__NOTOC__ Ainaži Lighthouse ( Latvian: ''Ainažu bāka'') is a lighthouse located in

Ainaži Ainaži (pronounced ; et, Heinaste) is a port town in Limbaži Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. The town is located near the Estonian border on the site of an ancient Livonian fishing village. Before 1917, it was known by its Ge ...

on the

Bay of Riga A bay is a recessed, coastal body of water that directly connects to a larger main body of water, such as an ocean, a lake, or another bay. A large bay is usually called a gulf, sea, sound, or bight. A cove is a small, circular bay with a nar ...

- of the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

History

The Ainahi lighthouse was built in 1930, originally serving as a guide for the nearby

port and harbour. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, the harbour was bombarded by

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

bombers; causing the village to lose its processing factory and fishing importance - therefore making the lighthouse insignificant. The village, port and harbour were rebuilt under Soviet control - bringing back the importance of the lighthouse. The lighthouse was reconstructed and furthermore renovated in the 1990s. Currently the lighthouse is open to the public and is a key landmark for the nearby villages.

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Lighthouses completed in 1930 Resort architecture in Latvia Lighthouses in Latvia {{Latvia-struct-stub

History

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