Traveling along the Daugava River (8)

The Vanšu Bridge (Latvian: Vanšu tilts) in Riga is a cable-stayed bridge spanning the Daugava River, elegantly connecting both banks in Latvia's capital. The name 'Vanšu' directly translates to 'Shroud,' alluding to the cables gracefully suspending its deck, reminiscent of nautical rigging, known as shrouds in English. Extending for 595 meters, this architectural marvel is one of Riga's quintet of bridges crossing the Daugava, gracefully traversing over Ķīpsala Island. Constructed during the Soviet era, the bridge initially bore the name Gorky Bridge (Latvian: Gorkija tilts), named after Maxim Gorky street, now Krišjānis Valdemārs street, spanning the river. It opened to the public on July 21, 1981, embodying both functionality and aesthetics. Over the years, the Vanšu Bridge has not only been a conduit for transport but has also witnessed poignant incidents. In the last decade, there have been more than ten instances of individuals attempting to climb its cables. Tragically, on June 7, 2012, a man chose this structure for a fateful act of self-harm by jumping from the bridge's cables. In response, the Riga City Council took measures to enhance safety, mandating the installation of barbed wire entanglements on the cables. Despite such somber occurrences, the Vanšu Bridge continues to be a focal point for positive community engagement. In 2013, a vibrant beach adorned with a playground and volleyball field emerged next to the bridge in Ķīpsala, offering a space for leisure and recreation. This dual nature, blending architectural significance with communal spaces, encapsulates the Vanšu Bridge's role in Riga's urban fabric.

The Pļaviņas Hydroelectric Power Station, the Baltics' largest, stands along the Daugava River in Aizkraukle. Constructed in 1968, it faced protests in 1958 due to environmental concerns. Despite controversies, it operates with ten turbines, an 894 MW capacity, expanded in 1991–2001. Reconstruction from 2007 to 2010 further enhanced efficiency, resulting in a power output of 908 MW by 2010. In 2016, it produced 1,386 GWh. Operated by Latvenergo, it remains a prominent European Union facility.

The first time Koknese is mentioned is in the famous 1205 Chronicle of Henry of Livonia. However archaeological digs have shown that the territory was already inhabited by 1 BC. The building of the stone castle began with the arrival of German Bishop Albert in 1209 (Albert of Riga) on the same place where an ancient Latvian wooden castle once stood. The castle was built on the hilltop overlooking the confluence of the Perse and Daugava rivers. The castle has been reconstructed several times. The walls were made from dolomite quarried from the Daugava's banks, with bricks used for door and window frames. A settlement of merchants and craftsmen formed around the castle in the 13th century. The Bishop of Riga granted Koknese its town charter in 1277. Later Koknese joined the Hanseatic League and the town's representatives took part in assemblies of Livonian towns. When Livonia collapsed, Koknese came under Polish rule for a while, but in 1577 during the Livonian War, the castle was taken by the Russians. On the orders of Ivan the Terrible, the entire Koknese garrison was killed, the town demolished and its population taken as hostages. During the later Northern War, Koknese was taken by a Polish-Saxon army and the castle was partially blown up in 1701. Since then Koknese castle has remained a ruin. Since the creation of the Pjavinas hydro-electric station, the water of the Daugava has lapped at the bottom of the castle walls. Currently, maintaining the glory and reputation of the old time, theatrical performances, concerts, coinage, wedding ceremonies in medieval and ancient Latvian style, and the traditional Cat-fish Waking Festival takes place at the Koknese Castle ruins. The historical exhibition in the pavilion of the ruins provides an insight about the landscape that cannot be seen anymore. It is possible to purchase souvenirs with symbols of Koknese at the visitor pavilion.

It was here where in around 1180, the Augustinian monk Meinhard (Saint Meinhard) began to preach the Roman Catholic faith in the Liv lands. This is the starting point of both the Baltic crusades and the incorporation of the Baltic region into the Western European cultural space. The medieval Ikšķile Church was built in 1184 next to a Liv village, and it was the first stone building in the Baltic region. After Meinhard was appointed Bishop of Livonia (1186), it became his cathedral. The church was significantly rebuilt during the first half of the 13th century and in 1879-1881. Destroyed during World War I. Ikšķile stone castle was built in 1185 and destroyed in the 16th century. During the construction of the Riga hydroelectric power plant reservoir in 1975-1976, an artificial island was made around the castle and church ruins; in 1999, the island was named after St. Meinhard.

