The historical center of Riga is the oldest and most beautiful part of the city, and it is from here that you should begin your acquaintance with the Latvian capital. There are many routes to explore Old Riga: some recommend starting to explore the city from St. Peter's Cathedral, and others from Riga Castle. It doesn’t matter which route you take to explore the streets of the Old Town, in any case you will get tremendous pleasure, because Riga is considered the most beautiful Baltic capital. Although one can argue with this statement - either Tallinn is in no way inferior in beauty to Riga. In our opinion, each of these cities is beautiful in its own way, each has its own unique charm, but today’s article is about Riga, or rather, about its old city.

There are several alternative versions of where the construction of Old Riga began. According to one of them, it all began at the main temple of the city - St. Peter's Cathedral; according to another, the center of ancient Riga was located not far from the Dome Cathedral. For tourists, it doesn’t matter at all where exactly the history of this place began. most beautiful city, so let historians argue about this, and we’ll just walk around the center and enjoy its sights.

Street of Old Riga

We did not create any routes around Old Riga - the center is so small that it is difficult to get lost here, but we only prepared iconic sights that were definitely worth seeing, and we moved between them very chaotically. At the end of the article, as usual, you will find a map with the sights of Riga, with which you can create your own unique route around the Latvian capital.

Dome Cathedral in Riga (Rīgas Doms)

We started our acquaintance with Riga from the Dome Cathedral. The Dome Cathedral is one of oldest buildings Riga, and in addition, one of the largest medieval churches in the Baltic states. According to historical documents, the Dome Cathedral was founded in the summer of 1211, on St. Jacob's Day. The construction of the temple was led by the Bishop of Riga himself, Albrecht von Buxhoeveden, who carefully controlled the process and invested huge amounts of money in it. The most experienced craftsmen, mostly Germans, were chosen to build the cathedral. Construction lasted more than half a century and was completed only in 1270.

The Dome Cathedral

Over the next 500 years, numerous reconstructions were carried out, which led to the fact that in the modern building of the Dome Cathedral we can see the interweaving of various architectural styles. The main decoration of the temple is the organ, which appeared in the cathedral in 1883-1884. In terms of its size (height is more than 25 meters), the Riga organ in the Dome Cathedral is the largest in the territory of the former USSR. The cathedral regularly hosts organ music concerts, the schedule of which can be found at official website Dome Cathedral.

The Dome Cathedral

Dome Square

The square in front of the Dome Cathedral is called Doma laukums (Dome Square), this is where the main New Year tree of Riga is installed, and the UNESCO memorial plaque is also located here. As is often the case in ancient cities, almost all buildings on Dome Square have a huge historical meaning. One of architectural monuments is the Riga Stock Exchange building.

This red brick building is hard to miss, it was built in 1852-1855 and is not like other houses in Riga. There is a unique exhibition inside art museum. The museum is open every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 18:00, and on Friday until 20:00. Ticket price is about €3.

Riga Stock Exchange

Near the Riga Stock Exchange building you can see a beautiful building with towers - this Apartment house Riga Insurance Company, built in 1905. Next to it is another historical facade of the Latvian Radio building.

The building of the Riga Insurance Company and the facade of the Latvian Radio

Houses "Three Brothers" (Trīs brāļi)

On Malaya Zamkova Street (Maza Pils) there are three old houses, which have become very popular among Riga residents and tourists. They have become so popular that they can rightfully be considered one of the most popular attractions in Riga. It is believed that the houses were built in the Middle Ages and represent a typical Riga street of that time. “White Brother” is not only the eldest, but also the oldest residential building in Riga; it was allegedly built in 1490.

White brother in Riga

The middle brother or “Yellow Brother” appears to be almost 150 years older: the number “1646” is emblazoned on its façade. But here it is worth considering one point: starting from the 12th century, mainly stone buildings were built in the center of Riga, and before the middle brother took his place, other houses stood here - perhaps more an old house was simply rebuilt. The youngest brother has a green facade; its construction dates back to the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century.

Three brothers in Riga

Swedish Gate

One more business card Riga is the Swedish Gate - the only one of the eight gates of Old Riga, built in the 17th century and preserved to this day in its original form. The gate was cut in the area of ​​modern Tornya Street (Tower Street) to connect the inner city with the Yakovlev barracks and houses located outside the city walls. The history of the Swedish Gate is entangled in secrets and legends, and each is more interesting than the other. One of them says that the gate was cut by a wealthy merchant in 1689 in his own house in order to save money. The fact is that for entering the city and transporting goods there was a tax, and a rather large one, and by making his own gate, the merchant not only saved money, but was also able to earn money by letting people into the city for a lower fee. But that's just beautiful legend, because even in the 17th century, any redevelopment had to be approved by the city authorities.

