Irbene | |
Settlement Type: | Ghost town |
Pushpin Map: | Latvia |
Coordinates: | 57.5647°N 21.8628°W |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Name: | Latvia |
Subdivision Type1: | Municipality |
Subdivision Type2: | Parish |
Established Title: | Established |
Established Date: | 1971 |
Utc Offset: | +2 |
Utc Offset Dst: | +3 |
Irbene is a ghost town in Ance parish, northwestern Latvia. In 1971, the Soviet Union established a secret radar center "Звезда" ("Star" in Russian; later acquired by Ventspils Starptautiskais Radioastronomijas Centrs in 1990s) and built a settlement for military officers and their families, naming it Irbene because of nearby river Irbe. The town had a school, shop, sport and concert halls. However, the town was not marked on maps.[1] Only the holders of a special permit were able to access Irbene. After the withdrawal of the Soviet Army in 1993 the town became abandoned.[2]