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Riga is a very beautiful city. Its Central District has preserved a whole complex of old, very old and very ancient buildings that do not leave anyone indifferent. At the same time, Riga has always been a “big brother” in its small Baltic family. Compared to Tallinn or Vilnius, this city really gives the impression of a metropolis. It rages, has fun, attracts thousands of tourists, imperceptibly makes them fall in love with itself, forcing them, if not to stay for a day or two, then at least to come here again.

Divided by the wide 500-meter river Daugava, Riga will forever remain in the heart with its Art Nouveau facades, large green parks and cozy little bars, where the minutes pass unnoticed by the crackling and flickering of candles.

Surprisingly, this city combines its toy, as if descended from medieval engravings, historical center, vibrant nightlife and a thriving restaurant business. The lavish beauty, timeless elegance and irrepressible fusion of old and new in Riga has such a powerful charm that it can only be perceived to the accompaniment of the famous Black Balsam of Riga.

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Districts of Riga

As you might guess, the most popular among tourists is the Central District of Riga. Here, on a tiny square, most of the sights of this Baltic city are concentrated, the main of which is rightfully considered. Since the area itself occupies only 3 square meters. km, we can say with certainty - per 1 sq. km there are 3-4 museums. In addition to the cobbled streets of the Old Town, the Dome Cathedral and the museum dedicated to the history of the Latvian capital are also of interest.

Do not ignore one of the most historically and culturally significant buildings - Riga Castle, as well as museums of the History of Latvia and Foreign Art. In terms of lodging, rooms in most hotels in the city center are not cheap, however, if you are only here for a couple of days, it is still worth staying here.

Budget accommodation options can be found near the Central Station.

Of the remaining 5 administrative districts of Riga, Vidzeme suburb and Ziemel district deserve special attention. The first of them houses the Latvian Ethnographic Museum. In addition to an extensive exposition, it is also interesting for unusual excursions conducted by guides in national costumes. It is also worth a look at the Riga Motor Museum, where you can admire vintage cars and motorcycles. The Ziemel region is great for outdoor recreation. It contains Lake Kisezers, Mežaparks with numerous recreational areas and the Riga Zoo.

Transport

Public transport in Riga is well developed: there are many bus, trolleybus and tram routes. The former cover all districts and suburbs of the city, and the latter converge in its center. Tickets can be purchased from drivers, the fare is 1.15 EUR. In addition, there are unified travel tickets in Riga - e-tickets. An hour of travel in transport will cost 2.30 EUR. If you plan to move around the city a lot, you can load the required number of trips on the card (up to 50). The passes are sold at customer service centres, ticket machines and online. Prices on the page are for November 2018.

There are temporary tickets in the city that allow you to make an unlimited number of trips on all routes of the city during the day (5 EUR), 3 (10 EUR) or 5 (15 EUR) days. This fare payment option will save you money if you plan to visit all the sights of the Latvian capital.

In addition to the main city transport, minibuses also run in Riga, and on weekends there are also night buses. Since transportation is carried out by another company, general travel cards do not work in them, tickets must be purchased separately. However, the fares are the same, and you can pay for the fare with the driver.

There are many taxis in the city, and all of them are official and equipped with meters. They are distinguished from ordinary cars by yellow numbers and light shades on the roof. Despite the fact that there are no private traders in Riga at all, it will not be difficult to find a taxi at special parking lots. In addition, the car can be ordered by phone, the call is free.

In most cases, credit cards are accepted for payment. However, it is better to check with the driver about the presence of the terminal before boarding.

Different rates apply depending on the time of day. Night trip will cost 20% more. The prices for transportation from different companies are about the same. You will have to pay about 1 EUR for landing, the cost of 1 km is from 0.35-0.80 EUR.

When traveling around Latvia in your own car, you must have driver's civil liability insurance. "Antiradar" is prohibited in the country: before entering it will have to be removed. A pedestrian in Latvia is always right - he must certainly give way.

Maps of Riga

Rent a Car

Guides in Riga

Cafes and restaurants in Riga

There are many cafes, restaurants and bars in the Latvian capital, the general price level is quite high, especially in the central part, but inexpensive establishments can also be found.

Many of them have promotions - business lunches, meals of the day, etc. You should take a closer look at them - the savings can be very significant.

For those who want to taste Latvian cuisine, there are authentic restaurants in the Old Town. The cost of lunch or dinner varies from 20 to 40 EUR. The menu includes milk and bread soups, a wide variety of herring dishes, boiled potatoes, gray peas, black pudding and much more. From drinks it is worth paying attention to local beer. However, it is better for beer lovers to go to a beer house, there are also a lot of them in the city - English, Irish pubs and German bars, where you can taste famous foreign and local varieties.

The Lido entertainment complex located in the city center is especially popular among tourists. Decorated in an ethnic style, it attracts attention with its own mill and brewery, as well as entertainment for children and adults. There is a bistro, cafe and restaurant, which are distinguished by a varied menu and quite affordable prices (average bill from 5 EUR).

For a delicious breakfast and great coffee, head to one of the many coffee shops. A light snack will cost 4-5 EUR, a rather hearty lunch - 10 EUR. In addition, there are restaurants in Riga that offer guests dishes of Italian, Caucasian, Chinese and other cuisines of the world, as well as inexpensive pizzerias and kebabs (lunch from 5-6 EUR).

Entertainment and sights of Riga

Riga is a relatively small cozy European city. Despite this, visiting all the sights and museum expositions can take several days, or even a week. Of course, most of them are located in the historical center of the city, but there is also something to see on the opposite bank of the Daugava and the outskirts of the city.

The unique atmosphere of the Middle Ages reigns in Old Riga with its cobbled streets and squares, ancient churches and architectural diversity.