Swedish Gate in Riga

There is also a rather romantic legend about the origin unusual name gate According to legends, one young Riga woman fell head over heels in love with a Swedish soldier and in the evening, secretly from her parents, she ran away to see him on a date, which took place at this very gate. One evening, the girl was caught and punished for forbidden love by walling her alive in these gates. If you believe the legend, then every day at midnight at the gate you can hear the whisper of a girl, but only those who truly love can do this. These are just two of the most popular stories about the Swedish Gate - guides say that a dozen more could easily be told.

Yakovlevsky barracks - Jēkaba ​​kazarmas

Another striking attraction of Riga is the Jacob Barracks or Yakovlev Barracks. They were built for Swedish soldiers at the very end of the 17th century. According to research by historians, the first barracks were built in Riga in 1595 and were made of wood. And this despite the fact that, starting from the 12th century, almost all buildings inside the city wall were made of stone. Only at the end of the 17th century were the barracks of Swedish soldiers rebuilt in stone. By order of Peter the Great in 1710, the old barracks were demolished and new ones were built. The length of Yakovlevsky barracks is 237 meters, and it is the longest building in Old Riga.

Yellow facade of the Jacob barracks

Nowadays, soldiers no longer live here, but inside the barracks there are many useful establishments: cafes, restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, diplomatic missions of Latvian cities, the American Chamber of Commerce, and there is even a hotel, and great price. In a hotel Jacob's Inn Riga you can stay from 4000 rubles per day. A great option - when else will you have the opportunity to live in a landmark?! 🙂

Fragment of the city wall

Directly opposite the Yakovlevsky Barracks you can see a fragment of the city wall reconstructed in 1987 and the Ramer Tower. Ramera Tower was built in the 13th century and, like other towers of the Riga citadel, was part of the city fortifications. Later, houses appeared around it, and it lost its former significance; in fact, the same thing happened with the rest of the towers. For example, the tower located at the Swedish Gate was built into the house that appeared in its place. The modern wall and tower are, of course, a reconstruction made on the basis of archaeological excavations.

Fragment of the city wall in Riga and urban development

Ramera Tower

17th century cannon near the city walls

Powder Tower

But perhaps the most striking attraction of this part of Riga is the Powder Tower. The first mention of this tower dates back to 1330, and then it was called Peschanaya. It is known that the Powder Tower did not immediately acquire its modern appearance. Initially, it was semicircular and had a so-called “open” appearance, but later it was completed and acquired a cylindrical shape. The diameter of the tower is almost 20 meters, the height is 26, and the thickness of the walls reaches 3 meters. As we have already said, the tower was originally called Peschanaya, and only in the 17th century it received the name “Powder”. As it is not difficult to guess, a powder warehouse was organized in it, although there is another version according to which, due to the constant exercises conducted nearby, there were always clouds of gunpowder smoke above it.

Powder Tower in Riga

During its long history, the Powder Tower in Riga had to endure many shellings: both during the Russian-Swedish war, and during the Swedish-Polish war, and according to legend, at the beginning of the 18th century it was shelled by Peter the Great himself. There are still cannonballs embedded in the walls of the tower, which supposedly confirm this version. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the tower was empty, but then they decided to put it in order, and a student club with a fencing hall, a dance hall and even a student cafe was located within its walls. Today, the Powder Tower houses one of the exhibitions of the Latvian Military Museum.

Big Guild

Let's move on from the military sights of Riga to the architectural ones. In 1354, a large merchant organization or simply the Great Guild was founded in Riga. Such a famous and wealthy organization, of course, had its own building, which simultaneously served as a meeting place, a warehouse, and a place where important receptions were held. The building of that time has not survived to this day, but if desired, a fragment of it can be seen in the basement - the wall of the very first building of the Great Guild was partially preserved. The modern guild building was built in the middle of the 19th century according to the design of Karl Binet, and later the building was partially rebuilt and modified. Nowadays, the main hall of the Latvian Philharmonic is located here.

The Great Guild Building in 1918 (postcard)

Small Guild

The Great Guild, as a rule, accepted rich merchants, priests, city officials, as well as artisans who worked in gold. Everyone else had no choice but to join the Small Guild. Surprisingly, the Small Guild appeared more than 100 years earlier - in 1226. The residence of this organization is located right there, in the center of Riga, directly opposite the Great Guild building.

Its construction began at the very beginning of the 13th century, and was subsequently rebuilt quite often. Externally, the Small Guild resembles a small Livonian castle and, to our taste, looks much more interesting architecturally. Nowadays, within the walls of the Small Guild there is a Craft School. But to tell the truth, the guilds were of little interest to us, and we came to this part of the Old Town to see the house with black cats - another famous landmark of Riga.

House with black cats

It is believed that the House with Black Cats in Old Riga is one of the most interesting buildings, and around which there are a huge number of legends. One of the most famous, of course, is associated with cats, or more precisely, with their appearance on the roof of an apartment building.

