Tukums – a pearl in the crown of Kurzeme
Tukums can safely be called the city of roses. The lovely small town of Kurzeme has some special ties with the royal flower. Magnificent rose beds please the inhabitants and guests of the city in the Freedom Square – the heart of the city, were the market was held for 600 years. You can enjoy the flowers in many other places of the city as well.
Tourism people have even created a Rose Route. Every other year Tukums hosts a Rose Festival but the special Rose Cocktail of Tukums is available in cafes and bars at any time.
Also, the Tukums Museum of Art, founded 80 years ago and being the first art museum in Latvian province, proves that people in Tukums have long loved the beauty of nature. According to the inhabitants themselves, Tukums is the place where the peace of a small town meets the dynamic rhythm of modern life.
Daugavpils with a mighty fortress and art
It is an incredible but true fact – Latvia's second largest city Daugavpils has become a favourite tourist destination in a short period of time. The main sightseeing object is the impressive fortress of Daugavpils, built during the Tsarist Russia while preparing for the battle against the invasion of Napoleon. The outstanding fortification structure is the only sample of a fortress of the first half of the XIX century in Eastern Europe, which has preserved almost unchanged.
One of the restored buildings of the fortress has become the home of Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Centre. The legendary artist abstractionist Mark Rothko was born and spent his childhood in Daugavpils but later moved to the USA. His children still live there; they have supported the idea of Daugavpils inhabitants – to be the only ones in Eastern Europe who offer exhibitions of original works of Mark Rothko.
Hanseatic city Limbaži
Limbaži is one of the loveliest small towns in Latvia, which obtained the city rights already the XIV century. A particularly bustling time for Limbaži is related to the Hanseatic League, when the historical trade route passed through this small town of Vidzeme. Today Limbaži is one of the cities in the European cultural route “Hansa”.
Limbaži with the ancient city layout has a peculiar historical charm. However, its greatest pearl is the Museum of Living Silver, the only one of the kinds in the Baltics. It was created by the master of silver art Oļegs Auzers. The museum exhibits both wonderful works of art made of silver and offers the possibility to get acquainted with the process of silver processing.
Turaida Museum Reserve or God's Garden
In the language of ancient inhabitants – the Livs, “Turaida” means “God's Garden”. Livs were one of the Latvian indigenous peoples with an ancient and peculiar culture and own language. To provide the opportunity to learn more about our ancestors, among several permanent expositions, the Turaida Museum Reserve has dedicated one to Livs. Across the picturesque surroundings rises the Turaida Castle, built by the German conquerors in the XIII century in the place of the battle-burned Turaida Liv wooden castle.
The Turaida Museum Reserve, located in the Gauja National Park territory, has a special status in Latvia. It is recognized as a specially protected cultural monument. The 43-hectare area of the Museum Reserve is rich in archaeological, architectural, historical and artistic monuments, which tell of events, people's lives, crafts and traditions for a thousand years, starting from the XI century.