Once in the Old Town, first of all go to the Town Hall Square. In addition to the Town Hall itself, you should pay attention to the famous House of the Blackheads - one of the most interesting buildings in Riga from an architectural point of view. In the center of the square, the statue of Rolonda stands proudly - a symbol of economic and political independence. A little further away stands one of the oldest buildings in the city - St. Peter's Church with a high spire, visible from almost anywhere in Old Riga.

If time permits, be sure to go up to the observation deck of the church. From a height of 72 m, a beautiful view of the historical center of the Latvian capital opens up.

Nearby is the Dome Square, which is considered to be the heart of Old Riga. Its main attraction is the famous Dome Cathedral - a real symbol of the city, which has incorporated features of various architectural styles. Inside there is a huge 25-meter organ, its sound is considered one of the best in the world.

If you're lucky, you can get to a concert of organ music, which are often held in the temple.

Museums

Although most of the museums in Riga are located in the central part of the city, even the longest vacation will not be enough to see them all. Therefore, we advise you to carefully study and choose the most interesting expositions for yourself.

The famous Riga Castle houses two museums at once - the National Museum of the History of Latvia and the Museum of Foreign Art. The latter is one of the largest art collections in the country, containing samples of ancient painting and sculpture. The Historical Museum presents exhibits dedicated to the life of Latvians from ancient times to the present day.

In connection with the large-scale reconstruction of the old building, the Museum of Foreign Art has already moved to the premises of the Riga Stock Exchange, and the historical exposition will soon be moved.

Within the walls of the ensemble of famous old buildings "Three Brothers" is the Latvian Museum of Architecture. Although its collection contains more than a thousand items, there is no permanent exhibition, exhibitions are held in the halls, regularly replacing each other. Also of interest is the Latvian National Museum of Art, which presents paintings, drawings and sculptures from Latvia, Russia and the peoples of the Baltics.

5 things to do in Riga

1. See real antiques at the Flea Market in Latgalit.
2. Find all the styles present in the architecture of the Old City.
3. See frames from your favorite films on the most cinematic street in the USSR - Jauniela.
4. Admire the evening Riga from the observation deck in St. Peter's Church.
5. Get to a concert in the Dome Cathedral and hear the magical sounds of one of the most majestic organs in the world.

Riga for children

For most tourists, Riga is the cobblestone pavements of the Old Town, ancient architecture and other medieval surroundings. However, a completely different picture opens before the young guests of the city. The Latvian capital has everything for children to leave with a whole bunch of bright emotions and new impressions.

The city has many entertainment centers and amusement parks, the most popular of which is considered to be Lido. It won the love of Rigans and guests of the city thanks to the variety of entertainment for children and adults, as well as quite affordable prices. Another interesting place is Peak Nick Park, which has many attractions for guests of all ages.

Riga has everything necessary for the children to leave here with a whole bunch of new experiences.

The Riga Zoo is especially popular. The well-groomed green area contains more than 3 thousand animals, among which there are exotic ones - lions, giraffes, pandas and many others.

Be sure to check out the Riga Circus, located not far from the Central Station in one of the oldest circus buildings in Europe. You can get both to the performances of local artists, and to tour performances of famous bands. No less interesting program is offered by the Latvian Puppet Theatre. The repertoire is dominated by productions of favorite children's fairy tales - "The Three Little Pigs", "Alice in Wonderland", "Doctor Aibolit" and many others. Performances are in Latvian and Russian.

Another place that will definitely not leave any child indifferent is the Laima Chocolate Museum, opened by the famous confectionery factory. The exposition will introduce children to the history of the cocoa bean and the technology of making their favorite delicacy.

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The climate of Riga is temperate continental, and due to its location on the Baltic Sea, it is quite warm and humid. Choosing the time for a visit to the Latvian capital, you need to be guided by the purpose of the trip. If clean Riga beaches are a priority, it is better to go from mid-July to mid-August, at the very height of the beach season, towards the end of summer, the cool breath of autumn is already clearly felt in the city.

The end of spring or the beginning of autumn is more suitable for sightseeing holidays. At this time, the weather in Riga is warm, there is little rainfall, however, at the end of May the city is especially charming, and there are not so many tourists yet. At the same time, winter Riga is also popular among vacationers. There are no particular colds here, and bright lights and Christmas markets charge with positive and create a New Year's mood.

Riga. Capital of Latvia. The largest city in the Baltic States.

What is worth seeing in Riga if you come here for 1 day? Of course, the Old Town, in 1997 included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. That's where we headed.

Unfortunately, the weather was not kind. Grey sky. Drizzling rain, sometimes turning into a downpour. All this did not allow us to properly inspect the city and take vivid photographs, but we managed to get the first impression of the city.

In the very center of the city is the so-called "House of the Blackheads". This is a modern reconstruction of the historical building of the trading guild "Blackheads"

The house of the Chernovs was built in 1334. Killed during World War II and restored in 1999.

The name of the Blackheads Guild was given in honor of the symbol of the patron saint of the corporation of foreign merchants, St. Mauritius. The black head was featured on the guild crest.

The House of the Blackheads can be viewed for quite some time. It is adorned with a number of statues. On the facade are statues of Neptune, Mercury, Unity and Peace.

There are other sculptures on the building.

In front of the house of the Blackheads, a restored statue of Roland, with a drawn sword of justice, a symbol of the freedom of a medieval city.

Opposite the House of the Blackheads Riga City Hall

The town hall building was rebuilt at the beginning of the 21st century and now it is the seat of the Riga City Council. And the statue on the roof seems to be the goddess of justice Themis.

Behind the house of the Blackheads is the high spire of St. Peter's Church.

The spire of St. Peter's Church is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Riga. Its height is 123.5 meters.

The existence of St. Peter's Church is mentioned as early as 1209. The church was built with public money.

The church has been rebuilt and rebuilt several times throughout its existence. So the spire appeared in 1690.

