The Liepāja city has played a crucial role in the lives and creative activities of two Gūtmanises, Olafs Gūtmanis (1927–2012) and Egons Līvs (1924–1989, real name – Egons Gūtmanis), as a place of residence and professional and creative pursuits, as a part of their individual and collective identity. This study aims to reveal the experience of the city by Gūtmanis and Līvs and its representation in their autobiographical and journalistic works by highlighting the identity of particular places in Liepāja in interaction with the individual identities of both writers. The study describes how the elements of Liepāja topography are manifested in the mental maps of Gūtmanis and Līvs and, as such, manifested in their works. The study’s theoretical framework consists of identity theories, especially place identity (Maria Lewicka, Stobbelaar, Pedroli and others) and the concept of mental/cognitive mapping (Downs and Stea). The study also uses a phenomenological approach (Maurice Merleau-Ponty) to analyse the relationships between an individual and a place. The writers share professional and place experiences and mention the same particular places in Liepāja. Still, the perception of the places is different in both writers’ works – Gūtmanis, as a native of Liepāja, repeatedly describes them in detail, demonstrating a place-referent continuity; for Līvs, an incomer in Liepāja, place identity is manifested more generally – the places evoke strong emotional responses, inspirational impulses and are related to biographies of different people.