A study of Fortress garden to be carried out to develop restoration project City news
Daugavpils City Council submitted a project application to the State Cultural Capital Foundation competition to attract co-financing for the architectural and artistic inventory and cultural and historical study of the Fortress garden in Daugavpils. Funding for the research is planned in the municipal budget, so, despite the results of the competition, research work will be carried out this year. A garden restoration project will be developed on the basis of the scientific inventory and study. It is planned to attract European Union funds for the restoration.
The Fortress or Commandant's garden is located in the heart of Daugavpils Fortress – in the territory of an urban planning and architectural monument of national significance. It was created in the 60-90s of the 19th century in the place of the former parade ground. Initially, pyramidal poplars were planted around the perimeter. Later, when it was forbidden to hold trainings and parades without the presence of the emperor, it was covered by a beautiful lawn. Around 1866, the first fountain was erected in the middle of the garden, and central paths were built. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, poplars were replaced with linden seedlings, and a wooden gazebo was built. In 1912, the old fountain was replaced by a monument-fountain in honour of the centenary of the victory over Napoleon; it has been granted the status of a monument of historical event of local significance. In 1924, a monument dedicated to the fallen soldiers of the 10th Aizpute Infantry Regiment of the Latvian Army was opened in the North-East of the garden. It was later destroyed and again restored in 2017 by the association “Daugavpils mantojums” (Daugavpils heritage) with the support of Daugavpils City Council, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Defence, the State Cultural Capital Foundation and several donors.
The Commandant's garden is a special historical public place with cultural, historical, natural, amenity, industrial and memorial values. Restoration of historic gardens and parks is a very complex and time-consuming process that requires the involvement of many professionals in order to choose a more appropriate restoration method. That is why it is vital to carry out comprehensive research to study the history of the creation of the garden, record the architectural elements and their details, specify the original appearance, colour and functionality of buildings.
In 2017 a dendrological inventory of the trees in the Fortress garden was performed: all 244 trees grown in its territory were studied, numbered and registered in the database. As a result of the inventory, recommendations have been developed for each tree: for preservation or liquidation, improvement or maintenance of the landscape.
Both the dendrological inventory of trees and the architectural and artistic inventory, and cultural and historical research will become a significant scientifically based basis for the further development of the restoration project for the Fortress garden.
Information prepared by:
Artjoms Mahļins
Senior Project Expert at Project Administration Office
of Development Department of Daugavpils City Council
phone: 654 04222, e-mail: artjoms.mahlins@daugavpils.lv