During World War II, the church was destroyed. The decision to restore the church was made in 1966, and in 1973 a new spire was erected, which is a copy of the destroyed one. Restoration continued until 1983. Traces of destruction and restoration are visible on the facade.

Sculptures are installed above the entrances to the church in the European tradition.

The Church of St. Peter is now transferred to the Lutheran Church of Latvia and is active.

In Soviet times, there was an exhibition hall here. Now, to the left of the entrance, there are several artifacts left over from buildings destroyed during the war, as well as old photographs of them, which helped in the restoration of the already mentioned house of the blackheads.

And on the spire of the church there are two observation platforms. And not for nothing. After all, this is the highest point of the old city.

A golden cockerel is mounted on the spire. A similar one is installed at the foot of the church.

Cockerels on the towers served as weathercocks. And they were painted with gold only on one side. If merchants from the sea saw a cockerel turned to its golden side, they understood that the wind allowed them to enter the port. And the turned dark cockerel spoke about the opposite.

Near the church of St. Peter is the church of St. John, built in the 13th century.

Of course, during its existence, the church was also completed more than once, updated and restored.

Now St. John's Church is an active Lutheran church. It did not close even in Soviet times.

By the way, there is also a golden cockerel on the roof of the church.

It is worth mentioning one more monument located in this area of ​​the old town - the monument to the Latvian Red Riflemen

Behind them is the wretched building of the museum of the Latvian Red Riflemen, which has now changed its name and exposition and turned into a museum of occupation. There is some evil symbolism in all this...

There is a monument in Riga to another revolutionaries - the fighters of the 1905 revolution, opened in 1960.

But back to more ancient sights.

The streets of the old city are narrow and paved with large paving stones.

Walking on it is not always convenient, but it maintains the atmosphere of antiquity

In the back streets you can find such stone beauty.

The streets are so narrow that it is almost impossible to take a full-length photo of the house you like...

because the focus is on the details

however, sometimes there are small squares and then you can see the buildings in all their glory.

This is a powder tower - part of the remaining city fortifications. The first mention of this tower was in 1330. This is the only fortification tower that was not demolished in 1856 during the reconstruction of Riga.

Nearby is a house with black cats. Built in 1910, it is one of the most famous symbols of Riga.

He got his name because of the black cats sitting on the roof.

In 1935, the Freedom Monument was erected on the site of the monument to Peter I. Surprisingly, in Soviet times it was not dismantled and now this 42-meter monument adorns the center of Riga.

In the evening, the streets of Riga's old town are even prettier.

Naturally, in Riga there is not only the old city, but also quite modern buildings.

Hockey fans know Riga from Arena-Riga. The local Dynamo plays in this ice palace, and the Moscow Spartak comes here a couple of times a year. The hall is full.

By the way, it was in Riga that the 2012 KHL All-Star Game was held.

As a reminder of Moscow, the building of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, built in the 1950s in the style of Stalin's skyscrapers, serves as a reminder.

In the end - one of the artifacts seen on one of the doors in the city center.

And, of course, the traditional cat. True white.

2012. Photo: Artyom Mochalov, Natalya Nagorskaya, Evgeny Turkulets

Riga, the capital of the Republic of Latvia, is the largest city in the Baltics, its area is 304 sq. km, and the population is about 701 thousand people. Tourists come to Riga to admire the excellently preserved historical sights and learn more about the original culture of Latvia. In the historical center of the city there are many medieval architectural structures, such as the "House of the Blackheads", "Three Brothers" and "Riga Castle". The rest of Riga, on the other hand, is lined with more modern-style houses, where Art Nouveau buildings sit side by side with the latest glass-and-steel skyscrapers. The name of the city comes from the Riga River, which was a branch of the Daugava and once flowed on the site of the city, but then became shallow and was covered up.

Riga was founded in 1201 by the Bishop of Bremen Albert Buksgevden. Riga developed rapidly and soon became the main city of Livonia, a historical region that included Latvia and Estonia. After the Northern War in 1921, Riga became the center of the Riga Governorate within the Russian Empire. After the First World War, in 1918 Riga was proclaimed the capital of the independent Republic of Latvia. At the end of World War II, Latvia joined the Soviet Union, and Riga became the capital of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. Then, after the fall of the USSR in 1991, Latvia became a sovereign state, and Riga remained its capital, as well as a cultural, economic and political center. In 2014, Riga was chosen as the European Capital of Culture.

Riga is located on the banks of the Daugava River, the 500-meter course of which divides the capital into two parts. Approximately one third of the total population of Latvia lives in the city. The official language in Riga is Latvian, but most of the population understands Russian, as nearly 40 percent of Riga's residents are Russians or at least have Russian ancestry. Riga is divided into three administrative districts and three suburbs, which in turn are divided into microdistricts. How to get to Riga

By plane

Riga Airport is the largest and most important airport in the Baltics. It serves international flights to more than 80 destinations, including to the CIS countries. From Moscow or St. Petersburg, you can fly to the capital of Latvia in just a couple of hours. From the Riga airport you can get to the city center in 15 minutes.

By train

From the Riga railway station, which is located in the city center, international trains depart to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Minsk and Vilnius. There is a public transport terminal just behind the station. By bus

The Riga International Bus Station, which is located half a kilometer from the railway station, provides bus services to neighboring countries of Latvia, as well as to most European countries.

Even in Riga there is the Riga Passenger Port, from which ships depart to the Scandinavian countries and Northern Germany.

Climate of Riga

The climate of Riga is moderate continental, the summer in the city is warm, but not hot, the winters are mild, with heavy snowfalls. The high air humidity is due to the proximity of the city to the Gulf of Riga. In winter, there are often thaws, which, however, do not last long. The average air temperature in the middle of winter is 3-5 degrees below zero, the average temperature in the hottest month of summer, July, is 17-18 degrees with a plus sign.

