Rēzekne – Culture, History and City Views

The Embassy of Latgale GORS in Rēzekne is a concert hall designed with a focus on acoustics. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Neo-Gothic cathedral with two towers. This means that the city offers both contemporary culture and a distinctive religious building as initial points of reference.

The Latgale Culture and History Museum holds collections of Latgale ceramics, fine art and ethnographic objects. The exhibition “Wonders of clay and fire” is considered the world’s largest collection of Latgale ceramics. Those interested in the history of regional crafts and art will therefore find a variety of ways to engage with Latgale here.

The exhibition “Latgales glezniecība”, featuring works by older and contemporary artists from Latgale, is on display at Rēzeknes Mākslas nams. The single-storey wooden building was constructed in the last quarter of the 19th century as a summer house for the merchant family Vorobjov. The building itself therefore adds an architectural historical connection to the exhibition.

Rēzekne’s Green Synagogue dates from 1845 and is the oldest wooden building in the city. At the same time, it is the only one of 11 synagogues to have survived to this day. These two characteristics make it a distinct focal point within the city’s history.

Rēzekne Castle Hill is home to medieval castle ruins, which are considered the oldest historical monument in the city. From the 9th to the 12th century, a fortified settlement of the ancient Latgalians stood there. At the end of the 13th century, the Livonian Order built a castle on the hill called Castrum Rositten. The succession of a fortified settlement and an order castle gives the site a clearly discernible historical depth, without suggesting that the individual periods should be equated with one another.

The terrace of the Zeimuļs Tower offers panoramic views of Rēzekne’s historic city centre. For orientation within the cityscape, this view complements the individual museums and historic buildings. The “United for Latvia” monument is dedicated to the soldiers of the Latvian War of Independence in 1920 and adds another place of remembrance to the city’s history.

Regional cuisine can also be incorporated into your plans: cafés in Rēzekne have developed special dishes made with pearl barley and added them to their menus. In Rēzekne, culture, history, family activities and local food thus come together.

If you would like to compare other destinations in the same destination area, you can also find Stoļerova, Gaigalava, Astici, Bērzgale, Kaunata, Gaiduļi, Ratnieki and Puša.

What does the Rēzekne Tourism Development Center offer?

The Rēzekne Tourism Development Center organises excursions and develops individual itineraries. Groups and individuals can use guided tours there in Latvian, Latgalian, Russian and English.

What activities are available for schoolchildren and families?

The Latgale Culture and History Museum offers a wide range of educational programmes for schoolchildren and families with children. The topics range from archaeology to art.

What did Olympic Center Rēzekne include from May 2017?

From May 2017, Olympic Center Rēzekne included an outdoor pool complex with two whirlpools, a sauna and a small children’s pool with a slide. These details refer to the situation from May 2017 and say nothing about current use.

For the broader travel overview: Rēzeknes Novads.