House with black cats in Riga

According to one of the legends, the wealthy homeowner and merchant Blumer was refused admission to the Great Guild, but he was a man with humor and decided to use a psychological attack against the leadership of the organization. He ordered two black sculptures of cats and placed them on the roof of his house so that they would face directly into the windows of the elder of the Great Guild. The latter's pride was wounded, he even started a lawsuit against Blumer, but lost, since the owner of the house was a good friend of the judge and gave him generous gifts. After some time (what exactly - history is silent) the cats were finally deployed and no longer embarrassed the elder - apparently the merchant and the guild managed to come to an agreement.

St. Peter's Church

St. Peter's Church in Riga is one of the most visited attractions; there are always a lot of people here, and a decent queue lines up at the observation deck. Like the Swedish Gate, Peter's Cathedral is very often found on many souvenirs. The first mentions of the temple date back to the beginning of the 13th century, when it was assumed that it would become the main cathedral of Riga. Unlike the Dome Cathedral, the main funds for the construction of St. Peter's Church came not from the bishop, but from ordinary people: artisans, merchants and ordinary residents of the city.

St. Peter's Cathedral in Riga

In the XIV-XV centuries, periodic reconstructions of the church were carried out, and as a result of one of them, in 1473, the construction of the bell tower was completed. The bell tower of St. Peter's Church can be seen from almost anywhere in the Old Town.

Spire of St. Peter's Church

During the defense of Riga in June 1941, St. Peter's Church was badly damaged, and the famous spire was completely destroyed. The walls of the temple were also badly damaged, and the interior decoration was not preserved. Almost until the mid-60s, one of the most beautiful temples Rigi was in ruins, and only in 1966 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia decided to restore it. The exterior of St. Peter's Church was repaired quite quickly - the spire was completed in 1973, but the internal restoration took another 10 years, until 1983.

Top 10 attractions in Riga:

1. Dome Cathedral. The majestic structure, topped by a 140-meter tower, is famous not only for its beauty, but also for one of the largest organs in the world, for which Franz Liszt himself wrote works.

2. Town Hall Square from the middle of the 14th century it was the political center of the city: from the balcony of the town hall, the decisions of the city council were announced to the residents of Riga.

3. St. Peter's Church, the same age as Riga, built in 1209 and for a long time was the tallest wooden structure Europe. The bell tower offers a beautiful view of the city.

4. "Three Brothers". The most famous architectural ensemble old Riga has stood on Maza Pils Street since the end of the 15th century. Three houses standing in a row are an excellent example of medieval residential development.

5. Riga Castle, an imposing fortress on the banks of the Daugava, was founded in 1330 and has seen a lot in its long history. Now it houses the residence of the President of Latvia, as well as several museums.

6. In the collection of the National Art Museum paintings by Roerich, Aivazovsky, Purvitis and other famous painters. Beautiful building in the Baroque style was specially built for the needs of the museum at the beginning of the 20th century.

7. House of the Blackheads, luxuriously decorated and built in the 14th century, belonged to a brotherhood of young foreign merchants who chose the dark-skinned Saint Mauritius as their patron.

8. House with black cats- one of the most visited places in Riga. The two symmetrical towers of this building are decorated with sculptures of cats with arched backs and perky tails.

9. Ethnographic Museum under open air allows you to see the traditional architecture of different regions of Latvia. This picturesque place contains rural houses, churches, mills and even a working tavern.

10. Elizabetes and Alberta streets– a real treasury for lovers of modern architecture. In total, there are about 800 Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, but most of them are concentrated on these two streets.

So we visited Latvia, we had long wanted to go to this Baltic country, but somehow everything didn’t work out, now things were going on, now I wanted to swim in the sea, and Latvia accordingly disappeared.

But it happened anyway. The brightest and an unforgettable experience From a trip to Latvia we ended up visiting the old town of Riga.

Old city in Riga, official name Vecriga (Vecriga, you can also hear the sound of Vitsriga) is the historical center of Riga, the oldest part of the city, located on the right bank of the Daugava River. The old city is famous primarily for its cathedrals with high towers and spiers, small and cozy squares, old architecture, narrow cobbled streets, on both sides of which there are low buildings, sometimes so similar to gingerbread houses, where cafes, bars and restaurants are located, souvenir shops and small shops.

It will be difficult to describe all the delights of the old city of Riga in a few words and one article, because we, in the “Riga” section, have already devoted more than two dozen articles to this topic. In this article, we will summarize the results, walk through the streets and tell you about all the most interesting and visited sights of old Riga.

Photos of the streets of the old town of Riga

On the streets of old Riga you can see a considerable number of bicycles, Segways, interesting small cars and beer bicycles. The principle of beer bicycles is simple, a small design with a driver, often also a bartender, can accommodate more than ten people, they sell beer on the bicycle, all clients pedal together and ride around the city, while drinking beer. You can take food and snacks with you. The only negative is the lack of a toilet. And plus, see the old city, while riding a bike with a group and drinking beer. Quite an interesting idea. Similar beer bikes definitely travel around Amsterdam and Berlin, maybe they exist somewhere else, I don’t know.

