Līvānu Novads: Glass, History and River Landscapes

A special way to discover Līvānu Novads is through the Līvāni Glass Museum. It is considered the only museum of its kind in the Baltics and has been located in the Līvāni Glass and Crafts Centre since 2013. There, the history of the local glass factory from 1887 onwards is presented; the exhibition also explains the technology used to produce glass vessels.

Culture

At the Līvāni Glass Museum, visitors can watch Soviet films about the glass factory, its work and its employees for several hours. The Līvāni Glass and Crafts Centre also offers creative workshops in ceramics, glass and textile art, in which you can participate. An exhibition entitled “Amatnieki Latgalē 19. – 20. gs.” presents the history and development of crafts in Latgale. The centre also contains a conference hall with a view of the Daugava.

In the glassblowing workshop, a glassblowing tradition more than 100 years old is brought back to life. Visitors can watch the production of glass objects there and learn the secrets of glassmaking under the guidance of an experienced glass master. Thus, alongside the historical information, traditional craftsmanship and creative participation are also central features.

History

The origins of present-day Līvāni are associated with the year 1533. At that time, the German Baron Jurgens Līvens built an estate and named it Līvenhof. More than 1,000 years ago, a settlement of traders and artisans called Dubna arose on an old Viking waterway on the banks of the Dubna near its mouth into the Daugava.

Another historic site is the oppidum of Jersika. It is located on the banks of the Daugava between the ravines of two streams and was the economic and political centre of the ancient Latgallian state of Jersika in the 12th and 13th centuries. Archaeological excavations suggest that people had lived there since the 1st millennium BC. The oppidum is privately owned; visits must be arranged with the owners.

The Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration of Christ is also part of Jersika’s history. It previously stood in Daugavpils and had been transported there by rail from Odesa. Locally, it is known as the “Iron Church” because its exterior structural components are made of iron or cast iron. The church offers an opportunity to learn more about the beginnings of Orthodoxy in the territory of Latvia.

Other religious buildings also reflect the development of the area. The Old Believers’ prayer house in Līvāni was rebuilt in the 1980s and received a bell tower in 1998. The Catholic Church of Znotiņi is a restored red-brick church dating from 1926.

Nature

The municipality has created the visitor route “Across Seven Bridges”. From the town bridge in Līvāni, there is a view of islands in the Dubna. The Kalvāni pedestrian bridge crosses the same river, while the Švirkstu Bridge is described as a stopping point with views of untouched natural landscapes above the Oša. The Rožupe pedestrian bridge is a place for walks, creative events and activities.

Another viewpoint is the open-air living room at the highest point of Līvāni. From there, the view extends over the town centre and the bay of the Dubna.

Connections

The Līvāni–Dignāja ferry connects the two banks of the Daugava and serves pedestrians, motorists and cyclists. It enables a direct crossing from Latgale towards Zemgale.

Leisure

The “Upe” swimming pool in Līvāni includes an 11 × 25-metre sports pool with four lanes and a 5 × 7-metre children’s pool. The facilities also include a spa area with a sauna, steam room, whirlpool and cold plunge pool. The building, interior spaces and “Upe” swimming pool in Līvāni are also suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Cycling

The regional cycling offer includes the 173-kilometre “Latgales zelta vidusceļš” cycle route. Tourism experts from the municipalities of Preiļi, Līvāni, Vārkava, Riebiņi and Aglona developed it jointly; the route has the official number 37.

Another sub-area is Līvāni. Other destinations in the same area: Naukšēnu Novads, Mālpils Novads, Kārsavas Novads, Mērsraga Novads, Limbažu Novads, Vecumnieki Municipality, Kandavas Novads.

For the overarching travel overview: Latvia.