Sights of the city of Rezekne in Latvia store the history of the city, which has more than seven centuries. This is the story of the coexistence of people of different nationalities and confessions gathered in the "heart of Latgale". Whatever period of life this cultural and historical area you are interested in - in Rezekne has something to see.
Architectural monuments
- The ruins of the castle Rositen . In 1285 the Livonian Order built on the mountain at the river where the Latgalians lived, the castle Rositen. Under the same name, the city was known until the end of the XIX century. By the XVII century. the castle was destroyed, it did not restore it. Since then, there are only its ruins, although over the last hundred years the territory around has been ennobled: park, built a summer theater, opened a restaurant. Castle Hill is an overview site with a beautiful view of the city. Nearby, on the territory of the organization Rezeknes udens, you can stumble upon a curious object - the layout of the castle Rositen. He was made in 2003 by a teacher of a local artisan secondary school. The model is exhibited from April to October, in the cold season it is sheltered from the weather.
- "Zeymuls" is the center of creative services of Eastern Latvia. "Zeymuls" is a pencil in the Latgalian language. This building with a bizarre "broken" architecture opened in 2012 and is the center of creativity and education. It is also the first public building in Latvia with a "green roof". From its towers the whole city is perfectly visible.
Museums
- Latgale Cultural and Historical Museum . The museum is located in the center of the city, at the address Atbrivoshanas, 102. The building was built in 1861, first it housed a hospital, then - a school. In 1938 a museum began to work here. Now the museum presents more than 2000 works from Latgalian ceramics (this is the largest collection in Latvia) and a historical exposition about the city.
- House of Arts . The historical building, built in the late XIX century, originally belonged to the merchants Vorobiev. Then it departed to the city and began to change its purpose constantly: here was the school, the hospital, and the military commissariat. From the interior there is nothing left, but in the mid-90's. the building was acquired by the Rezekne College of Art. Now the premises are restored, and tourists can see the decoration of the merchant's house. Outside, the wooden building is richly decorated with carvings. Here are exhibited paintings of Latgalian artists from the funds of the Latgale Cultural and Historical Museum.
Monuments
- Latgalian Mara ("One for Latvia"). The monument is 11 m high in the heart of the city. For Latgalians, this landmark Rezekne is of particular importance. The monument marks the unification of Latvia and Latgale and is a symbol of Rezekne. "Unified for Latvia" - its official name ("Vienoti Latvijai" - is written on the pedestal), but in the people the monument is better known as "Latgalian Mara". It was built by his famous sculptor Karlis Jansons on the project of the student of the Academy of Arts Leon Tomashitsky. Mara is an ancient Latvian goddess of the earth. "Land of Mary" - the name of the project. The sculpture depicts a female figure with a cross in her raised hand. The monument was inaugurated on September 7, 1939. His further fate turned out to be dramatic. The first time the monument was removed by order of the Soviet authorities in 1940. In 1943, he was returned to his place. In 1950, the monument was removed from the pedestal and replaced by a monument to Lenin, which stood here until the early 90's. August 12, 1992 Latgalskaya Mara "returned." The monument was restored by the son of Karlis Jansons - Andrejs Jansons.
- Monument to Anton Kukojus - Latvian poet, writer, artist, actor, director, public figure. It stands next to the Cultural and Historical Museum.
Churches
- The Cathedral of the Heart of Jesus . Impressive towers of the cathedral of the Rezekne-Aglona diocese are visible from anywhere in the city. The cathedral is located on the ancient Latgale street. The wooden church stood here since 1685, but in 1887 it was struck by lightning, and the church burned down. A year later a stone church was erected in its place. The author of the project was the Riga architect Florian Vyganovsky. In 1904 the church was consecrated in the name of the Heart of Jesus. The treasures of the cathedral are unique colored stained-glass windows depicting the first bishops of Livonia, altars with carvings, statues of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and St. Theresa.
- Rezekne green synagogue . The only wooden synagogue in Latvia survived the Second World War. It remained intact only because the Germans used the building for their own purposes. The "green" synagogue is called because of the exterior walls painted green. It was built in 1845. In the XIX century. Jews played an important role in the life of Rezekne: they were engaged in industrial production and trade, they owned the sphere of services. According to the census of 1897, 59.68% of the inhabitants of Rezekne were Jews. The synagogue is located at the corner of Kraslavas and Izraelas streets, next to the historic Latgale street. Now in its restored rooms there are expositions devoted to the history of the Latgale Jewish community and Jewish traditions. You can visit the synagogue on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
- Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin . The cathedral with sky-blue domes stands in the very center of the city, just a stone's throw from Latgalian Mary. It was built in the middle of the XIX century, when the city of Rezekne was a part of the Vitebsk province. The authors of the project are St. Petersburg architects Visconti and Charlemagne-Bode. Next to the cathedral is a chapel.
- The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity . For the first time a wooden church was built here in 1886. In 1938 a new red brick building was erected in its place. In 1949, the church bell tower was demolished, and the church itself was closed. Until the 90's. here was a movie service. Now the bell tower is restored, and from it you can see the city.
- Roman Catholic Church of the Passion of Our Lady . A light building in the style of neo-romanticism. Its construction was started in 1936 and lasted three years. The church has a sculpture of Our Lady of Fatima. The building was built according to the project of architect Pavlov, who also designed the Rezekne House of Culture. It is located along the Atbrivoshanas alley. The church, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Orthodox Cathedral form a kind of "triangle" in the center of the city.
- Old Believers' Church of St. Nicholas . The building is located in the south of the city on the street. Sinitsyna. In the middle of the XIX century. there was an Old Believer cemetery. At the cemetery in 1895 a prayer house was built. On her bell tower there are three bells cast in 1905. The largest of them is also the largest bell in Latvia - one of its language weighs 200 kg. The belltower was added to the church in 1906. In the Old Believers' community there is a museum dedicated to the life of Latgalian Old Believers.
For information about the sights of Rezekne , you can always contact the Tourist Information Center, which is located at Zamkova Mountain (Krasta St., 31).