In the center of old Riga, many architectural solutions have merged together. Here you can see both low colorful houses and elaborate buildings that look more like small palaces or estates. Or just buildings with interesting ornaments and stucco on the facades.

The unique silhouette of the old town of Riga is created by tall towers three main cathedrals:

An iconic building in the Baltic countries - the medieval Church of St. Peter;

The symbol of the city of Riga - the Dome Cathedral and

The fourth largest church in Riga is the Cathedral of St. James.

The high towers of these cathedrals are decorated with cockerels, another recognizable and distinctive element of the old town of Riga.

No matter which way you enter the historical part of Riga, you can see the tall green tower from all points. This main cathedral Rigi. In the Peter's Tower, at an altitude of 72 meters there is Observation deck, from which a beautiful panorama of the old city opens.

Almost at the main entrance to St. Peter's Church, the most famous and visited square of old Riga is located. There are always a lot of people on the town hall square, and in the evenings street musicians give their concerts. The main attractions of Town Hall Square are the old Town Hall building, which currently houses the Riga City Council, the House of the Blackheads and the statue of Knight Roland in the very center of the square. The statue of Roland is a symbol of the freedom of the medieval city. Currently, the original granite statue is kept in the museum exhibition of St. Peter's Church, and a copy of it is installed on Town Hall Square.

Barkers walk around Town Hall Square offering excursions to city guests. You tell them that you have already seen what they offer to see, they begin to list other delights of the old city one by one and offer to show them for a couple of euros per person. Their trick is White dog.

What is this white dog? We decided to find out for ourselves which White Dog they were talking about. The streets of the old town of Riga are narrow and if the building is tall, it is difficult to see what is up there. However, we found this White Dog! It is located just a couple of dozen steps from Town Hall Square. The white dog is a statue that adorns the roof of house no. 12/14 on Sķuņu Street.

Behind St. Peter's Cathedral, on its back side, is the most recognizable monument of old Riga - Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians. Animals' noses shine for a reason. It is believed that by making a wish and rubbing the donkey's nose, the wish will come true. By making a second wish and rubbing the dog’s nose, two wishes will come true, and so on. The whole trick is to rub the noses of all four animals from the ground, without using improvised means, and without climbing onto the monument, and then all four wishes will come true.

Here, near the monument to the Bremen Town Musicians, there is a small square with places to relax, buildings of quite interesting architecture and souvenir tents.

Opposite the monument, between Skarnu and Kaleju streets, the most famous courtyards of old Riga are located -. These two charming courtyards are located next to each other so that you can walk from one courtyard to the other. In Jan Set's courtyard, a fragment of the medieval fortress wall has been preserved, and in the summer season there is an annual traditional beer garden.

Continuing our way along Kaleju Street we exit onto Meistaru Street, and then to. Compared to other squares, Livov Square is a relatively new square, formed only in the 20th century, after the demolition of part of the city building destroyed during the Second World War.

On Livov Square there are paths, places for rest, and the lawn is made in the decorative style of waves. This style of lawn imitates the wavy surface of a river that once flowed here.

On Livov Square there is the famous cat house having interesting legend, Big and Small Guilds, Riga Russian Theater, and a complex of 17th-century buildings has also been preserved. This complex of buildings is our favorite architectural ensemble throughout Riga. The houses are simply charming.

cat house

Big and Small Guilds

Riga Russian Theater

Along Kaļķu Street we come to another small square. There is nothing remarkable in this square. High buildings along the perimeter, of which there are hotels, an embassy, ​​a bank, a McDonald's fast food restaurant. Street musicians also entertain people here.

The most interesting thing in the square is perhaps the tiles with footprints on the ground, symbolizing.

From the square you can see two more attractions of Riga -. But they are already located outside the old city, although near it.

We return to the old town of Riga. To do this, from the square, turning left, along the street Zigfrida Annas Meierovica bulvaris we go out to, now Military Museum of Latvia.

Near the Powder Tower there is a complex of recognizable buildings yellow color, stretched along Tornia Street. This or Jacob's barracks, built at the end of the 17th century for Swedish soldiers who defended the city from invading enemies. Currently, the barracks house souvenir shops, shops, offices, cafes, pubs and restaurants, as well as institutions and representative offices of Latvian cities.

On the opposite side of the Jacob barracks, just across Torņa Street, there is a part of the wall, fragment of the former fortification of the city of Riga with the Ramera Tower.

On the end wall of the barracks there are images of the coats of arms of those Latvian cities that have their representation in the institution.

Not far from the Ekaba barracks is located in Riga. This Riga church is the smallest of the main churches of Old Riga. But, despite this, it is famous for its slender 80-meter tower reaching into the sky, with a green upper part topped with a spire with a tip in the form of a golden cockerel. This is the only authentic Gothic tower in the city, which has never changed its original appearance.