Transport in Riga

From urban public transport in Riga there is a tram, trolleybus and bus service. There are also taxis in the city. There is no metro in the capital of Latvia, but it is not required, since Riga is a relatively small city. You can buy tickets for travel in public transport at press outlets or at special kiosks, as well as from the driver, the latter, although convenient, will cost a little more. There are two types of tickets in the city: electronic coupons and smart tickets. Coupons are bought mainly by local residents, and smart tickets are convenient for tourists, which in turn are divided into two types: tickets valid for a certain time and tickets with a limited number of trips.

Culture of Riga

There are several major theaters and museums in Riga. Chief among them are the Latvian National Theatre, the Latvian National Opera House and the Latvian National Museum of Fine Arts. In addition, it is worth visiting the Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre, the Latvian State Puppet Theatre, as well as the Museum of Foreign Art, which presents expositions dedicated to Western European, Ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern art. There is also an automobile museum in Riga, called the Riga Motor Museum, which contains more than 230 historical automobile exhibits, among which there are antique sports, military and executive cars.

Excursions and tours in Riga

Things to Do in Riga

The main entertainment for tourists in the capital of Latvia is, of course, sightseeing. But besides this exciting activity, there are many entertainments for visitors in Riga. What is worth only Riga's bakeries with delicious pastries, as well as numerous restaurants and cafes, which serve sometimes very unusual combinations of dishes. And, of course, being in Riga, one cannot help but try the famous drink - Riga Black Balsam ( Rigas Melnais Balzams).

Also, do not deny yourself the pleasure of visiting Jurmala with its wonderful beaches and beautiful pine forests - for this you need to spend only half an hour on a bus trip (Jurmala is located 25 km from Riga).

When is the best time to visit Riga?

The summer months are perfect for visiting Riga, as at this time you can not only see the sights of the city, but also enjoy relaxing on the beaches of the Baltic coast. The weather in Riga is also very pleasant in May and early September. But in March and November in Riga, as in almost the entire Baltic, it is rather damp and cold.

Riga is the perfect option for a weekend getaway. In a couple of days, you can slowly get around the main attractions of the city, and you won’t be bored at all. So, I'll start talking about my trip to Riga. The first note, of course, will be about Old Riga - the historical and geographical center of Riga. Let's go for a walk in the Old Town?

In 2011, I had a persistent dislike for airplanes, so Riga was also chosen for logistical reasons. The capital of Latvia from Moscow can be reached by rail. A fairly comfortable train runs from Moscow to Riga. The reserved seat is quite decent, it costs about 3500 one way. He arrives in Riga at 10 am and returns around 5 pm. Unless the night customs is annoying, keep in mind that in the middle of a dream they will wake you up. But, if you leave on Friday, you get almost two full days in the city. For Riga, this is quite enough.

A few words about the attitude towards Russian tourists. Well, let's start with the fact that 40% of Russians live in Riga. However, the Latvians were also all quite friendly. I think here the same alignment as, for example, in. Local propaganda can hysteria about us all they want. But this does not apply to tourists. All residents of Riga normally and willingly speak Russian. For example, in and there were several exceptions when it was necessary to switch to English. Yes, at the same train station in Riga or in shops, the inscriptions are exclusively in Latvian, but all the inhabitants of Riga kindly helped with the translation. In cafes and restaurants, there was always a menu in Russian.

And, most importantly, the city itself is quite worthy. I expected much less from Riga. Well, there are a couple of beautiful streets, plus a small Old Town, which gets around in half an hour, . But nothing like that, only in the back streets and cathedrals of Old Riga you can hang out for half a day, or even a day, and there will still be very, very much that you can still see. So I definitely didn’t have to be bored, the trip turned out to be very eventful.

Well, OK, let's be objective. Any provincial German or French town with half-timbered houses, a cathedral and a castle will do the Old Town of Riga. Look at my livejournal at least a tiny one for 10 thousand inhabitants. Perhaps, both Vilnius, and definitely Tallinn, according to the criterion of "medieval" and the atmosphere, will also be ahead. But Riga is not only ancient narrow streets. Quite a lot of interesting things have been preserved here from the time of the Russian Empire, this will be a separate story. So, in my opinion, there is no clear leader among the Baltic capitals and it is worth seeing each of them.

The main sights of Riga on the map:

We started our walk around the old town with powder tower. This is the only surviving tower of the Riga fortress wall. Built in the 13th century, it was called Pesochnaya, was the largest and protected the main land entrance to the city (Sand Road) until the 17th century. Gunpowder she began to be called later, when they began to store gunpowder in it. In Soviet times, the Nakhimov Military School was located in it, and then the Museum of the October Revolution was located here. Now the tower houses the Military Museum.

Departs from the Powder Tower Tornu street(Tower). The length of the street is 470 m. The longest buildings of the Old Riga are located on it: "Arsenal" 135 meters long at the beginning of the street and Jacob's Barracks - 200 meters long - at the end.

Tornu street.

A little further we turned onto the picturesque Troksnu street(Noisy). Now it does not live up to its name, it is a very beautiful and quiet corner of the city. And before there were forges and supposedly executioner's house. The house faced Trokshnia like a blank wall, and therefore everything that happened behind this wall remained a mystery. And hence the assumption that this very wall hid the executioner's dirty work, and since blacksmiths lived nearby (hence the name of the street "noisy", because there is a lot of noise from the blacksmiths' work), no one could hear the screams of the executioner's victims. A little to the left of the corner, along Aldaru street, there is a small window on the facade of this house. In it, according to legend, the messenger of the Riga rat put a black glove if there was work for the executioner.

Intersection of Troksnu and Aldaru (Pivnaya) streets. Here somewhere, according to legend, there was an executioner's house. In fact, it is doubtful that there was such a position in medieval Riga at all. The town was small and there was not enough budget for this vacancy; according to the surviving documents, the executioner's duties were performed by a master from the weaver's workshop.

