FDC of LATVIA 2016 - 2021 - Lighthouses in latvia
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2014 - Ainaži lighthouse is located in Ainaži on the Bay of Riga - of the Baltic Sea. The Ainahi lighthouse was built in 1930, originally serving as a guide for the nearby Ainaži port and harbour. During World War II, the harbour was bombarded by German bombers; causing the village to lose its processing factory and fishing importance - therefore making the lighthouse insignificant. The village, port and harbour were rebuilt under Soviet control - bringing back the importance of the lighthouse. The lighthouse was reconstructed and furthermore renovated in the 1990s. Currently the lighthouse is open to the public and is a key landmark for the nearby villages.
2015 - The lighthouse of Salacgrīva is located on the right bank of the river Salaca - it is a quadrangular white tower with a red lantern and it was built in 1925. Today the lighthouse does not operate anymore - following this lighthose, all fishermen have already found their way home and the story has ended happily. The lighthouse was built, because due to the numerous sandbanks the coast between Salacgrīva and Ainaži was considered to be the most dangerous area for sailing in the whole Gulf of Riga.
2016 - Ovisi Lighthouse is unique in being the oldest lighthouse in Latvia. The lighthouse is still in operation and is included in the list of state-protected cultural monuments. Its territory also comprises a well-preserved staff building, constructed in the early 20th century. After the opening of a narrow-gauge rail line between Ventspils and Mazirbe, a couple of rooms in this building were set aside for the Ovisi station. The building is included in the Latvian industrial heritage list.
2017 - Roja Port Lighthouse. Roja Port is located on the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of Roja River, and historically it was already operating as a minor port at the time of the Duchy of Courland. For a long time, the main line of activity of the port was the servicing of fishing vessels. At present, the port offers facilities for storing and transhipping general cargo such as wood, chips and peat.
2018 -Ragaciems Lighthouse is located 52 kilometres from Riga on Cape Ragaciems near the Gulf of Riga in Lapmežciems Parish, Engure Municipality, and it was built in 1960. Ragaciems Lighthouse is 30 metres high.
2019 - Šlītere lighhouse is located on the edge of a steep slope of the hills Zilie kalni in Šlītere, 8.50.3 km off the coastline. It is the second eldest navigation building in Latvia. The fifth floor of the lighthouse takes you roughly 100 m above the sea level. The tower itself is 26 m high, while the rotary light – 102.2 m above the sea level. At clear weather, the tower of Sõrve Lighthouse on Saaremaa island (Estonia), Irbene radio telescope and Miķeļbāka lighthouse are visible. Šlītere lighthouse was built in 1849 by the Dundaga manor’s baron for the purposes of forest fire surveillance and as a day-time landmark for ships navigating Irbe Strait in the Baltic Sea. The rotary light at the lighthouse was operated from 1961 until 1999. Since 2000 the lighthouse serves as a tourism and environment education sightseeing object in Slītere National Park. The five floors of the lighthouse exhibit educational information about other Latvian lighthouses, Slītere National Park, coastal nature, and the history of the Livonians. The lighthouse is also the starting point of a loop trail leading down the steep slope of Zilie kalni’ hills in Šlītere and running through a natural forest for 1.2 km.
2021 - Irbe Lighthouse is the only offshore lighthouse in Latvia, located in the Irbe Strait of the Baltic Sea, 20 kilometres from the shore. The lighthouse was built in 1986, but before that the safety of navigation in the Irbe Strait was provided by the Irbensky lightship, a floating lighthouse. The lighthouse is 37 metres high, its tower has 14 floors, and its visibility is 10 nautical miles. The white light on the lighthouse flashes every 10 seconds. Irbe Lighthouse is the property of the Maritime Administration of Latvia, but it is managed by the Freeport of Riga Authority.