Daugavpils Fortress is located in the heart of Daugavpils, the second largest city in Latvia, only 2 km from the historical city centre, and it is the last bastion-type fortress to be built in the world. The zigzag outline of the fortifications consists of eight bastions, six ravelins, six counter guards and other defensive structures, such as lunettes, redoubts and a moat. There is a bridgehead on the left side of the Daugava. Each part of the fortress was constructed in the 19th century using the experience of the best architectural schools of Tsarist Russia and Europe to make it a fortified ideal city. The inside of the fortress was designed as a traditional military town with parade grounds in the middle and blocks of administrative and dwelling buildings laid out around it. The fortress has 10 wide streets, 80 buildings, squares and courts. All facades exemplify the Empire style, with the exception of the Gothic Nicholas Gate and the Water Lifting House. Daugavpils Fortress is a town planning monument of national significance with 35 cultural monuments within its territory. The fortress is experiencing dynamic development and has become the largest cultural and tourism centre in Latgale. An important part of Daugavpils Fortress is the Mark Rothko Art Centre (Mihaila iela 3), which is a multifunctional contemporary art complex and culture and education centre. It is the only place in Eastern Europe where you can see the original works of Mark Rothko, the world-renowned Daugavpils-born founder of abstract expressionism, an exhibition devoted to him, words of the prominent Latvian potter Peteris Martinson and the changing exhibitions of well-known Latvian and foreign artists. Daugavpils Fortress Culture and Information Centre is located in the former Water Lifting Building, at Nikolaja iela 5. 

The bell-tower was built in 1887 after the project of Pflug R.A. (1832-1885). Its architecture creates a unified ensemble with other buildings - the Church of the Holy Spirit (1888) and the Chapel of St. George (1887). Looking at the monastery from the East, one can notice that the bell-tower's vertical completes the straight perspective of the street. An ancient bell was placed on the tower, donated in the 18th century by Anna Ioannovna, Duchess of Courland and future Empress and Autocrat of All the Russias. During World War I all the bells were brought out to Russia where they had been lost in the chaos of the revolution. In 1927 a new bell was fitted in the tower. It was made in Liepaja town and weighed 930kg. Initial bell-tower was placed at the South wall of the monastery (where now stands the Chapel of St. George) and faced the square on Brivibas street.

The Church of Saint Nicholas, the Patron of travelers and merchants, was built in 1774 in the time of hegumen Kirill (Kozlovsky) on a site of the former wooden church (built in 1660) on the donations of bargemen and rafts men; this church is one of the oldest landmarks on the left bank of Daugava river in Latvia. The size of the church is also remarkable, it is only 17x9,5 meters. It was seriously damaged during World War I. The memorial tablet on the church vestibule wall keeps the names of locals, who helped to restore the building. During the Soviet times the church was taken away from believers and transformed into an exhibition hall of Jēkabpils town Local History Museum. The building was returned to the monastery in the beginning of the 90s. There is a story of how Saint Nicholas church was built. Once upon a time some rich citizen of Holmhof sloboda (now Jēkabpils) noticed an old man going down the street. He asked his wife to invite the stranger for a meal, but when she went out, she could find nobody. On the next day, the citizen saw the old man again, called him and tried to follow, but the stranger disappeared near the river Daugava. Next night the citizen saw the old man in a dream and asked him: 'Who are you?' - 'I am Saint Nicholas', the man answered - 'Build a church near the river where you saw me'. That is how the building of the church started.

The Church of the Holy Spirit was built in 1885 - 1888. The author of the project, architect Pflug R. A. (1832-1885) (builder Kizelbash A.P.), created it in a Baroque style with the features of Neo-Byzantine architecture - cross shaped layout (22x20m), light color brick laying with horizontal lines of red brick, ceramic frieze, manufactured at Kuznetsov's Factory of Porcelain, and five impressive domes. The solemn consecration of the new church was completed by Arseny (Bryancev) (1839 - 1914), the Bishop of Riga and Mitau, on 19 of June in 1888. The main sanctity of the Monastery, the Wonder-working icon of The Mother of God of Jakobstadt, is placed in the church. The restored icon was returned to the monastery on 26th July 2008. According to legend, the Wonder-working image was found during the Russian - Poland - Sweden war (1654 - 1667) by a Sweden warrior, a Saxonian, named Jakov Gudinski. When crossing the Daugava river, he noticed a tiny plank in the waves and plunged it with his spear. He carried it out of the river and then noticed blood streaming out of the plank. Overtaken by fear, the warrior started to investigate his finding and discovered that it was an Orthodox icon of The Mother of God with the Child Jesus. He took it to the town of "Holmhof Sloboda" (now Jēkabpils) where the Russian people lived and a small Orthodox monastery was located, converted into Orthodoxy and stayed in the monastery as its brethren. At first the Church of the Holy Spirit was a wooden one. It was possibly built in 1670 - 1675 by a Russian merchant Jakob Ratkevich, who witnessed a divine healing of an obsessed peasant by the Wonder-working icon of The Mother of God of Jakobstadt. The merchant decided to build a better church more suitable for the wonder working holy image, it was built up and named in honor of the Holy Spirit. The church built by Ratkevich was reconstructed in 1884: however it was burned down after two and a half months by an evildoer. In 1888 a stone church was raised in its place and remained till the present.