The first Art Nouveau buildings were built in Liepāja at the beginning of the 20th century. It was a time when the city began to build many great buildings as a result of the economic upswing.
Art Nouveau was the chosen style for rental properties and buildings of public interest, such as the theatre, schools, cinemas and office buildings. Today there remain around 70 Art Nouveau buildings, most of them being built in a modest and simple manner, making them fit in harmoniously with the rest of the city’s buildings.
The Art Nouveau heritage of Liepāja spans almost the whole length of Graudu Street and also Lielā Street.
Many buildings have kept the historical decorative finishes of stairwells, the original wooden doors, metal gates, handrails, fire places, floors and other testimonies to the handiwork of local craftsmen.
