Daugavpils fortress

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The Daugavpils fortress is the only example of a first-half of the 19th century fortress in Eastern Europe that has survived without major changes. The fortress was built on the site of the city’s former fortifications. As a result of its long construction period, it was fashioned as a unified ensemble consisting of the main part – the citadel with Empire- and Classicism-style features – and developed defence systems on the north bank of the river Daugava, and an outer fortification barrier on the south bank. Today, the fortress is one of the city’s residential areas. Several of the fortress’s buildings and facilities have been restored, streets renovated and the Mark Rothko Art Centre established.

The fortress was built between 1810 and 1878, and by the time of its completion it was already outdated. It is the last bastion-type fortress to have been built in Europe.
Since 2015, the Dinaburg 1812 War History Reconstruction Club has held a festival in the fortress, when visitors can watch a reconstruction of the great French army’s attack on the fortress and the efforts of the Russian Empire army to keep them at bay.