Grīva Prison in Daugavpils to Close in December, Future of Site Unclear

The historic Daugavpils fortress complex extends across the Daugava river to the Grīva prison, which will shut its doors as early as December.

Impact on staff and inmates

The closure will affect 165 prison employees along with hundreds of inmates currently held there. So far, only a handful of alternative employment options for staff have been made public, while a complete plan covering the relocation of all workers and inmates has not yet been laid out.

What happens to the historic site

Once the prison closes, the historic buildings and the fortress structures on the Grīva side will remain standing. However, it is still unclear what will ultimately happen to the territory in the long run — neither its future use nor the source of funding needed to maintain the buildings and grounds has been determined. The question of preserving this historic heritage stays open even as the institution itself is set to close, leaving uncertainty about both the property's future and its potential role in the city's development going forward.