{"id":671711,"date":"2022-07-27T11:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T08:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/?p=671711"},"modified":"2024-01-30T14:28:43","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T12:28:43","slug":"11-best-sights-of-riga-history-photo-with-description-map-what-to-see-in-riga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tourism.com.de\/en\/11-best-sights-of-riga-history-photo-with-description-map-what-to-see-in-riga\/","title":{"rendered":"11 best sights of Riga – history, photo with description, map, what to see in Riga"},"content":{"rendered":"

Riga is a very cozy city<\/a> in Europe, attracting travel<\/a>ers with cultural as well as natural beauties. This is a city<\/a> in which it is easy to arrange an incredible trip that allows 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<\/a>ing in a nearby bar and remembering the exciting moments that occurred during the space-time journey. The city is constantly improving. Today, when it is mentioned, not only the Dome Cathedral<\/a>, the House of the Blackheads is remembered. There is also a chic zoo, a reconstructed TV tower, a good museum of vintage car<\/a>s.<\/p>\n

The Dome Cathedral<\/h2>\n

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At the beginning of the 13th century, it was decided to found a new temple<\/a>, which was later called Domskoy. The founder carefully monitored the construction of the cathedral, hired the best craftsmen in Germany, and invested heavily in the bus<\/a>iness. The construction of the temple dragged on until the second half of the 13th century. It was possible to realize the original plans – the style of the building turned out to be transitional – from Romanesque to Northern Gothic. During the transformation, the original atmosphere inside<\/a> the temple was lost, and after that, the temple burned down completely. By the 16th century, the building was rest<\/a>ored, 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 highest in the district.<\/p>\n

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Due to the fact that part<\/a> of the wooden building always needed to be repaired, in the 18th century this material was replaced with metal. Now the height of this tower reaches 96 m, and the temple itself has become the architectural main component of the square. It is difficult to name the style that is inherent in the Dome Cathedral, because its rest<\/a>ructurin<\/a>g, which took place so often in different periods of time, brought certain features of many architectural trends. It is worth noting that the ensemble of this cathedral houses the oldest museum in the country. 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<\/a> of the country, as well as a collection on the history<\/a> of Latvian navigation, which is considered quite valuable.<\/p>\n

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The temple is located<\/a> at the following address: Herdera laukums, 6.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> and Sundays. The museum dedicated to navigation and the life of Riga can be visited for 3 EUR. All money goes to the restoration of the building. Children<\/a> under 10 years old are admitted free of charge.<\/p>\n

History<\/a> Center<\/a><\/h2>\n

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The creation of the historical center<\/a> began at the beginning of the 20th century, immediately after getting rid of some buildings. This is the period when features resembling an embankment began to appear. Subsequently, the historical center turned out to be the border of the heart of Riga and the ancient city<\/a>. Downtown starts “freedom”. The majestic statue<\/a> can be founded not only by the United States, but also by Latvia, which has been pleasing residents and tour<\/a>ists with it since 1935. Unlike the American one, the Latvian symbol of freedom does not hold a torch, but 3 star<\/a>s, which symbolize the unity of Latvia.<\/p>\n

While walking<\/a> through the historical center, you can often hear the word “art nouveau”. This term characterizes the Art Nouveau style, which dominates here in architecture. Also interesting<\/a> is the construction of the Latvian National Opera. This building is undeniably impressive, as its main fa\u00e7ade is classically built with several Ionic columns. In addition, the building is decorated with allegorical figures.<\/p>\n

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The heart of the city can boast of animals living in it. At first, beavers literally terrorized Riga, however, now they are fed and they live in quite good conditions. The Ministry unsuccessfully tried to rid the square of animals. Later, it was decided to install special feeders so that citizens could admire the beavers. The historic city center<\/a> is located at the following address<\/a>: Centra raions.<\/p>\n

