Today, July 28, the final works on the monument to Latvia's first admiral Teodoras Spādes are taking place on the Ventspils Ostas Street promenade. Under the guidance of sculptor Kristaps Gulbis, eight stainless steel boats of various sizes are being installed, forming the central composition of the monumental work of art.
The unveiling of the monument will take place on Thursday, July 30, at 12:00 on the Ostas Street promenade, near the ferry terminal. Ventspils City Municipality invites residents, city guests, and media representatives to participate in the ceremonial event.
The monument is dedicated to the Latvian Navy Admiral Teodoras Spādes, born in Ventspils – the first admiral in the history of the state of Latvia. Born into a fisherman's family, the Ventspils native became the commander of the Latvian Navy with perseverance, knowledge and professional skill, and his life story still inspires with courage, patriotism and loyalty to his country.
The monumental artwork is based on the concept of eight stainless steel boats of various sizes, designed in the origami style. The largest of them features a symbolic figure of a boy, representing Teodors Spades in his childhood – a boy from Ventspils whose dreams of the sea led him to the highest rank of officer in the Latvian Navy.
The authors of the monument are sculptor Kristaps Gulbis, architect Raimonds Saulītis, visualization author Mārtiņš Ziemanis, and consulting architect Andris Kronbergs. The project was implemented based on the winning idea of the 2024 design competition.
The base of the monument is made of polished concrete with a reflective effect, with a dedication text placed on it. The landscaped area covers approximately 170 m², and it is designed as an accessible environment for every visitor, including an information plate in Braille.
The new environmental object will complement the Ostas Street promenade, while simultaneously honoring an outstanding Latvian maritime personality and symbolically telling the story of dreams, perseverance, and the path to excellence.
We invite everyone interested to the ceremonial opening of the monument to Admiral Teodoras Spādes on the Ostas Street promenade on Thursday, July 30, at 12:00.