It is clearly visible from the Church of St. James (Jakaba). Architectural complex Three Brothers in Riga consists of three wonderful, adjacent and almost identical houses. However, these houses differ in color, architecture and time of construction. The Three Brothers houses are a clear example of the architecture of medieval Riga, each of which was built in its own century. In addition, this is not only the oldest building in the complex, people still live in these houses to this day.

Riga Castle/Rigas pils is one of the most outstanding elements and architectural and historical complex of the classical city of Riga. For several centuries, Riga Castle served as the seat of secular power in the city. After the restoration of independence of the Republic of Latvia, the castle table became the official residence and main workplace of the President of Latvia. Thanks to this, Riga Castle is also called the Presidential Palace.

The best and most complete view of the Riga Castle and part of the old city opens from the embankment and the Cable-stayed Bridge.

Near the Riga Castle there is a small square of the same name with places to relax and a green area.

On the same castle square, at 5 Pils Street, there is an elegant small (Virgin of Anguish Church). The appearance of the church is a remarkable component of the area surrounding the Riga Castle.

The interior of the church, like her appearance, quite restrained and made in light colors.

Near the Church of Our Lady there is another church, whose architecture is very different from the parish of Our Lady of Sorrows. It's neo-gothic Church of the English parish of the Holy Redeemer(St. Saviour's Anglican Church). The church was built between 1855 and 1859. Its central façade faces the embankment of the Daugava River. No matter how many times we came to this church, it was always closed; we were never able to get inside.

Walking further along the attractive and colorful streets of the old town of Riga, we came to Dome Square, on which the third famous cathedral of old Riga is located - The Dome Cathedral. Remember, at the beginning of the article we mentioned those cathedrals of old Riga, whose towers with spiers create a unique silhouette of the city? We have already talked about two (St. Peter and St. Jacob), and this is the third of the cathedrals, but not the last in importance.

Walking along Rosena Street and turning left, following Kramu Street, we come to Egle open air recreation park. Egle, in Latvian Egle, which translates as Spruce or Yolka.

Elki Recreation Park is located in the very center of the old town of Riga and looks more like an ordinary square than a park, in the usual sense of the word. The square features open-air cafes and restaurants, fairs and street musicians.

And the main feature of the square is the mirror installation of a Christmas tree installed in the very center of the square. If you don’t know in advance that this is supposed to be a Christmas tree, you’ll never guess; the whole structure looks more like some kind of chaotically hanging plates.

Here, on the square, there are sculptures of animals made of stone and metal. You can buy the sculpture you like; these cost from one and a half to five thousand euros. And who buys such crap?

This concludes our walk through the old town of Riga. In this article we tried to show the streets of the old city and its main attractions. Naturally, this is not all that can be seen and visited in old Riga; you can walk along the streets of the old city for an endlessly long time, where every building and nook is a monument of architecture and art. So just walk and relax, go to cafes and restaurants, try it, in a word, enjoy.

In old Riga beauty and places of interest The cities don’t end there, in the so-called “New Riga” there is also something to see and where to go. Read about our walk around New Riga here.

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Riga is very cozy city Europe, attracting travelers with cultural as well as natural beauties. This is a city in which it is easy to arrange incredible journey allowing you to get lost in time. For example, plunge into the Middle Ages, or even find yourself in the 18th century, and later, in the evening, joyful, but tired, relax in a nearby bar and remember the exciting moments that happened during the space-time journey. The city is constantly improving. Today, when it is mentioned, not only the Dome Cathedral, the House of the Blackheads are remembered. There is also a gorgeous zoo, a reconstructed TV tower, good museum vintage cars.

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You should start getting acquainted with the sights of Riga from the Old Town. Gothic buildings and other structures are found almost everywhere here. Walking around Riga, it is impossible to pass by the cathedral, the town hall square with many retail outlets. Along the way you will definitely come across small wool shops. You can also admire the sculpture of the Bremen Town Musicians, St. Peter's Church. The city is famous big amount interesting places. We'll tell you about the most interesting sights of Riga.

At the beginning of the 13th century, it was decided to found a new temple, which was later called Domsky. The founder carefully supervised the construction of the cathedral, hired the best craftsmen in Germany, and invested large amounts of money in the business. Construction of the temple dragged on until the second half of the 13th century. It was possible to implement the original plans - the style of the building turned out to be transitional - from Romanesque to Northern Gothic. During the transformation, the original furnishings inside the temple were lost, and after that, the temple burned down completely. By the 16th century, the building was restored, however, due to a lack of necessary financial resources, the Dome Cathedral received only one tower, to which a wooden “top” was later added. Thanks to this, the temple turned out to be the tallest in the area.

