Daugavpils

Daugavpils is the second largest city in Latvia, after Riga. It is a delightfully charming, spacious and green city. Despite its quaint atmosphere and low prices, the city offers modern conveniences and services. An ice-hall, bowling centre and modern hotels have been built and diverse entertainment options have appeared throughout the city.

Understand

The city was first mentioned in 1275, when the Order of Life built a castle, the Dünaburg, on the Daugava River. The present location of the city originated in the 16th century 20 km away from the original settlement, which was destroyed. In 1582, Dünaburg received the city rights. Latgale belonged to the Polish-Lithuanian empire back then.

During the Polish-Russian War (1654-1667), the city fell under Russian rule, and was renamed Borisoglebsk (Борисоглебск) (1656-1667). After the end of Russian rule, it came under Polish rule again. In 1772, Latgale joined the tsarist Russia in the aftermaths of the Polish divisions. In 1811, Dünaburg was strengthened with a fortress. Together with the rest of Latgale, the city was under the Polotsk Government, which was reassigned in 1802 to the Vitebsk Government. In 1893, Dünaburg was renamed Dvinsk.

The city was at the front in both world wars, and suffered serious damage then. In December 1919, Polish and Latvian troops defeated the Red Army, which made an important step towards the Latvian independence, which came in 1920. The city was called Daugavpils and belonged to Latvia since then.

With the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939 between Germany and the Soviet Union, the independent Latvia fell under the influence of the Soviet Union. In June 1940, the Red Army entered Latvia, and in August 1940 it became part of the Soviet Union. In 1941, the city was re-taken by German troops. Since 1945, when the town belonged to the Latvian Socialist Soviet republic, Daugavpils underwent a large-scale industrialization and became a garrison city.

Tourist information

Get in

1188.lv provides up-to-date bus and train schedules, route planner and prices.

By bus

Buses from Riga to Daugavpils leave every two hours. The web page of Rīgas Starptautiskā autoosta (Riga Bus Station) has up to date schedules and fares.

By train
  • 🌍 Daugavpils railway station, 47 Stacijas St. Pasažieru Vilciens (Passenger Train) runs the passenger train services in Latvia. (updated Jun 2020)

Riga-Daugavpils trains operate four times a day; Riga-Gomel, and Russia trains also operate. Daugavpils is also accessible by train going from Vilnius to Saint Petersburg.

By car

The drive from Riga takes 3-3½ hours. The European highway E262 from Kaunas, Lithuania that crosses Daugavpils and goes to Russia.

By plane

AirBaltic, the flag carrier airline for Latvia, offers a free coach from between Riga Airport and Daugavpils to its passengers. The bus AirBaltic bus line to Daugavpils is BT001 (there are other buses going in totally different directions, like Tartu in Estonia) and takes 3 hours 25 minutes between the airport and Daugavpils, stopping in Jekabpils on the way. The buses run at nighttime after/before all the flights - the bus from the airport to Daugavpils departs at 23:30 and arrives at 02:55, while the return journey to the airport begins at 03:45 in Daugavpils with arrival at the airport at 07:10.

Daugavpils Lidosta (Daugavpils Airport) ☏ +371 65475306. The former Soviet air base in Lociki (12 km northeast of Daugavpils) has been renovated, but as of 2017 there are no flights.

Get around

By bus

By tram

Daugavpils has four tram routes operating within the city. Tickets are about €0.50.

By taxi
  • Yandex Go
  • SIA ”HOF” (Daugavpils Taxi) ☏ +372 6542 2222, available 24 hours a day.
  • Taxi stops
    • Rīgas iela 9 (hypermaket 'Rimi')
    • Aveņu iela 33 (supermarket 'Mego')
    • intersection of Piekrasties iela and Raipoles iela (supermarket 'Maxima X')
    • intersection of Jatnieku iela and Mendeļejeva iela
    • near hotel 'Latgola'

Fares (can change without notice):

  • Day tariff: €0.57/km
  • Night tariff: €0.79/km

See
  • 🌍 Daugavpils fortress, Daugavas iela 38. The unique Daugavpils fortress is the biggest in Europe. It has withstood many many wars and remains virtually unchanged since its construction in the 19th century. More information: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/daugavpils-fortress 
  • 19th-century architecture (in the center between the Daugava River and the railway station.). 
  • Historical centre. The historical centre of the city consists of 80 cultural-historical objects presents itself a specific monument of urban construction. One may be amazed by variety of architecture styles of the buildings, the red clay bricked façades of peculiar form recognized as Latgale baroque. 
  • Jaunbūve. The church ensemble Jaunbūve, the Church Hill included churches of four confessions, contributes a lot to very special panorama of the city of Daugavpils. 
  • 🌍 Sport complex, . M–F 08–23:00, Sa–Su 09–22:00. Daugavpils may also be proud of its sport complex. Ice Hall and the open-air swimming pool, one of the biggest open-air swimming pools in the Baltic countries, are the real pride of the city. 
  • 🌍 "Ebreji Daugavpilī un Latgalē" muzejs un ekspozīcija (Jews of Daugavpils and Latgale Museum), Cietokšņa iela 38, ☏ +371 29548760, . 
  • 🌍 Latgales Zoodārza. Small indoor aquarium. €0.60 per person. (updated Oct 2017)

Daugavpils is more endowed with water space than other cities of Latvia. There are 15 lakes, 8 rivers and numerous brooks its territory. In spite of this the climate is the most continental of the country. Forests and parks make up the green area with a square of approximately 10 400 ha.

