Irbene

{{Short description|Town in Latvia}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Irbene

| native_name =

| settlement_type = Ghost town

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| image_skyline = Irbene.jpeg

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| image_caption = Abandoned houses in Irbene in 2014

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| image_shield =

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| pushpin_map = Latvia

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| coordinates = {{coord|57|33|53|N|21|51|46|E|display=inline}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Latvia}}

| subdivision_type1 = Municipality

| subdivision_name1 = Ventspils Municipality

| subdivision_type2 = Parish

| subdivision_name2 = Ance parish

| established_title = Established

| established_date = 1971

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| timezone = EET

| utc_offset = +2

| timezone_DST = EEST

| utc_offset_DST = +3

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}}

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.{{cite book|last1=Rasmussen|first1=Johannes|title=Travel guide : traces of the Cold War period : the countries around the Baltic Sea|date=2010|publisher=Nordic Council of Ministers|location=Copenhagen|isbn=9789289321211}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.niekonaujo.lt/20101022/vaiduokliu-miestas-irbene |title=Vaiduoklių miestas Irbene |date=2010-10-22 |publisher=niekonaujo.lt |access-date=2015-07-21 |language=Lithuanian}}