Riga castle<\/a><\/h2>\n

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To date, not a single trace of the former strength of the Riga Castle<\/a> can be found, and once upon a time it served brave knights by faith. After the Poles settled in the building, and then the Swedes, the protective function of the building was almost over. Russian government has lost this function completely. Despite the fact that the castle is considered the sea<\/a>t of the president of the country, it is in an extremely deplorable state. This led to its massive restoration, which is about to be completed by the anniversary of the state, which will be celebrated in 2018.<\/p>\n

For some period of time, part of the premises of the Riga Castle was occupied by expositions of 2 museums – the Museum of Foreign Art and the Museum of the History<\/a> of Latvia. In 2010, the first museum “moved” to another building. The National Museum also plans to relocate while it operates at the same address.<\/p>\n

Riga Castle can be found at the following address: Pils laukums, 3. It is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00, and on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 18:00. Entrance tickets for adults will cost 2 lats, for children under 17 – 1.5 lats.<\/p>\n

St. Peter's Church<\/h2>\n

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Its very high spire, which also has an observation deck, allows you to notice the cathedral from afar. With the help of an elevator, tourists<\/a> easily rise to a height of 75 m, where they can admire the vast expanses of the city. The temple is located in the historical center of 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 falls on the spire crowned with a cockerel.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, these bettas 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 to Riga with their golden side, it became clear that the wind was blowing from the sea<\/a>. The black side meant that the wind was blowing from the land. In the first case, Riga merchants realized that ships with goods would be able to get into the bay, in the second case, the ships would not be able to enter the port that day.<\/p>\n

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The following facts are also interesting: for the first time, clocks 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 building, which fired at the Wittenstein building. The church can be found at: Skarnu iela, 19. Visitors can visit the observation tower and the church itself on any day from 10:00 to 18:00 from the month of 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.<\/p>\n

Adults can purchase entrance tickets for 4 lats, and children under 17 for 2 lats.<\/p>\n

Large and Small Guilds<\/h2>\n

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The big guild was located opposite the small one. It was here that local merchants spent a lot of time, and then book publishers and writers. The Great Guild is the oldest public building in the Baltics. The history of the Great Guild begins around 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 known for such striking features of the English neo-Gothic as a pointed tower that overlooks the adjoining garden or an octagonal donjon tower.<\/p>\n

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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 windows, which were ordered specifically for this building. The doors are also very beautifully decorated: they are surrounded by wise Latin phrases written in Gothic script. Now the building of the Small Guild is used to organize various holidays<\/a>, events, conferences, concerts, business events, seminars, balls. Some rooms of the building are occupied by the Center for Folklore Culture and Art. In addition, this Center has made efforts to open entertaining circles for both children and older people.<\/p>\n

It is located at the following address: Amatu iela, 5.<\/p>\n

House of the Blackheads<\/h2>\n

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This architectural monument, attributed 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” was fixed. This building was used by the Blackheads for various representative purposes, some products were also stored here, there was an underground passage leading to the Daugava – to the merchants' own pier.<\/p>\n

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The building was badly damaged during the bombing. After these events, it was restore<\/a>d 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<\/a> for the 800th anniversary of Riga. During the arrival of the heads of foreign states, ceremonial receptions are organized here. After reconstruction, a museum was placed in the basement. In front of the building is a statue of Roland, considered a symbol of the independence, power and freedom of medieval Riga.<\/p>\n

It is located at the following address: Ratslaukums, 7. The House of the 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 enter the building for free.<\/p>\n

cat house<\/h2>\n

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On the tower of one of the buildings, standing not far from the Great Guild, there are cats made of copper. With raised tails, hunched, they see<\/a>m to have frozen before the most exciting jump. The figures of cats became the reason for the emergence of the name, the origin of which worries so many, “Cat's House”. This unusual and prominent building was shrouded in scandalous popularity and even became the cause of more than one lawsuit. Now the statues of cats sit not only on the roof of the building, but also decorate the first floor.<\/p>\n