Due to the fact that part of the wooden building always needed to be repaired, this material was replaced with metal in the 18th century. Now the height of this tower reaches 96 m, and the temple itself has become the main architectural component of the square. It is difficult to name the style that is inherent in the Dome Cathedral, because its reconstruction, which took place so often in different periods of time, introduced certain features of many architectural movements. It is worth noting that in the ensemble this cathedral The oldest museum in the country is located. It was founded in the 18th century on the basis of a famous doctor. The collection of this museum includes half a million exhibits that are related to the culture, life, history of the country, as well as a collection on the history of Latvian navigation, which is considered quite valuable.

The temple is located at the following address: Herdera laukums, 6.

From May to September it is open from 9:00 to 18:00, the rest of the time - from 10:00 to 17:00. Church services are held on major holidays and Sundays. The museum dedicated to navigation and life in Riga can be visited for 3 EUR. All money goes towards the restoration of the building. Children under 10 years old are admitted free of charge.

The creation of the historical center began at the beginning of the 20th century, immediately after getting rid of some buildings. This is the period when features reminiscent of the embankment began to emerge. Subsequently, the historical center turned out to be the border of the heart of Riga and ancient city. The city center begins to "freedom". The majestic statue can be founded not only by the United States, but also by Latvia, which has been delighting residents and tourists with it since 1935. Unlike the American one, the Latvian symbol of freedom is not held by a torch, but by 3 stars, which symbolize the unity of Latvia.

While walking through the historical center, you can often hear the word “Art Nouveau”. This term characterizes the Art Nouveau style that dominates the architecture here. Also interesting is the construction of the Latvian National Opera. This building is undeniably impressive, as its main façade is built in a classical manner with several Ionic columns. In addition, the structure is decorated with allegorical figures.

The heart of the city can boast of the animals that live in it. At first, beavers literally terrorized Riga, however, now they are fed and live in quite good conditions. The ministry tried unsuccessfully to rid the area of ​​animals. Later, it was decided to install special feeders so that citizens could admire the beavers. The historic city center is located at the following address: Centra areas.

Today, not a single trace of the former strength of Riga Castle can be found, but it once served brave knights with faith. After the Poles and then the Swedes settled in the building, protective function the building is almost finished. Russian rule has completely lost this function. Despite the fact that the castle is considered the seat of the country's president, it is in an extremely deplorable situation. This led to its large-scale restoration, which is about to be completed by the anniversary of the state, which will be celebrated in 2018.

For some period of time, part of the premises of the Riga Castle was occupied by exhibitions of 2 museums - the Museum of Foreign Art and the Museum of the History of Latvia. In 2010, the first museum “moved” to another building. National Museum also plans to move while he works at his previous address.

Riga Castle can be found at the following address: Pils laukums, 3. Open every day from 10:00 to 17:00, and on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 18:00. Entry tickets for adults it will cost 2 lats, for children under 17 years old - 1.5 lats.

Its very high spire, on which there is also an observation deck, allows you to notice the cathedral from afar. With the help of an elevator, tourists easily rise to a height of 75 m, where they can admire the vast expanses of the city. The temple is located in historical center Riga and is considered the oldest building in the city, which dates back to the 13th century. The height of its tower is almost 124 m, of which 65 m is the spire topped with a cockerel.

Interestingly, these cockerels had a specific function - they indicated the direction of the wind. They were painted in 2 colors: gold and black. This made it easy to determine the direction of the wind. When the cockerels turned their golden side towards Riga, it became clear that the wind was blowing from the sea. The black side meant that the wind was blowing from land. In the first case, the Riga merchants realized that ships with goods would be able to get into the bay, in the second, the ships would not be able to enter the port that day.

The following facts are also interesting: watches first appeared here only in the middle of the 14th century. According to some reports, in the 14th century, catapults were installed on the roof of the structure, which fired at the Wittenstein building. The church can be found at: Skarnu iela, 19. B observation tower and the church itself, visitors can visit any day from 10:00 to 18:00 from September to May, from 10:00 to 19:00 from June to August; on Sundays – from 12:00 to 18:00, from 12:00 to 19:00. Monday is declared a day off.

Adults can purchase entrance tickets for 4 lats, and children under 17 years old for 2 lats.

The Big Guild was located opposite the Small Guild. It was here that local merchants, and then book publishers and writers, spent a lot of time. The Great Guild is the oldest public building in the Baltics. The history of the Great Guild begins approximately in the 14th century. The small guild was formed at the same time and existed until the 20th century. The current building was built according to a specific drawing by a famous architect. It is famous for such striking features of the English Gothic Revival as the pointed tower that looks out onto the adjoining garden or the octagonal donjon tower.

The inside of the building is more interesting. The floors on the stairs are decorated with mosaic clay slabs, and all the windows are stained glass, which were ordered specifically for this building. The doors are also decorated very beautifully: they are surrounded by wise Latin phrases written in Gothic script. Now the Small Guild building is used to organize various holidays, events, conferences, concerts, business events, seminars, and balls. Some premises of the building are occupied by the Center for Folklore Culture and Art. In addition, this Center has made efforts to open entertaining clubs for both children and older people.

