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Riga
3. june 2003
Riga is the biggest city of the Baltic’s and is located right next to the river Daugava
Latvia is situated on the Baltic coast and borders Estonia in the North, Lithuania in the South, the Russian Republic in the East and Byelorussia in the Southeast. The coastal plain is mostly flat, but inland to the east the land is hilly with forests and lakes.
Riga is the biggest city of the Baltic’s and is located right next to the river Daugava. Riga has a very beautiful Old Town. Riga’s Old Town is a little bit younger than Tallinn’s but nevertheless a lot of different architectural styles are represented.
Riga is also called the city of parks and gardens. The central part of the city is mostly occupied by commercial offices, banks, and other business building reflecting the hectic present day life and the tendencies of rapid city development.
The Old Town thus contains Riga’s most important sights. St. Peters Church from the year 1209, the best example of the Gothic style in the Baltic’s, St. Jacob’s Church also from that century, built in year 1226 and St. John’s Church from the year 1234. The symbol of Riga is its very beautiful Dome Cathedral. The largest cathedral in the Baltics was founded by Latvia`s Teutonic conquerors in the beginning of the 13th century under the bishop Albert. This well-known historical church has become an icon of the Old Town of Riga. In the past centuries it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times, so presently it is a composite of different architectural styles.
Cat House
The house was named after the two black cats perched on the roof. At the turn of the century, the owner of the building was exiled from the Great Guild across the street and ordered the cats to be turned with their tails towards the Guild. The cats were eventually turned back after a long court battle, and the man was admitted back to the Guild.
Freedom Monument
The monument was designed by the famous Latvian architect Karlis Zale and constructed in 1935. The bronze casting of a woman (fondly nick-named "Milda" by the Latvian folk) holds up three golden stars in her hands. The stars symbolise three Latvian regions: Latgale, Kurzeme and Vidzeme.
Brethren cemetery
Truly one of the most striking memorials in Latvia, built as a tribute to the 2 000 soldiers that fell during WWI & II. The cemetery was designed by the famous Latvian sculptor Karlis Zale (see also Freedom Monument) and by the architects A. Birzenieks, P. Feders and garden architect A. Zeidaks, from 1924 until 1936.
Open Air Museum in Riga
The museum is located 10 km from the centre next to the lake Ezers. The museum’s area is 100 000 ha. and shows the life in Latvia over 2000 years ago. The museum has over 100 buildings: houses, churches, schools and wind-and water mills, assembled from all over Latvia.
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