Here tourists are waiting for another attraction - swedish gate. The Swedish gates were cut into the Riga fortress wall in 1689. Legend has it that the building where the gate is now belonged to a wealthy Riga merchant. In order not to pay constant taxes when importing goods into the city, he took and cut through this passage. This is the only city gate in Riga that has been preserved in its original form.

On Saturday, each church gathered magnificent wedding parties. In the photo, Mercedes is waiting for the newlyweds at the Cathedral of St. Jacob.

Cathedral of Saint James built around 1225. Initially, it was outside the city wall. Brick building, characteristic of the transitional period from Romanesque to Gothic. The tower of the church acquired its current appearance in 1756, when a baroque rounding was built in its lower part. At the base of the spire there is a clock, and in the upper part near the console there was once an alarm bell. It was also called the bell of sinners, its sounds invited the inhabitants of Riga to watch the execution of the sentence on the Town Hall Square.

During the siege of the city by the Russian troops of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, several shells hit the church of St. Jacob. Two of them, in memory of the siege of Riga, were walled up in the walls of the central facade, and two more - in the altar part.

From the cathedral you can see the Three Brothers. Three brothers- the oldest complex of residential buildings in Old Riga. Located on Maza Pils Street (Malaya Zamkovaya). These three houses have been preserved since the 15th century. Today they house the Museum of Architecture and the State Center for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.

According to legend, three houses, closely pressed against each other, were indeed built by men belonging to the same family. During the Middle Ages, the street on which the houses stand was located on the outskirts of the city. Artisans lived here. In house number 17, the oldest of the "brothers", there was a craft workshop. It is assumed that the building of the oldest brother was built in 1490. The house has an ascetic appearance, the only decoration of the building are two stone pillars located in front of the entrance. There was only one room in this house, which was used both as a workshop, and as a shop, and as a dwelling. Until now, stone benches located on both sides of the door of the building, which are characteristic features of the early Middle Ages, have been preserved.

House number 19, which is the middle "brother", is the most luxurious building of these three. The entrance of the middle "brother" is decorated with the inscription "Soli deo gloria!". Unlike the oldest "brother", this house had a separate spacious hall with large windows, while the living quarters were located from the side of the courtyard.

The youngest "brother" was built in the second half of the 17th century. In this house on each floor there were small apartments. The facade of the building is decorated with a mask, which, according to the author's intention, was to protect the house from evil spirits.

My still Soviet stereotypes about the Baltics were fully confirmed. In the center everything is clean and well maintained, almost Europe. In 2011, this still amazed Muscovites. Now, of course, our center is in a more ennobled state. I did not get to Moskachka (the local district of the lumpen), so the stereotype successfully resisted until the end of the trip.

Main square of the Old Town - Dome Square. It was formed not so long ago - at the end of the 19th century, when a number of buildings were demolished on this site and a view of the cathedral was opened.

pretentious Latvian Radio building on Domskaya Square (on the right in the photo). Before the revolution, the building was occupied by the Riga Commercial Bank. The place for building was chosen by the customers not by chance. According to their plan, over time, Dome Square was to become the business center of Riga. In 1912, after a long auction, the bankers managed to acquire a plot of land on the square. The well-known Riga architect Paul Mandelstam immediately took up the construction. And a year later, the ensemble of the oldest district of the city adorned the new building.

The architecture of the former Bank shows the influence of the popular at the beginning of the 20th century. in modern Europe. The modest but expressive facade was designed to emphasize the solidity and reliability of the institution. Only on the pediment of the building did the architect use a bright element of decor - the coat of arms of Riga, on the sides of which he placed the sculptural composition "Golden Age". Happy parents and children holding the gifts of the fields were supposed to serve as symbols of wealth and prosperity.

Statue from the facade of the Riga Stock Exchange.

Another touch of the Europeanness of Riga is the presence of such lanterns, or rather the general attention and care for city details.

Pils (Castle) street departs from the square, at the end of which there is an elegant Church of Our Lady of Sorrows.

This Catholic church was rebuilt many times until it acquired a modern look - elegant eclectic decoration. The building has retained a three-aisled form; it also refers to church buildings of the hall type. It is rectangular in plan, an extension in the form of an apse with a number of sacristias located around it was made to the western facade. The belonging of the church to the hall type is determined by the scale of the middle nave, which exceeds the side ones, separated from it by massive columns, which are accentuated by symmetrically alternating semicircular arches.

The naves themselves are covered with cylindrical wooden vaults, which were plastered and painted in the same period. Where the altar part of the complex structure was previously located, an organ appeared. The church reaches a height of 35 meters (including the spire). The main entrance is located from the side of the Castle Square, it is “cut through” on the first floor of the main monumental gate tower, which acts as a dominant. The tower is three-story, the top floor is somewhat narrower than the others. At the very top there is a pyramidal spire, which makes the integrity of the building, making it visually higher. The so-called "side" pockets" were also added at this time, auxiliary rooms are located there, and from there a balcony staircase leads to the organ console.

It was necessary to go inside, but something did not work out, it seems that there was another wedding in the church. According to reviews, the interior of the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows is a bizarre mixture of all architectural styles that somehow left their mark on its internal appearance: we can talk about the presence of individual elements of classicism (in which the interior design was originally done), romance and gothic (also introduced into period of the first construction), as well as neo-Renaissance elements that appeared immediately after perestroika. The former ovens, lined with Dutch tiles, were converted into one solid oven; the old, worn-out tiles that covered the floor were also removed, and a new one was laid in its place. There was also a replacement of windows and doors - new ones were installed, made of oak wood. The pulpit, the gratings that covered and protected the stairs, the individual components of the altar part, were also made of oak. The organ of the church was repaired.

neogothic anglican Church of the Holy Redeemer. The building of the Anglican Church was intended for the community of British sailors, who began to strengthen in the capital of the Livonian province from the end of the 18th century due to the need to expand the trade relations of the kingdom. An interesting fact about the materials for construction. The sandstone and the characteristic “colorful” bright red brick, and even the earth for the foundation, were brought by the parishioners themselves from their native Great Britain, or rather, from all regions of the British kingdom. This broad gesture of patriotism was meant to emphasize that the church is located on British soil forever and ever.