Located at the following address: Amatu iela, 5.

This architectural monument, dating back to the 14th century, used to be exactly the place where various social institutions of the country gathered. Later, the building came under the control of members of the association of foreign merchants; Saint Mauritius was recognized as their patron. The symbol of Mauritius was a black head, which is why the name “Brotherhood of the Blackheads” stuck. This building was used by the Blackheads for various representative purposes; some products were also stored here, there was underground passage, overlooking the Daugava - to the merchants’ own pier.

The building was badly damaged during the bombing. After these events, it was restored to its original location only at the end of the 20th century. The restoration of the building turned out to be a kind of gift for the 800th anniversary of Riga. During the arrival of the heads foreign countries, ceremonial receptions are organized here. After reconstruction, a museum was located in the basement. In front of the building there is a statue of Roland, considered a symbol of independence, power and freedom of medieval Riga.

Located at the following address: Ratslaukums, 7. The House of Blackheads is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00. For adults, the ticket price is $2, for students – $1, minors are allowed to visit the building for free.

On the tower of one of the buildings, located not far from the Great Guild, there are cats made of copper. With their tails raised and hunched over, they seem to have frozen before the most exciting leap. The figures of cats gave rise to the name, the origin of which worries so many, “Cat House”. This unusual and prominent building was shrouded in scandalous popularity and even became the cause of more than one lawsuit. Now statues of cats sit not only on the roof of the building, but also decorate the first floor.

It’s a pity, however, despite the name “Cat House”, the building does not have a single detail similar to fairy tales. However, he can boast of a rather amazing legend. The building was built by a wealthy merchant at the beginning of the 20th century. He installed figures of cats on the structure and turned his back to the Guild, where the merchant was trying so hard to get to. This led to a scandal, the poor sculptures were turned in a diplomatic direction, and the merchant was asked not to do this again. These cats still decorate the building today. Interestingly, this particular building was seen in the film “At the New Gate”, in which it served as a Berlin hotel.

Today there is a restaurant on the ground floor of the building; other rooms are occupied by offices.

Located at the following address: Meistaru iela, 10.

This museum, which is a separate division of the State Inspectorate for the Protection of Cultural Memorials, was founded in 1994. It is not surprising that the Latvian Museum is located in the well-known medieval buildings - “Three Brothers”. The head of the architecture museum is the famous architect Jānis Leinieks. Since the museum does not have a permanent exhibition, it operates in exhibition halls. The exhibitions presented by this museum are dedicated to both the historical Latvian heritage and the architecture of the country.

The recently opened museum has already taken its place alongside the city's famous collections. Its funds are notable for their rich heritage. The museum houses approximately 9 thousand extraordinary exhibits: there are many materials and documents associated with such important names in the country's architecture as Wilhelm Boxlaff, Christoph Haberland, Janis Baumanis, Eizhen Laube and others.

Can be found at the following address: Maza Pils iela, 21. The museum is open on Mondays from 9:00 to 18:00, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 to 17:00, Friday from 9:00 to 16:00 . Weekends are considered Saturday and Sunday.

The road to this Motor Museum takes a lot of time, both by tram and by car. However, this scares few people away, because you can get stuck in the museum for more than 1 hour. It is located in Mezciems, far from popular tourist places and sometimes even the residents themselves do not know how to get to it. The museum's collection is so rich that it is considered the best among similar collections in all of Europe. This museum founded an antique car club, which appeared at the end of the 20th century.

A modern structure was built especially for the automobile museum using materials brought from Finland. It was opened in 1989, and after 3 years it received the status state museum. In addition to cars, you can admire a special gas station, a 20th century horse-drawn droshky, and a replica of a gray telephone booth. The Motor Museum operates a restoration workshop that not only repairs its equipment, but also restores exhibits from other similar museums. The museum can be found at the following address: Eisenstein Street, 6. Open from Monday to Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00.

This sculptural ensemble is represented by 4 fairy-tale heroes of the famous Grimms - a dog, a rooster, a donkey, and a cat. The musicians were “captured” while looking into the house of forest robbers through a window. The monument was erected in the country's Old Town at the end of the 20th century. The sculpture cast by Christa Baumgartel hides a deep political meaning - the end Cold War. From the worn nose of the donkey, one can understand that many tourists continue to hope for the “mystical” power of this sculpture to fulfill all desires.

For those who have already made a wish cherished wish, after rubbing your character’s nose, you shouldn’t be upset, because 3 other heroes will also be able to fulfill your deepest desire. A rooster can fulfill the most cherished wishes, despite the fact that it is not so easy to reach his nose, some still succeed. According to another opinion, each of the animals is capable of increasing the chances of the fulfillment of 1 wish. The monument is located near Skarnu Street, in close proximity to St. Peter's Church.

