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Old 07-12-2015, 04:21 PM
 
Location: Stockholm
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On my visit to Liepaja, Latvia next week I have planned to also take a look at the largely abandoned (but still partially populated) Soviet military town Karosta located north of Liepaja. Is it safe to have a walk through this area and take some pictures, or are there high risks of getting mugged as a western tourist? Are you advised to be cautious?

The only thing Wikitravel says is that it used to be a dangerous place in the 90's.
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Old 07-12-2015, 04:33 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MagnusPetersson View Post
On my visit to Liepaja, Latvia next week I have planned to also take a look at the largely abandoned (but still partially populated) Soviet military town Karosta located north of Liepaja. Is it safe to have a walk through this area and take some pictures, or are there high risks of getting mugged as a western tourist? Are you advised to be cautious?

The only thing Wikitravel says is that it used to be a dangerous place in the 90's.
Magnus...
Every place of former SU was dangerous in the 90's)))
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Old 07-12-2015, 04:53 PM
 
Location: Stockholm
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karosta


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-42g2-kQTlM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVN4nXzy6RY

Last edited by Helsingborgaren; 07-12-2015 at 05:03 PM..
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Old 07-12-2015, 05:16 PM
 
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Wow Magnus, the history of this particular military city goes much-much further back than Soviet Union - it looks like it was quite important forepost of the Russian Empire created as the result of a stand-off between Russia and Germany. At least that's what ( among other things) I've learned from here.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XO5Ix6LAKM#t=361

( it explains all those historic-looking buildings that I've noticed earlier at the background as well.)
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Old 07-12-2015, 05:20 PM
 
Location: Stockholm
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Yes. This is part of the reason why I want to have a look at this place, the fortress seems really impressive.
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Old 07-12-2015, 05:21 PM
 
Location: LA, CA/ In This Time and Place
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Seems like a very interesting place to visit.
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Old 07-12-2015, 09:13 PM
 
Location: Stockholm
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Karosta Prison museum (used as a prison by the Russian Empire, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union), where people can spend a night as a prisoner and be treated as one

http://karostascietums.lv/en/excursi...arosta-prison/
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Old 07-13-2015, 09:58 AM
 
2,887 posts, read 5,111,821 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MagnusPetersson View Post
On my visit to Liepaja, Latvia next week I have planned to also take a look at the largely abandoned (but still partially populated) Soviet military town Karosta located north of Liepaja. Is it safe to have a walk through this area and take some pictures, or are there high risks of getting mugged as a western tourist? Are you advised to be cautious?

The only thing Wikitravel says is that it used to be a dangerous place in the 90's.
I walked and drove around Karosta for an hour or so last year. The place seemed almost empty -- many buildings but few people. I wouldn't say I felt unsafe like I did in some neighborhoods in the US, but I felt a bit uneasy. I didn't visit the prison. The cathedral is very pretty and a big contrast with the rundown apartment buildings around it.

I also visited the Holocaust memorial at Skede Beach, maybe 2-3kms to the north. Small hard-to-find place but very touching.
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Old 07-13-2015, 03:57 PM
 
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I have been to that part of Liepaja and did not indicate any danger there. However, i am not a "western" person but an ex-soviet myself but i think it is hardly important in this context. Well, i remember that at first glance the huge brown orthodox cathedral looked a bit, i would say, ghostly as i really did expect to see such things in that specific enviroment of soviet army styled dwellings-that was my emotion, i remember.
Yes, I can only agree Liepaja is interesting to visit as it looks imo indeed something like an `Baltic sea provinicial town of Russian empire` might look`- thanks to the fact that old part of the city is pretty big and well preserved if i remember correctly.
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