Liepaja is a city in western Latvia on the Baltic sea. It is the third-largest city of Latvia and an important ice-free port. Liepaja was founded by Curonian fishermen and was first known by the name Lyva in 1253. The Livonian Order under the aegis of the Teutonic Order established the settlement as the town of Libau in 1263. The name Liepaja began to increase in usage after 1560. In 1625 Duke Friedrich Kettler of Courland granted the town city rights, which were affirmed by King Sigismund III of Poland in 1626.
Liepaja and Courland passed to the control of Imperial Russia in 1795 during the Partitions of Poland. The city became a major port on the Baltic Sea for the Russians, and was a central point of embarcation for immigrants travelling to the United States. For a brief time in 1919 when most Latvian territory was occupied by Bolsheviks, Liepaja was a provisional seat of government for the country.

	Country:	Latvia
	Location:	West
	Country Code:	+371
	Population:	85,260
	Language:	Latvian
	Currency:	Lats (LVL)
	Time Zone:	GMT+2
	Train Station:	Liepaja Station
	Tourism:	Liepaja Tourism

By Car From Riga centre: Take the motorway towards Jurmala via the A220 and continue alond the A220 exit at Roznieki and take the A218 to reach Liepaja centre.

By Train Trains leave twice daily from Riga in the morning and in the evening and take roughly five hours to Liepaja.

By Ferry Liepaja ferry terminal is located some distance to the north of the city where there are frequent scheduled sailings bound for the port of Rostock in Germany with Scandlines.

• Liepaja Museum
• Maja Gallery
• St Anna’s Church
• Oldest House
• Petertirgus

Liepaja Museum is located in a unique building with an original interior –it was built as a residential house in 1901. The Museum has more than 100 000 exhibits, its displays tell visitors about the history of the city and the region since the Stone Age through to today. The Maja Gallery is located in an old grain warehouse, it offers many diverse examples of art and photo exhibitions. St Anna’s Church is the oldest church in Liepaja (records show its existance in 1508), the organ is the third largest in Latvia. Visitors can see the oldest house in the city which is still well preserved at Kungu street 6. Petertirgus (Peter Market) is the largest market in the city. It's always bustleing with activity from local farmers and shoppers.