RIGA- TRAVEL BOOKLET

RIGA TRAVEL BOOKLET

Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 699 203 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial, cultural and financial centre of the Baltic Sea region. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the river Daugava. Many large-scale restoration projects on old buildings have made Riga one of the most attractive cities in Europe. Most famously, Riga is home to the largest concentration of Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) architecture in the world. Riga has become an increasingly popular destination for Europeans drawn by its old town, its historical importance, and its reputation as having one of the most sparkling nightlife scenes in Europe. 

St Peter’s Church was first built from timber in 1209, then rebuilt in stone. First mentioned in ancient chronicles in 1209, St. Peter's was a Catholic church until 1523, when it turned Lutheran. Its wooden tower, the highest in Europe at that time, was destroyed several times. It first collapsed in 1666 and was rebuilt a year later. To see how long it would last, the builders hurled a glass from the top: the more pieces the vessel broke into, the greater the tower's longevity. Alas, a pile of straw cushioned the glass' fall and the spire burnt down one year later. Artillery fire destroyed the structure again in 1941. In 1973 it was finally rebuilt and the glass ritual was repeated, this time with smashing results. A lift inside the spire takes visitors to two viewing platforms providing a fantastic panoramic view over the red roofs of the Old Town and across the river Daugava.

The House of Blackheads built in 14th century belonged to the Guild of Unmarried Merchants. At the time it was the richest and most prestigious venue in the whole city. It was severely damaged and pillaged during WWII, but was rebuilt again in 1999 as an exact copy of the original with a magnificent Dutch Renaissance facade and amazing ceiling paintings inside. Nowadays the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall. 



In the heart of Old Riga is the largest square,
Dome Square around which are situated the city’s best outdoor cafes and bars. The square’s current appearance goes back to the 1930s when only a portion of its medieval buildings were torn down. On the edge of the square one can see the Dome Cathedral.

It was built as Bishop Albert’s Cathedral in 1211 and rebuilt several times since, so today exhibits a mixture of late Romanesque, early Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. The cathedral is famous for its organ which is used in many concerts and recitals.

Livu Square

Livu Square  is relatively new, built in the middle of the 20th century after World War II. An interesting complex of 18th century residential buildings has been preserved here, as well as, the 18th century built Large Guild (merchant association) and Small Guild (craftsmen’s association) buildings in which one can see rich, decorated interiors. In the summer a number of outdoor cafes operate in Livu Square, and in the evenings there are live outdoor concerts, restaurants, clubs, and never a shortage of people.

Art Nouveau
One third of Riga’s city centre is built in this attractive style, making it the premier Art Nouveau destination in Europe. Many of the best examples are located on Elizabetes and Alberta streets, some designed by well-known architect Mikhail Eisenstein, father of the famous Russian filmmaker, Sergey Eisenstein. As the 19th century ticked over into the 20th, art was all about the fresh, the new and young - Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, call it what you will, this was the movement that gave the world such icons as the Paris Metro entrances and London's Liberty's and Co department store.
Riga Castle


Riga Castle is another resurrected survivor of the busy 14th century, and now home not only to two museums, but the offices and residence of the President of Latvia as well. Though like most castles it's been stormed, destroyed, and re-built, it has survived more or less intact since the 1930s, and is a symbol of Riga's beginnings, built on the site of first permanent structure in the city from the 13th century.

Old City Walls/Swedish Gate
The Old Town of Riga used to be surrounded by walls on all sides, but over the years most of its walls either crumbled or were destroyed by aforementioned invaders or were finally torn down in the 1800s. What survives is the Old City Walls and Swedish Gate. The Swedish Gate, so named because it was built by ruling Swedes in 1698, is the only gate to the city still standing, and separates a quiet part of the Old Town from the noisy bars around it.

Three Brothers
The so-called "Three Brothers" (Tris Brali), or Maza Pils numbers 17, 19, and 21, are the oldest stone houses still standing in Riga, and an excellent example of medieval architecture, perhaps matched only by the Golden Road of Prague. Built between the 15th century (White Brother) and the middle of the 18th century (Yellow Brother). As an added bonus, the Latvian Museum of Architecture is    housed in the White Brother, number 19.
The Freedom Monument
The symbol of Latvian independence and Riga’s major landmark is the Freedom Monument. The monument proves that size indeed does matter, as at 42 metres high the monument is visible from many angles in the Central District. To the north of the freedom monument near the city canal is one of Riga’s sand hills – Bastejkalns, which is a part of the park green belt around the Old Town. The woman at the pinnacle, known simply as the 'Liberty Statue' or affectionately as 'Milda,' holds three stars symbolizing the three regional parts of Latvia: Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale.

 The Powder Tower
The Powder Tower is one of Riga’s fortification towers and was originally called the Sand Tower. It dates back to 1330. Rebuilt numerous times, it gained its current name in the 17th century when they began to store gunpowder in the tower. Since 1919 it houses the Latvian War Museum.
 

National Opera
The pride of Latvian musical and cultural life is the National Opera, which is located next to the city canal. The building was constructed in 1863 as the German Theatre. In 1995 a full restoration was completed. The opera has excellent acoustics and houses world class opera, ballet, and pop music performances. The building’s exterior resembles Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. The interior is finely decorated.

 

  Latvian National Art Museum

The Latvian National Art Museum offers one of the best opportunities to witness the development of visual art in Latvia, the Baltics and Russia from the 18th century to the present. The works of the Latvian-born, avant-garde, Soviet propaganda artist Gustavs Klucis are well represented, as are those of the Russian mystic Nicholas Roerich and his son Svetoslav.

Museum of Occupation
This is the Occupation Museum. It is informative, powerful, in a vaguely dull, 1970's styled interior way.  It is highly important not only for Rigans, but for the world to remember what happened under the Nazi and Soviet jackboot. Highlights of the museum include the replica of a Siberian worker's hut, the real, personal and tragic effects from those killed by the invading forces, and the old guy in a military uniform that sits near the entrance.

Ethnographic Open Air Museum
Travel to the Open Air Museum's 100 hectares and you'll feel like you've traveled backwards a hundred and fifty or so years, back when things were simpler, dirtier, and inevitably much harder on the body. There are dwelling houses, farm buildings, windmills, barns, and churches.  The museum is open until dusk so be sure to get there during opening hours if you get to get inside.  Demonstrations of Latvian crafts and of milling etc are given to visitors during the main opening periods.

Film Museum
The Riga Film Museum looks at all aspects of the cinematic history of this tiny Baltic state, and even holds a unique collection of amateur Soviet-Latvian movies. It's ever-changing exhibitions include costumes props, movies, and documentary sources about the development of Latvian film.

Riga Zoo
Riga Zoo offers plenty of diversions for animal lovers and, as well as the aforementioned 'biggies', excellent collections of insects, birds, amphibians and grazing animals can be seen and admired. Amongst the latter is included the extremely rare Tibetan wild donkey. The zoo is surely the ultimate family trip.

Cat House
The story behind this unique architecture tells of its Latvian owner who was denied membership in the powerful Great Guild; to show his displeasure, he built two cat sculptures on his roof with their backsides facing the Guild and their tails straight up to finish the insult.




The Central Market
The Central Market is one of the largest and oldest markets in Europe with five food pavilions located inside vast converted Zeppellin hangars. In stalls around and between them, everything from clothes to flowers is sold. It’s always bustling and a great place to observe local people, try local produce and buy some bargains.