Church of the Holy Trinity for regular concerts. By the nature of the state, tourism was self-contained. The small Lutheran congregation managed to maintain the organ with the income received. With the fall of the Soviet Union, the concerts stopped, the tour buses went away, and the organ began to fall into disrepair. Hopefully the album Peters purchased, and other projects, will continue to bring visibility to this treasure to help preserve it, including saving it from the hungry woodworms. Nearby, St. Anne's Church (Annas baznīca) was trying save its altar from the same.
Our album features Contius' organ, St. Anne's under restoration, and scenes around town. For more on the organ, including access to higher resolution photos, see our photo feature.
| 1 | Most of the pre-WWI history is adapted from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. |
- Discovering Latvia's Treasures - ABOUT
- Basilica of Our Lady of Aglona
- Bauska's castle ruins
- The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia
- Nature at home in Bolderaja
- Jaunmokas Manor
- Jelgava Palace
- Liepāja's past: faded, excised, under restoration, and Contius' organ
- Rundāle Palace, Rastrelli's Latvian masterpiece
- Rīga, around the old and new town