This church is also famous among Rigans for the fact that in July 2005 it hosted the first gay service in the history of Latvia, which was held by pastor Maris Sants, who has always openly declared his non-traditional sexual orientation. In the same year, a gay parade began from the church building,

As "our everything" wrote: "Stand with a firm foot by the sea. Here along the new waves of them All flags will visit us, And we will drink in the open."

The facade of the church overlooks the Daugava embankment, where we soon got out. The embankment did not seem like a very party place. Apparently because of the constant penetrating wind even in the summer heat. Perhaps now the residents of Riga have already guessed that the banks of the river should be used, especially since there are quite picturesque views.

It is interesting how the life of St. Christopher was reworked in Riga. Once upon a time, in ancient times, when there was no Riga yet, a huge man - Big Kristaps- Carried people across the Daugava in the place where the city is now located. On the right bank of the Daugava, he built a house for himself. One night, Kristaps woke up because he heard a child crying on the left bank. He immediately followed the baby to carry him across the river. In the middle of the river, the child became so heavy that the giant hardly carried him to the right bank and put him to sleep next to him.

In the morning, when he woke up, where the child lay, there was a large chest with money. Kristaps kept this money until his death, and when he died, they went to build the city. The first houses in Riga were built where the house of Big Kristaps once stood. Now on the embankment there is a glass booth with a statue of a huge man with a small child on his shoulder.

View from the embankment to the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows and Riga Castle. The first builders and owners of the castle were the knights of the Livonian Order. The construction of the castle began in the 14th century. The inhabitants of Riga did not really like such a neighborhood, so from time to time they smashed the castle brick by brick. But then the residents of Riga, guilty of destroying the old castle, had to build a new order castle themselves. Since such skirmishes occurred repeatedly, the master of the Livonian Order transferred his throne to another city out of harm's way.

After the defeat of the Livonian Order by the Russians, the Riga Castle began to change owners. Starting from the second half of the 16th century, Polish, Swedish and finally Russian (1710-1917) rulers were the owners of the castle.

The device of the Riga Castle is quite simple, which, first of all, is explained by the military significance of the building, in addition, the residence of the leaders of the Livonian Order was erected by the inhabitants of Riga forcibly, which also left its mark on the device of the Riga Castle. Initially, the castle was built as a closed quadrangular block with a courtyard. Towers were erected at the corners of the fortress, the main of these towers are two, located diagonally - this is the tower of the Holy Spirit and the Lead tower. The first floor of the castle played a defensive function, in addition, service and utility rooms were located here. On the second floor were the main living quarters, here were the rooms of the master of the order, the bedrooms of the knights, as well as the dining room, the church and the assembly hall. The third armory floor was a shooting range. There were no partitions or ceilings on the top floor.

Such are the picturesque gates of the castle. It's funny that during the trip I was not at all surprised by the ricketiness of Riga, even in the very center. The castle (the residence of the President of Latvia for a moment) was simply in a terrible and shameful state. Only seven years after the trip, I look back at the photo and see that at that time there was a fair amount of devastation in Riga. Still, it's good that we took up Moscow and put it in order, against its prosperous background, such Riga landscapes look wildly. But I hope that Riga has also been patched up during this time.

Now the castle is the residence of the President of Latvia. The form of the Latvians is rather unusual. But the eye still clings to cracks on the facade, vintage still clearly Soviet frames on the windows, etc.

Opposite the castle is a modest monument to the children of Latvia deported to Siberia. During the period 1941-49, the communists deported from Latvia something on the order of 10 thousand people under the age of 16 (and a total of 50 thousand people during this period). It must be understood that the deportation was not separate children, but as part of families. Well, the second point is that they were expelled not on a national basis, but on a class basis (rich people, bourgeois, merchants, kulaks, etc.) signs. So besides the Latvians, there were many deported Russians and Jews. On the monument it is written correctly "to the children of Latvia".

Exhibition of stone heads on Tornu street. Some Soviet artifacts?

We sat on Domskaya Square and drank beer. Prices are almost Moscow, i.e. about 200 rubles. (2011 haha!) for a mug of draft.

Cool graffiti on the Dome Square. I tried to unearth what is depicted on it. The first thought was something patriotic, like the first Latvian who flew into the sky! But everything turned out to be more banal. Graffiti is an advertisement for Siemens. True, over time, the Latvians bashfully covered up the huge logo of the company. The inscription on the graffiti is a quote from the company's founder Werner von Siemens "Whoever says that it is impossible to do it should never interfere with the one who does it."

It is characteristic that once Riga was famous for its aircraft engineers. A native of Riga, Tsander is known to every cosmonautics fan. But all this is from the "bad" period of Latvian history, so let it be on the central Siemens square, yeah, yeah.

A colorful street with a funny name Sarainaya (Shkyunyu). skarnyu. It was first mentioned in 1408 as a street where stalls owned by meat merchants were located. The name is mentioned in the Latin tradition: platea macellorum. The former name of the street in Russian is Reznitskaya.

In medieval Riga, Skarnu Street was the central street of a German trading and feudal settlement between the banks of the Riga and Daugava rivers in the early 13th century. It housed the city market, the first in the history of Riga. Butcher shops and warehouses were located in rows in the central part of modern Skarnu Street. For the first time warehouses for storing meat are mentioned in historical documents of 1295. It is known that they existed until the 30s of the XX century, when, in the process of implementing a new plan for the reconstruction of the Old City, they were demolished.