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It is a pity, however, despite the name “Cat's House”, the building does not have a single similar detail with fairy tales. However, he boasts a rather amazing tradition. The building was built by a wealthy merchant in the early 20th century. He set the figures of cats on the structure and turned his back on the Guild, where the merchant was so diligently trying to get into. 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 adorn the building today. It is interesting that this particular building was seen in the film “At the New Gates”, in which it served as a Berlin<\/a> hotel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today, there is a restaurant on the first floor of the building, while other premises are occupied by offices.<\/p>\n

Located at the following address: Meistaru iela, 10.<\/p>\n

Latvian Museum of Architecture<\/h2>\n

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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 was located in the notorious medieval buildings – “Three Brothers”. The head of the Museum of Architecture is the famous architect Janis Leinieks. Since the museum does not have a permanent exhibition, it operates in the mode of exhibition halls. The expositions presented by this museum are dedicated to both the historical Latvian heritage and the architecture of the country.<\/p>\n

The newly opened museum has already managed to take its place along with the famous collections of the city. Its funds are notable for their rich heritage. The museum contains approximately 9 thousa<\/a>nd extraordinary exhibits: there are many materials and documents related to such important names in the architecture of the country as Wilhelm Bockslaff, Christoph Haberland, Janis Baumanis, Eigen Laube and others.<\/p>\n

You can find it at the following address: Maza Pils iela, 21. The museum is open on Mondays from 9:00 to 18:00, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 to 17:00, on Friday from 9:00 to 16:00. Weekend days are Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n

Museum of old cars<\/h2>\n

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

Especially for the car museum, a modern building was built from materials brought from Finland<\/a>. It was opened in 1989, and after 3 years it received the status of a state museum. In addition to cars, you can admire a special gas station, horse-drawn droshky of the 20th century, a copy of a gray telephone booth. A restoration workshop operates at the Motor Museum, which 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. It is open from Monday to Sunday from 12:00 to 18:00.<\/p>\n

Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians<\/h2>\n

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This sculptural ensemble is represented by 4 fairy-tale heroes of the famous Grimm – a dog, a rooster, a donkey, a cat. The musicians were “captured” at the time when they looked into the house of the forest<\/a> robbers through the window. The monument was erected in the Old Town of the country at the end of the 20th century. The sculpture, which was cast by Christa Baumgartel, hides the deepest political meaning – the end of the Cold War. From the worn nose of the donkey, one can understand that many tour<\/a>ists continue to hope for the “mystical” power of this sculpture to fulfill all desires.<\/p>\n

Those who have already managed to make a cherished wish by rubbing the character's nose should not be upset, because 3 other heroes will also be able to fulfill their innermost desire. The rooster can fulfill the most cherished, 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 able to increase the chances of fulfilling 1 wish. The monument is located near Skarnu Street, in the immediate vicinity of St. Peter's Church.<\/p>\n

Riga TV tower<\/h2>\n

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The Riga TV tower is located on Zakusa<\/a>la. Its height is 368 m, making it the 3rd tallest in all of Europe<\/a> and 1st in the EU. In just half a minute by elevator it is easy to climb to the platform, located at a height of 97 m. Having climbed here, tourists<\/a> will find themselves in the highest place in the country. By the way, at the same height there is a cockerel that adorns the Dome Cathedral. The TV tower was built over 9 years, the construction was completed 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.<\/p>\n

It is interesting that the appearance of the TV tower in those years was striking, it was considered a perversion, although today the building corresponds to the design<\/a> concepts. Due to the fact that the tower was not made of concrete<\/a>, but of metal, in hot weather<\/a> it “grows” by several meters. For a while, there was a restaurant at the top of this TV tower, slightly below the viewing area<\/a>. True, they did not find a place for equipping a kitchenette, and they had to raise food. It was also extremely cold in the establishment, and heating specifically for this establishment was considered a very costly affair.<\/p>\n

The Riga TV Tower can be found at the following address: Zakusalas krastmala, 1.<\/p>\n

Attractions<\/a> Riga on the map<\/h2>\n