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RĪGA S I G H T S E E I N G
RĪGAS I G H T S E E I N G
1 Town Hall Square, or Rātslaukums, lies facing the stone bridge in the Old Town. In the Middle Ages, it served as an open-air market. During the
World War II the square was completely destroyed. However, today the Town Hall has been fully rebuilt, just like the House of Blackheads, Schwabe’s House and the statue of Roland. Here one can also see the Soviet Era building from the 1970s that housed the Occupation Museum. The Occupation Museum’s exhibition has been temporarily moved to Raiņa bulvāris 7
TOWN HALL SQUARE
3 St. Peter’s Church is an imposing red brick edifice, originally built from timber in 1209, then rebuilt in stone. A
lift inside the spire takes visitors to a panorama platform offering a fantastic view over the red roofs of the Old Town and across the River Daugava. Reformācijas laukums 1
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
2 The House of Blackheads was constructed in the 14th century and housed a guild for unmarried merchants. It was the most prestigious and
grand building in the city at the time. The building was severely ravaged and pillaged during WWII. In 1999, the House of Blackheads was restored as a precise replica of the original building, with its characteristic Dutch Renaissance style façade and astounding ceiling paintings. Rātslaukums 7. From 2012 to the end of 2015 the building served as the temporary presidential residence, but will reopen to the public at the end of 2017.
THE HOUSE OF BLACKHEADS
Riga Tourism Development Bureau www.LiveRiga.com
Photos:from the archives of the Tourism department of the Investment and
Development Agency of Latvia and Riga Tourism Development Bureau
Riga Tourist Information CentresRātslaukums 6, ph. + 371 67037900Kaļķu iela 16, ph. + 371 67227444Riga International Coach Terminal
Prāgas iela 1, ph. + 371 67220555
Working hours:09:00 – 19:00 (May – September)10:00 – 18:00 (October – April)
2
RIGA PASSWith Riga Pass - free guided walking tour of the Old Town.Starts at 10:30 in the Town Hall Square.
RIGA PASSWith Riga Pass - 50% off the entrance fee to the viewing platform in Riga St. Peter’s Church
6 Līvu 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 Great Guild Hall (merchants’ association) and the Small Guild Hall (craftsmen’s association), built in the 18th century and boasting rich and decorated interiors. In summer, a number of outdoor cafes operate in Līvu Square, and in the evenings there are outdoor concerts, restaurants, clubs and never a shortage of people.
LĪVU SQUARE
7 In the heart of the Old Riga, there is the largest square, Dome Square. The square’s current appearance goes back to the 1930s when a portion
of its medieval buildings was torn down. On the edge of the square one can see Riga Cathedral. It was built as Bishop Albert’s Cathedral in 1211 and has since been rebuilt several times, so today it displays 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.
DOME SQUARE
5The Freedom Monument is a symbol of the Latvian independence and one of Riga’s major landmarks. Standing on the main
street – Brīvības iela – it can be seen from far away. Its three stars rise above the trees of the city’s central parks. 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 green belt around the Old Town.
THE FREEDOM MONUMENT
4 The opera house, which is located next to the city canal, is the pride of Latvian musical and cultural life. It was
constructed in 1863 as the German Theater. In 1995 a full restoration was completed. The building has excellent acoustic properties and serves as a venue for world class opera, ballet and pop music performances. The exterior of the building shows similarities to Moscow Bolshoi Theater. The interior is finely decorated. Aspazijas bulvāris 3
LATVIAN NATIONAL OPERA
8 The building of the Art Museum Riga Bourse is an architectural monument of national importance. It was built from 1852 to 1855, with its
design based on the forms of Venetian Renaissance palazzo, symbolizing wealth and abundance. The building has been completely restored and now houses the Art Museum Riga Bourse. Its splendid interior with plenty of gilded surfaces and artificial marble makes the Riga Bourse one of the must-see sites in Riga. The museum regularly curates international exhibition projects as well as various cultural and art events. Doma laukums 6
ART MUSEUM RIGA BOURSE
9The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation is the oldest public museum in Latvia and one of the oldest in Europe, the origin of which dates back to 1773. It is located in
a significant 13th–20th century architectural monument — the Riga Cathedral ensemble, which apart from the church comprises the gothic Cross Gallery, and a museum, the pride of which is the Column Hall from the 18th century. The Museum’s 16 exposition halls tell about the creation and development of Riga over more than 800 years, as well as the history of shipping in the territory of Latvia from the 10th century until today.
Palasta iela 4
MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF RIGA AND NAVIGATION
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RIGA PASSWith Riga Pass - 50% off the entrance fee in the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation.
