Sightseeing in Daugavpils - what to see. Complete travel guide

In 1577, the Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible captured the Livonian Dünaburg castle and ordered to build a new settlement on its site. This new town, Dvinsk, was continuously attracting Sweden and Poland, causing frequent armed conflicts. In the 50s of the 17th century, the Russians captured the town and renamed it as Borisoglebsk. This was not the end of fights for this region. In 1667, Poland captured the town, and Russia established its authority over the region again in 1772. For several centuries, Borisoglebsk was a fortress.
Daugavpils Fortress (also known as Dinaburg Fortress) is one of the most famous landmarks in Daugavpils. The building of this fortification started in 1810 but was fully completed only in 1878. This is a well-protected fort on the bank of the Daugava River. Nowadays, this is an important architectural landmark on the country level. Daugavpils Fortress is the only 19th-century military fortification of this type in Northern Europe that has survived in its original form without any major alterations.

Do you enjoy looking at sculptures? In this case, don’t forget to take a look at the gorgeous monuments and statues of various animals that decorate the streets of the city. For example, there is a statue of a cat. In modern days, this statue has become very popular with both residents and guests of Daugavpils. This is a typical meeting place that is usually quite crowded. Small children are particularly in love with the statue – they enjoy petting the cat and climbing on its back. Why is there a statue of a cat in the city? There are several theories about this. Perhaps, the history of the city had many sad moments over the centuries, and the cute cat looks friendly as if it is telling that the city wants to remain friendly and peaceful.

The most popular exhibitions are dedicated to the history and cultural life of the Daugavpils region. The halls dedicated to the marvelous nature of the region and its unusual flora also have many visitors. Art connoisseurs will find it interesting to visit the halls with works of Rothko and Baulin. The museum is a popular tourist destination – more than fifteen thousand people visit the venue every year in order to find out more about the rich history and culture of Daugavpils.

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City tours, excursions and tickets in Daugavpils and surroundings
Reference information
National and city parks around Daugavpils
♥ Nature Park 'Svente' , 3.3 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Nature Park 'Silene' , 23.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Nature Park 'Dvietes paliene' , 27 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Nature Park 'Cirīša ezers' , 40.2 km from the center. On the map
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♥ State Park 'Grazutes regioninis parkas' , 41.3 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Nature Park 'Svente' , 3.3 km from the center. On the map


♥ Nature Park 'Silene' , 23.2 km from the center. On the map


♥ Nature Park 'Dvietes paliene' , 27 km from the center. On the map


♥ Nature Park 'Cirīša ezers' , 40.2 km from the center. On the map


♥ State Park 'Grazutes regioninis parkas' , 41.3 km from the center. On the map


Sightseeing in Latvia: things to see


Search touristic sites on the map of Daugavpils