Because of the tourists swirling around Skarnu Street, here is the epicenter of the trade in souvenirs, in particular handicrafts from amber.

On Skarnu Street near the Cathedral of St. Petra is polished Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians. It is interesting that exactly the same stands in Bremen itself.

Entrance to Courtyard of the Convention.

Since the 13th century, a castle of the Order of the Swordbearers has stood near this place. The houses and yards adjacent to it were named the convention courtyard after the name of the building type. The citizens of Riga, trying to free themselves from the power of the Order at the end of the 13th century, destroyed the castle and the buildings adjacent to it. But in 1330, the city was defeated and had to build a new castle on the banks of the Daugava (which I showed above, now the Riga Castle), and the hospital courtyard of the old castle became known as the Convent of the Holy Spirit. Now the Courtyard of the Convention is an independent world in the center of the Old Town, including a hotel, a porcelain museum, antique shops and numerous cafes. Only two entrances lead to the courtyard of the Convention, which are locked at night.

The courtyard is essentially a mini city inside Old Riga. There are whole streets, cafes and even old barns with a winch for lifting loads.

Streets of the Courtyard of the Convention.

The gigantic spire of St. Peter. About him will be in the second part of the walk.

Even a piece of the wall has been preserved.

All shops and shops are nice and tastefully decorated.

With the help of such a winch, loads were lifted to the upper floors. As a rule, houses in medieval cities served several functions, on the ground floor there was a shop, above a warehouse of goods and a residential part.

From the Convention we go out onto Kalea street. Once upon a time, the Riga River flowed here, but then it suffered the fate of our Neglinnaya. On this street there is a striking example of the Riga Art Nouveau by the architect Mandelstam (1903).

Even municipal parking lots, some with the spirit of antiquity. Perhaps, here I will finish my first walk in Old Riga. There will be a few more pictures to complete the story. Let's move on to the next attractions.

The capital and largest city of Latvia, Riga (Riga) stretches along both banks of the Daugava (Western Dvina) near its confluence with the Gulf of Riga.

The city was founded in 1201 by German knights, who built a fortress at the confluence of the Daugava, Gauja and the river Riege (Riege, now it is covered) that once flowed here, which later became the stronghold of the Livonian Order. It is interesting that the very fact of foundation is explained not by some particularly favorable conditions of this place, but by a special papal bull that established the mouth of Riga as the main trading point of Zemgale, and then of Livonia. A similar bull, which gave indulgences to all settlers from German lands, led to an explosive flow of colonists, and literally in a century the city grew many times over. In 1252, the residence of the bishop moved here, in 1282 the city entered the Hanseatic League, and since then Riga has become one of the largest trading ports in the Baltic. After a long series of military conflicts between the order, the episcopate and surrounding states, in 1621 the city became part of Sweden and is considered its most important stronghold in the east, but after the Great Northern War in 1721 it became part of the Russian Empire. Such a long and rich history has turned Riga into one of the richest historical and cultural centers in the Baltics, a real architectural monument in the open air, a center of folk music and a venue for hundreds of fairs and festivals. The city is rightfully included in the list of the most beautiful capitals of Europe, in 1997 its historical center was included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, and in 2014 Riga bears the status of the cultural capital of the continent.

Attractions

The main attraction of Riga is considered to be a small area surrounded by the boulevard ring and the Pilsetas kanals canal Old Riga(Vecriga, "Old Riga"), lying on the right bank of the Daugava below the island of Zakusala. It was here that the formation of the city as a major commercial and political center of the region began, so the largest concentration of old buildings is observed around the picturesque Town Hall Square(Ratslaukums). The main reference point here is, as you might guess, town hall(Rigas ratsnams), built according to the project of the engineer-lieutenant colonel of the Russian army Ivan Fridrikhovich Ettinger in 1765, destroyed, like the entire ensemble of the square, by the advancing Nazis in 1941 and rebuilt in a slightly modified form only in 1991. Currently, the Riga City Council, the City Hall and part of the city services are located here.

Most of the most interesting city monuments are concentrated around: in the southern part - (Melngalvju nams, XIV century, also restored in 1999, now there is a museum and an office of the city tourist center), opposite - a statue of the city's patron Saint Roland, (XVII century) with Museum of Riga life of the XVII-XVIII centuries, magnificent (Rigas Doms, XIV-XV centuries) with one of the largest organs in the world (1884). And three blocks south is St. Peter's Church(Sv. Petera baznica, XII-XIII centuries) with a characteristic bell tower 123 meters high. An almost mystical story is connected with the latter - it was repeatedly rebuilt and was the highest wooden spire in Europe (more than 120 m), in 1721 it burned down from a lightning strike - and none other than the Russian Emperor Peter I helped to extinguish the fire. In 1741, according to his By the same decree, the spire was completely restored - along with the cockerel-weather vane characteristic of this trading city on the top, but on June 29, 1941 - and this is St. So the cathedral got its name for a reason. Well, today the exhibition hall, observation platforms of the temple and its interior decoration attract thousands of tourists. A funny one is installed next to the cathedral - a gift from Bremen, the sister city of Riga.

A block to the east is St. John's Church(Rigas Sveta Jana Evangeliski luteriska baznica), built on the foundation of an older temple at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. The complex is famous for its beautiful stained-glass windows and the baroque altar inside, as well as the most beautiful profiled pediment and sculptural compositions of John the Baptist in the dungeon and Salome on the facade. A little to the north you can find the former courtyard of the old sword-bearers castle, now completely destroyed - Convention courtyard(Konventa seta, XIII century) with the hotel of the same name, numerous antique and souvenir shops, cafes and Porcelain Museum.

