13-09-2016

175TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAUGAVPILS PROTECTIVE DIKE

It was possible for everyone who attended the European Heritage Days to find out what our city was like almost two centuries ago.
The main theme of this event was the 175^th Anniversary of the city’s old protective dike.

Daugavpils museum opened a photo exposition right on the street. More than 60 photos are helping to restore the past.

The problem of defending the city from floods was brought up during the construction of the Daugavpils (Dinaburg) Fortress. Military engineer Pavel Melnikov estimated not only the height of the dike, but also the drainage system, gateways, so that not just the fortress but also the city should be protected. By the way, Daugavpils city has won the right to represent Latvia for „The European landscape award” for the preservation of historical sites. It can be seen how citizens of the city were walking along the dike enjoying the river in old photos.

Today the City Council has accomplished the first part of the project on development of River’s Daugava bank territory. The promenade and leisure area near the University is already well known to the citizens. The next step of dike development will be construction of the promenade on the shore of Daugava river. If you couldn’t observe this interesting exposition, don’t lose the next chance during the Riga Street Fest on September 17.

All the participants at the event were guided on a fascinating tour. The “tour guides” were representatives of History Department of Daugavpils Regional Studies and Art Museum, Galina Verjovočņikova and main curator of the stock Juzefa Unzule.

In addition, an iron pillar with the inscription: “By the decree of Emperor Nicholas I the City was protected from floods in 1841” was installed once at the place where Šuņica River flows into Daugava River. Will the historic  memory of the dike maker Pavel Melnikov be commemorated?