The Riga TV tower is located on Zakusala. Its height is 368 m, making it the 3rd highest in all of Europe and 1st in the EU. In just half a minute, it’s easy to take the elevator to the platform, located at an altitude of 97 m. Once here, tourists will find themselves in the highest place in the country. By the way, at the same height there is a cockerel decorating the Dome Cathedral. The TV tower was built over the course of 9 years, construction ended at the end of the 20th century. It was built from materials that were not quite common for that time: steel sheets, while reinforced concrete was usually used.

It is interesting that the appearance of the TV tower in those years was amazing; it was considered a perversion, although today the building corresponds to design concepts. Due to the fact that the tower was created not from concrete, but from metal, in hot weather it “grows” several meters. For some period of time, there was a restaurant at the top of this TV tower, slightly below the observation area. True, they didn’t find room there to equip a kitchen corner, and they had to lift the food. It was also extremely cold in the establishment, and heating specifically for this establishment was considered very costly.

The Riga TV Tower can be found at the following address: Zakusalas krastmala, 1.

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Photo article about what to see in Riga in summer and winter over a weekend (one, two or three days).

My personal TOP 15 attractions of Riga (the capital of Latvia): center, streets, architecture.

Now I am on the verge of global changes for the better. I can feel it. I know this, as well as the fact that in order for dreams to come true, it is not at all necessary to rub the nose of the rooster on the monument to the Bremen Town Musicians in the center of Riga, but we will return to this later.

And now about what to see in Riga in one or two days. Let me clarify right away that Riga, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful cities Europe. No wonder it is included in the list of objects cultural heritage UNESCO as a city with one of the most large collections Art Nouveau buildings in the world.

The photos below mostly show Riga in summer, but there are also a few from a trip to Riga in winter.

My TOP 15 attractions in Riga

In Riga we lived in these apartments, rented at a discount for 50 € per day.

1. Architecture of Riga

You can spend hours looking at the buildings of one of the most beautiful cities in the Baltics. 40% of houses in Riga are built in Art Nouveau style

Riga houses of the 17th century (mainly warehouses and residential buildings of wealthy merchants):

The cat's house is one of the most legendary buildings of old Riga.

2. Observation deck of St. Peter's Church

Address: Old Riga, st. Skarnu, 19

The height of the observation deck is 72 meters.

Paid entrance. For adults - 9 euros

From the height there is a view of the Daugava River and the city center

3. Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians.

Excursions in Riga

Riga guides tell such intricate stories related to this monument that every tourist considers it his duty to rub the nose of one of the animals.

It’s funny to watch how, through subtle verbal manipulations, guides force plump guys to jump half a meter above the ground in an attempt to reach the rooster’s nose, because tactile contact with the bronze bird will give a 200% guarantee that your most cherished desire will be fulfilled.

Video with a guide talking about the percentage probability of wish fulfillment:

You can order a tour of Riga on the Internet, so as not to wander aimlessly around the city, but to learn a lot of facts in a relatively short period of time and see all the most interesting things

4. Center of Riga

My Riga is cozy cafes with open terraces, where you can drink beer from large glasses and coffee from tiny cups, wrapped in a warm blanket.

These are the streets of Riga, where you can easily see a beautiful car

So does a wooden cow

These are cobbled streets where you can wander endlessly, every now and then bumping into shops with antique trinkets, designer jewelry, strange clothes and ridiculous toys.

My memory still retains fragments of memories of walking in a man’s jacket along the lantern-lit pavement, tightly squeezing a rooster between my fingers, smelling of childhood. I really wanted to believe that it would always be like this.

5.Riga Castle

Majestic building on the banks of the Daugava River:

6. Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ

Another name is the Nativity of Christ Cathedral - one of the most impressive Orthodox churches Riga

7. Cathedral of St. James

The main Catholic church of the country, built in the Gothic style back in 1225.

8. House of the Blackheads

It was completely razed to the ground during World War II and restored quite recently.

Riga is even more beautiful at night

9. Red Barns

An area of ​​barns near the Riga Central Market. This is a typical warehouse trading district for merchants. The architects of most of the buildings in the Red Barns area were Baltic Germans.

10. Stalinka, Academy of Sciences

There is an observation deck on the 17th floor, from where from 8 am to 10 pm you can admire the panorama of Riga from a height of 65 meters for just 2Ls

11. Three brothers.

Three brothers - this is the loving name given to three cute houses nestled in the very heart of old Riga. The development is so dense that each house is an extension of the one next to it.

12. Bridges and beaches of Riga

Bridges over the Daugava River and city beaches, where here and there you can stumble upon idle townspeople sunbathing behind bushes.

13. Backstreets, parks, backyards of Riga

It is in the backyards and secluded streets that you can see another life of any city, hidden from the eyes of uninitiated tourists. The capital of Latvia is no exception