View source for Karosta

{{Short description|Neighbourhood of Liepaja, Latvia}}
[[File:karosta alex3.jpg|thumb|Original building plan]]

'''Karosta''' is a former Russian and Soviet naval base on the [[Baltic Sea]], which today is a neighbourhood in [[Liepāja]], [[Latvia]]. The base was built because, when the Hohenzollern [[Kingdom of Prussia]] merged into the [[German Empire]] in 1871, [[Nemirseta|Nimmersatt]] became its northeasternmost settlement. Schoolchildren were taught the rhyme ''Nimmersatt, wo das Reich sein Ende hat'', meaning "Nimmersatt, where the Empire ends". The village included a customs house and an inn (''Kurhaus'') providing shelter for travellers from and to the [[Russian Empire]]'s Lithuanian provinces. Liepaja was the westernmost port.

== History ==
The naval base was originally constructed in 1890–1906 for Tsar [[Alexander III of Russia]], and named ''Port Imperatora Aleksandra III'' ({{langx|ru|Порт Императора Александра III||Port of Alexander III}}).<ref>[https://dlib.rsl.ru/viewer/01003548991#?page=2 Russian text from Sankt Petersburg, 1895]</ref> Built on the bare coast it consisted of a large man-made harbour including a large breakwater and inland submarine base.

After Latvian independence in the aftermath of [[World War I]], the base was called ''Kara osta'' ('War Port' in [[Latvian language|Latvian]]), later shortened to ''Karaosta'' and ''Karosta'' ({{langx|ru|Кароста}}).<ref>100 gadi 100 kartēs, {{ISBN|978-9984-07-746-8}}, page 22</ref>

It was a [[Closed city|closed]] military area and army town during the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] period, serving as a base for the Soviet [[Russian Baltic Fleet|Baltic Fleet]]. It was inaccessible to the civilians of neighbouring [[Liepāja]].<ref>[https://www.latvia.travel/en/sight/liepaja-naval-port Liepāja Naval Port]</ref>

When the Soviet Union military left Latvia in 1994 after the restoration of Latvian independence, Karosta became largely uninhabited and most structures fell to ruin. In late 1990s, the area was troubled by high unemployment, street crime and drug problems. It is today a neighbourhood in the northern outskirts of [[Liepāja]] in [[Latvia]], occupying a third of the area of the city.<ref>[https://www.latvia.travel/en/sight/liepaja-naval-port Liepāja Naval Port]</ref>

== Today ==
{{unsourced section|date=August 2025}}
Today, Karosta is a popular place for tourists and artists, who are attracted to its historical sights, such as the scenic seascapes with partially blasted fortresses on the Baltic shore. The K@2 Artists center was established in 2000 and acts as a frame for many cultural activities by local and foreign artists who come to Karosta for art projects and to get inspiration from Karosta’s nature, buildings, ruins, and people.

The army headquarters include czar-era mansions used by admirals, a palace for the czar (reportedly only used once), an impressive [[Russian Orthodox]] [[St Nicholas Naval Cathedral, Karosta|Naval Cathedral]], as well as underground bunkers and abandoned storehouses. Soviet-era buildings include many rows of block housing. At its height Karosta was home to over 20,000 people.

Karosta military prison has now been converted into a museum (open May - September) and it is possible to spend the night in the guardhouse, processed as a prisoner would have been.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Karosta water tower.jpg|The old water tower
Liepaja fortress (battery 1) (2).jpg|The first battery of the north forts
File:Ziemeļu forti(16).jpg|Ruins of the Northern forts
File:Manéža 1.JPG|Ruins of the riding arena
File:Kalpaka tilts 1.JPG|Kalpaka bridge, connects Karosta with other parts of Liepāja
File:Karosta houses.jpg|Soviet blockhouses in Karosta
</gallery>
[[File:Karosta Prison museum exhibition.jpg|thumb|Karosta Prison museum exhibition in 2015.]]

==In culture==

In 2008, Ivory Tower Pictures produced a television documentary called ''Karosta: Life After the USSR'' directed by Peter King.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Karosta}}
{{Wikivoyage|Liepaja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090327083013/http://www.ivorytowerpictures.com/ Ivory Tower Pictures - Producers of Karosta: Life After the USSR] (web archive)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020619221028/http://www.karosta.lv/ Official site] (web archive)
* [http://greyisgood.eu/blog/80 Images of old fort] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829091446/http://greyisgood.eu/blog/80 |date=2011-08-29 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120429162318/http://www.latvia.travel/en/liepaja-naval-port Official Latvian Tourism Portal]
* [https://www.uniqhotels.com/karosta-prison Karosta Prison]

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{{Liepāja's neighbourhoods}}

[[Category:Installations of the Russian Navy]]
[[Category:Installations of the Soviet Navy]]
[[Category:Neighbourhoods in Liepāja]]
[[Category:Military installations established in 1890]]
[[Category:Military installations closed in 1994]]