Interesting facts about Latvia
Latvia. The peculiarity of the nature of the coast of Northern Europe washed by the Baltic Sea, the ancient architecture of cities and the eventful history make Latvia an attractive travel destination. “Riga sprats” are far from the only “attraction” of this beautiful country. Let's briefly touch on some amazing facts of its history and geography.
National pride and traditions
About 2 million people live in Latvia, who love their country very much and are proud of it. Founded by German crusader knights in the place of a natural harbor in the lower reaches of the Daugava (Western Dvina), the capital of the state, the city of Riga, has been known since 1201. The Daugava is the largest river in the country. The most famous unofficial symbol of Latvia is the white wagtail.
Latvian rye bread, baked according to ancient recipes, is recognized as unique in the European Union among other 40 products. An element of the national Latvian costume, the Lielvard belt has one of the most complex ornaments in the world, which is still of interest to historians, ethnographers and fashion designers.
The best of the best
The tallest building in the European Union is the Riga Television Tower. Its height is 368.5 meters. At a height of 99 meters, there is an observation deck on the tower from where a beautiful view of the capital opens.
In Latvia, on the Venta River, there is the widest waterfall in Europe. The width of the waterfall is about 100 meters, although the height of the fall of the water is small – about 2 meters.
“Modern” trail of the Eisensteins
Riga is the city where the great director Sergei Eisenstein was born. In the 90s of the 19th century, his father held a responsible post in the Lifland provincial government, including the architectural design of buildings. The family lived on Nikolaevskaya Street, now Krisjan Valdemara, and the house on Elizabetes Street with 4-meter female profiles on the top of the facade, designed by Eisenstein Sr., became the hallmark of Art Nouveau in Riga architecture.
Cinema and Latvia
Jauniela Street is located in the historical center of Riga – the Old Town, which has been mentioned since 1201. It is famous for the fact that two films beloved by viewers, Seventeen Moments of Spring and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, were filmed on its pavement. Local residents will kindly show the windows of the great detective's apartment, as well as the window in the house opposite, from which Professor Pleischner jumped out when he realized that the turnout failed.
Rings of King Namejs
An ancient legend of Latvia tells about the leader of the Semigallians, Namejs, who tried to unite the Baltic peoples to resist the crusader knights in the 13th century. Traditions say that he forged copper rings for all his comrades-in-arms and warriors, which they were supposed to wear as a symbol of unity and catholicity. Enemies were afraid of warriors wearing rings, as they believed that they were made by gods and had magical powers. And today, the twisted Namejs ring is both a piece of jewelry and a souvenir from hospitable Latvia.
Caught a fish!
They say that smoked lampreys are one of the must-try delicacies while in Latvia. Lamprey fishing is a historical tradition that has survived to this day in almost unchanged form. In order to see it, it is best to go to Salacgriva – a town on the shores of the Gulf of Riga. The river is blocked by light walkways made of spruce sticks. This is called a “stalk”. From it, nets are lowered into the water – special traps made of willow twigs or (in the modern version) from a nylon net.
Tears of the sea
The Kurzeme coast of the Baltic Sea is a paradise for surfers, fishermen and amber lovers. Liepaja, Pavilosta, Ventspils, Cape Kolka are unforgettable places with untouched or carefully protected nature and seaside color. By the way, the largest pieces of amber are found in Pavilosta. Amber can be collected after storms right on the beach. For local residents, amber fishing is one of the oldest crafts. They enter the water and with nets on long poles they catch algae clusters, in which, if they are lucky, a sun stone will be found.
Prison hotel
For extreme tourists in Karosta, a military town near Liepaja, a hotel has been created on the basis of the Military Port prison, which repeats in detail the life of prisoners. In it you can plunge into the unsweetened everyday life of prisoners, “enjoy” prison food, spend the night on bunk beds and listen to the shouts of guards.
