There is something special about the people of Liepāja. No matter where they go, they stand out quietly. It might sound like a poetic contradiction, but the contrasts Liepāja has gathered over four centuries are not opposites. Take the old house of Mrs Hoijere: the white-painted window frames fit well on the black façade. The youthful concert hall Lielais dzintars can be both the loudest and quietest place in the city. Down by the beach, you feel the everlasting force of nature – the sharp wind and the sweltering sun, both strong, both real, at the same time.
The coin dedicated to Liepāja brings together elements of Kurzeme's biggest city. Buildings line up on the obverse: from the cramped cabin of a fishing boat to the wide rooftops of the 17th century, through elegant Art Nouveau streets, past striking modern buildings and proud industrial relics. Finally, the gaze ascends the church towers' spires, reaching Liepāja's vast sky where the Wind sets the tone. Like an eternal street musician, it plays the weather vanes and whispers through people's souls.
On the reverse of the coin, soaking it all in, is the Sun – the Wind's most loyal listener. It only takes a short walk to go from the city's bustling heart to the calm, spacious beach. There, the centuries melt together like sand in your sandals and strands of hair drift over the water's surface, weaving with the glow of the afternoon sun. So where does Liepāja's strength lie? In its paradoxes? Or in the layers of its history? Can one side of a coin exist without the other? Here, opposites do not clash – they live in harmony. And in the tension between them, Liepāja carves out its own, unmistakable character. To mark Liepāja's 400th birthday, all of this is captured in a single coin: the "Sun and Wind".
