Facts about Liepāja

Liepāja has often set trends and has been among the first in many areas, both historically and today, in Latvia, the Baltics, and worldwide.

Liepāja in the World

• Kristaps Porziņģis – an NBA basketball star from Liepāja and a professional NBA player.
• The world’s largest unreconstructed mechanical organ is located in the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
• The Lauma Fabrics manufacturing building is the 10th largest in the world by area.
• The most unusual and surprising hotel in the world – Karosta Prison.
• A mural by the internationally renowned graffiti artist OZMO, “Siren, Wind, Sea and Freedom”, is included in the “Street Art Cities TOP 100” list of the world’s best urban artworks.
• The Liepāja Theatre production “Latvian Rockets” is included in the Cultural Olympiad programme of the Milano–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, marking the first time the Latvian Olympic Committee will represent Latvia in the Cultural Olympiad.

Liepāja in Europe

• A unique monument of engineering – the Oskars Kalpaks metal swing bridge.
• Peter’s Market – architecturally, one of the most beautiful market pavilions.
• The unusually white and fine sand of Liepāja Beach is found on very few beaches.
• Karosta Prison is the only military prison open to tourists.
• Lake Liepāja is a Natura 2000 protected area due to the nesting and migratory birds found there.
• Liepāja was the first city to acquire the title of European City of Sport.

Liepāja in the Baltics

• Liepāja was the first city in the Baltics (1899) to have an electric tram line – the most modern mode of transportation at the time.
• The largest historical military territory – Karosta – covers about one-third of the city.
• The Liepāja Symphony Orchestra is the oldest in the Baltic States.
• Liepāja has the only diving training school in the Baltics.
• The highest dome structure in the Baltics – St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Naval Cathedral – is located in Liepāja.
• Liepāja was the first city to acquire the title of European City of Sport.

Liepāja in Latvia

• Liepāja served as the capital of Latvia for a short time in 1919, when the Latvian Provisional Government was located on board the steamship “Saratow” in the Port of Liepāja following a coup d’état by the German Army.
• Liepāja is the second city in Latvia with such a rich Art Nouveau heritage, featuring over 70 Art Nouveau buildings.
• The 3 km long Liepāja Seaside Park, covering an area of 50 hectares, is one of the largest planted parks in Latvia, with around 140 local and foreign tree species.
• The largest drum set in Latvia is located in the Seaside Park at the end of Peldu Street.
• The longest amber necklace can be found at the House of Craftsmen.
• Liepāja Theatre is the oldest professional theatre in Latvia.
• The wooden altar of St. Anne’s Lutheran Church is the largest and artistically most significant Baroque wood carving in Latvia.
• The longest zipline in a scenic location – stretching over the water reservoir in the Beberliņi recreational park.