Landmarks

With good reason the fortress, which was built as a fortification for the western border of the Russian Empire, can be considered the symbol of Daugavpils. The Classicism-style fortress was consecrated by Russia’s tsar in 1833. In later years the tsarist, Latvian and Soviet Armies were stationed there. The fortress is now under the supervision of the local municipality and Real Estates Agency as a cultural and historical monument.

The Daugava protecting dam, which stretches 6 km along the river and at its highest points reaches 9 m, is another singular landmark. It was built in 1841, and is still protecting the city from flood waters. On accordance with the town-building plan, confirmed by the tsar in 1826.

Daugavpils center and its street network took shape in the early 19th century. The features of the styles peculiar to this historical period have been preserved in Riga street, the main street of the city center. A characteristic feature of buildings is Classicism-style red brick houses with ornamentation of various styles. The house at 8 Riga street, which now houses the Daugavpils Local Arts and History Museum, has preserved its original architecture almost unaltered. The house was built in the second half of the 19th century. Its decoration of colorful glazed files is completely original. All entrances to the house have small glass-covered open-work metal roofs. More than a hundred years ago a 3-ha park was laid out in the center of the city. The park is now called Dubrovin’s Park as it was created with great assistance and support of Pavel Dubrovin, the first head of the city. It has been a rest place popular with the townspeople for years. Between Riga and Saules streets there is Vienības nams (Unity House), designed in plain architectonic forms: prisms and cubes. The many halls and rooms of this building house a theater, the city central library, several shops and cafes. All the principal cultural activities of the city take place here. In the early 1980s Riga street, in which several buildings of historical and architectural value are situated, was one of the first cities in Latvia which was made pedestrians-only.

Monuments and memorial places

The most significant events in Daugavpils history are immortalized in various monuments and memorial places. The soldiers killed in World War I are buried in Old Believers, Orthodox and Lutheran cemeteries. The Latvian army soldiers, killed in fights for freedom, are buried in the Lutheran cemetery. Their graves there as well as the Polish army soldier’ graves in Satiksmes iela testify to the events relating to history of the independent Latvian state. A 13-m-tall reinforced concrete cross has been erected in Satiksmes iela to commemorate the events. A memorial stone to the citizens of Daugavpils, deported to Siberia in 1941 and 1945, is erected in Pumpura Park. The burial places of the Soviet and German soldiers in Dubrovin’s park, in the Garrison cemetery, in the Griva, Communal and Orthodox cemeteries as well as the graves of the victims of fascism in the Mežciems cemetery are memorial places to those who were killed in World War II.

Do
  • 🌍 Stropi. The northeast part of the city, Stropi, is a popular recreational area located near the Big Stropu Lake (Lielais Stropu ezers). 
  • 🌍 The Daugavpils Musical and Drama Theater (Daugavpils Latviešu kultūras centrs), Rīgas iela 22a, ☏ +371 65426000. Located in the Unity House (1937) in the city center. 
  • 🌍 Daugavpils Spidveja centr (Speedway Grand Prix of Latvia), Jelgavas iela 54, ☏ +371 65438807. Daugavpils has a race track 'Daugavpils Spidveja centr'. So go check out some races. 
  • 🌍 Ledus Halle, Stacijas iela 45a, ☏ +371 65407191, . M–F 09:00–04:00. Want to go skating? Daugavpils has an amazing ice hall. 
  • 🌍 Orange Bowling, Cietokšņa street 60, . Bowling alley, billiard tables and air hockey. (updated Oct 2017)
  • Saunas. Visit a lot of traditional saunas. 
  • City center, Viestura iela 8. But if you want to go bowling or shoot some pool. 
  • Football: BFC Daugavpils play soccer in Virslīga, the top tier. Their home ground Celtnieks Stadium (capacity 4000) is on A13 south side of town centre. The playing season is April-Nov.
  • You can also walk on the Daugavpils main street Rigas iela.

Buy
  • All around the city you can find many large and small supermarkets, shopping centers, or just stores.
  • 🌍 Daugavpils Tirgus (Market), Cietokšņa 60, ☏ +371 65428252. 

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Mid-range and splurge

Connect

Wi-Fi Internet is available almost in all cafes, hotels and restaurants in the centre of the city. For example in Park Hotel Latgola, City Centre, Vesma cafe and many others. Also there are computers with the free Internet available in the halls of Ice Hall and Hospital. There are some internet cafes near the old university building on Saules street.

Go next
  • Latgale region – Daugavpils is a good point from which to explore the towns and countryside of the surrounding region.
  • Onwards travel into Lithuania, Belarus, and/or Russia is easy due to Daugavpils' close location to the border of these three countries.


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