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KRONVALDA PARKKRONVALDA PARKS
JACOBS SQUARE
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12 The foundation stone of the castle was laid in 1330. Through the centuries, it has seen severe destruction,
numerous rulers and wars. In 1922, it became the residence of the President of the Republic of Latvia, while during the Soviet Era the castle housed the Young Pioneer organization and became known as the Pioneer Castle. It serves again as the presidential residence since 1995.Pils iela 1/3
RIGA CASTLE
13 The Powder Tower (Pulvertornis) is one of Riga’s fortification towers and was originally called the
Sand Tower. It was built around 1330. Rebuilt numerous times, it gained its current name in the 17th century when gunpowder was stored in the tower. Since 1919 it houses the Latvian War Museum.Smilšu iela 20
THE POWDER TOWER
15 The museum building was constructed in 1905 based on a design project by the German architect
V.Neumann. Now the Latvian National Museum of Art is Latvia’s most significant depository of works of art. The museum reopened in May 2016 after a major renovation and modernization. Jāņa Rozentāla laukums 1
LATVIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ART
14 Nativity of Christ Cathedral is the largest Orthodox church in the city. Having served as a planetarium and
a restaurant during the Soviet Era, the building has been completely restored as a church. Orthodox services are now held regularly there. Nativity of Christ Cathedral, as a symbol of architecture and stability, is visited not only by foreign guests, but also by people seeking solace and peace.Brīvības bulvāris 23
RIGA’S NATIVITY OF CHRIST CATHEDRAL
11 Three Brothers is a charming group of residential houses each from a different century, the oldest
dating back to the 15th century. Their name — Three Brothers, was given a very long time ago and, according to a legend, the buildings were constructed by men from one family. Today, the premises house the Latvian Museum of Architecture and the State Inspection for Heritage Protection. Mazā Pils iela 17, 19, 21
THREE BROTHERS
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10 One third of Riga’s city centre is built in the attractive Art Noveau style, making it the premier Art
Noveau destination in Europe. Many of the best examples are located on Elizabetes and Alberta Streets, some of them have been designed by the well-known architect Mikhail Eisenstein, father of the famous Russian filmmaker, Sergey Eisenstein.Alberta, Elizabetes iela
ART NOVEAU
RIGA PASSWith Riga Pass - 50% off the entrance fee
in the Riga Art Nouveau Centre (Alberta iela 12)
19 The warehouse quarter or Spikeri was built in the second half of the 19th century, when
the territory was covered with uniform warehouses. Designed in the 19th century by the best Baltic architects, the simple but striking red brick buildings there are 150 years old. Spikeri Quarter is home to creative industries, offices, a concert hall and the Ghetto Museum. Maskavas iela 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
SPĪĶERI CREATIVE QUARTER
21 Across the River Daugava, in Pārdaugava, lies the Kalnciema Quarter of freshly renovated
wooden houses. The renovation of rundown but stately wooden buildings on both sides of Kalnciema iela, one of the main streets in Pārdaugava, started as a private initiative. Riga’s wooden architecture has been recognized as valuable cultural heritage by the UNESCO, and Kalnciema Quarter is a good place to see it in its renewed glory. Kalnciema iela 35, 37
KALNCIEMA QUARTER
17 The stylish Bergs Bazaar, a historical pedestrian quarter originally constructed between 1887-1900
by Kristaps Bergs, has been carefully restored by the Bergs family and today it is one of Riga’s premier shopping and dining destinations. Explore boutiques offering both local and international goods, discover local designers’ clothing and artworks, dine at one of the restaurants or cafes — both casual and up-market, or simply go for a stroll through this oasis in the city centre. Elizabetes iela between Kr. Barona and Marijas iela
THE BERGS BAZAAR
20Žanis Lipke Memorial is dedicated to a brave man who saved more than 50 Jews
from Nazis during World War II by hiding them in a bunker under a shed. The memorial building reconstructs the environment in which the rescued people lived. In the memorial building you will find an exciting exhibition and very interesting architecture Mazais Balasta dambis 8
ŽANIS LIPKE MEMORIAL
18 The Central Market is one of the largest and oldest markets in Europe with five food pavilions
located inside the vast converted Zeppelin hangars. Vendors at the stalls around and between the pavilions sell everything from clothes to flowers. The marketplace is always busy and a great place to observe local people, try local produce and find some good bargains.
THE CENTRAL MARKET
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16 Facing Old Riga, on the left bank of the River Daugava stands the new building of the National Library of Latvia (LNB)
— the Castle of Light — which is one of the most impressive cultural buildings constructed in Latvia in recent decades. The new library is a modern information centre and ample space for cultural and social events for both local residents and the city’s visitors. Mūkusalas iela 3
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF LATVIA
DISCOVERTHE CITY WITHRIGA PASS!