To the west, almost on the banks of the Daugava, a complex rises Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation(Rigas vestures un kugniecibas muzejs) with the palace of Peter I behind it (Palasta iela, 9), and to the north - the Romanesque-Gothic cathedral Cathedral of Saint James(Sveta Jekaba Romas katolu katedrale, 1226-1756), the oldest residential complex of the city - an ensemble of buildings "" (Tris brali, XV-XVII centuries) with a house located in one of them Museum of Architecture of Latvia(Maza pils, 19), famous Riga castle(Rigas pils, 1330), which now houses the residence of the President of Latvia, as well as collections of museums of foreign art, history of Latvia, literature, theater and music. South, near stone bridge(Akmens tilts), the complex of the Riga Technical University is located, and to the north, behind the Cathedral of St.

If you turn left from Maza pils, then your eyes will see a small Church of Our Lady of Sorrows(1764) - the first Catholic church in the city, built already under Russian rule. And at the beginning of the narrow street Anghkanu, going to the Daugava embankment south of the Riga Castle complex, there is an Anglican Church of the Holy Savior(The Factory Church of St. Savior), built in 1857-1859 by architect I. D. Felsko on the site of the former Pavlovsky fortress bastion.

The well-known historical monuments of the center also include the building Riga stock exchange(1852) with a good museum of art inside, buildings famous for their rich interiors Malaya(Maza Gilde) and Big Guild(Liela Gilde, both - XIX century) with luxurious painting, colorful "" (Kaku nams, 1909) with characteristic figures of two cats on the spiers of the towers and nearby Museum of Nature, the only surviving bastion of the old city wall - ("Powder Tower", XIII century) - is now located here Military Museum(Kara muzejs), as well as the only surviving medieval gates of the city - ("Swedish Gate", 1689). After a series of reconstructions, the architectural complex adjacent to the gates hosted the Union of Latvian Architects, a library and an art studio. And the northeastern bypass forms the longest building in the Old City - Yakovlevsky barracks(Jekaba kazarmas), built by decree of Peter I at the end of the 18th century in the style of Dutch classicism. After a large-scale reconstruction at the end of the 20th century, the American Chamber of Commerce, representative offices of Latvian cities, as well as many commercial and cultural institutions were located here.

It is also worth visiting the complex located within Old Riga Latvian National Opera(Latvijas Nacionala opera, 1860-1863) on the banks of Pilsetas kanals, colorful Yanov yard(Janu seta) with a fragment of the old fortress wall, the narrowest street of the Old Town - Rosen(Rozena iela, southeast of the Dome Cathedral) with ancient wine warehouses (now the "medieval" restaurant Rozengrals is located here), a picturesque park on Bastion Hill(Bastejkalns, one of the 14 towers of the fortress gates of the city once stood here, hence the name), The executioner's house next to swedish gate, a wonderful example of Riga baroque - Dannenstern's house(Dannensterna nams, 1694-1696) on the street Marstalu street in the southern part of the historical center, a symbol of the city's connection with the river and navigation - a wooden sculpture of a man with a child on his shoulder and a pole in his hand (he is called Big Kristaps, or Big Christopher) in a small pavilion on the embankment, Church of St. George(Sv. Jura Baznica, 1204 - the oldest building in the city) - now located here Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, as well as a number of medieval buildings on Troksnu Street, which runs parallel to the Yakovlevsky barracks.

The unique complex can also be conditionally attributed to the historical center. Riga Central Market(Rigas Centraltirgus, 1924-1930), lying in the so-called Moscow suburb (Maskavas forstate) a little to the south, behind the Pilsetas kanals canal and railway tracks. This is one of the oldest and largest shopping malls in the Northern Hemisphere, which also has a rather unusual design and history. It was built using five hangars for balloons left over from the Kaiser's "Iron Division", deployed during the First World War in the town of Vainode in the southwest of the country. Unusual architecture and scale (total area 5.7 hectares, indoor market - 1.6 hectares!) of the complex still have nothing similar in Europe, and therefore attracts thousands of tourists, which is greatly facilitated by the abundance of trading organizations and good infrastructure. A little to the south is the house of the Academy of Sciences of Latvia (1952-1958), whose characteristic appearance, copying the architecture of "Stalin's skyscrapers", stands out quite sharply from the surrounding urban landscape.

Between the old and the new city rises built on public donations freedom monument(Brivibas Piemineklis 1931-1935) with a nine-meter female statue on a 19-meter pedestal (the tallest structure of its kind in Europe) and bas-reliefs on the sides. A little to the north-east, in a small picturesque square, rise the Orthodox (Rigas Kristus Piedzimsanas pareizticigo katedrale, 1884) in the neo-Byzantine style and the complex Latvian National Library(Gaismas pils, "Castle of Light", 2008-2013), which has a reputation as the most expensive and unusual building of its kind in the world. And a little to the south-west you can find a favorite place for rendezvous of the townspeople - the original pole clock "Layma"(Laimas pulkstenis, 1924), which are considered the most accurate in the city, as well as columnar kiosk in neoclassical style (1924).

To the north, colorful quarters begin, built up already in the 19th-20th centuries. First of all, it is worth seeing a real gem of Art Nouveau here - numerous houses on Elizabetes iela and Alberta iela streets with sculptures and bas-reliefs decorating them, the building National Opera(Latvijas Nacionala opera, 1860-1863) on Aspazijas bulvaris, the picturesque street Kalku iela, crossing the eastern part of the Old Town to the canal itself, as well as a complex of small parks and promenades, broken on the site of the fortress walls, stretching along the entire coast of Pilsetas kanals.

And on the opposite bank of the Daugava, the main reference point will be Riga TV tower(Rigas radio un televizijas tornis, 1979-1986) is the tallest building in the Baltics (368.5 m), the third tallest in Europe and 44th in the world.

Museums in Riga

The city has many interesting museums, among which the most popular are Military Museum(Latvijas Kara muzejs) in the building of the Powder Tower, Architectural Museum in the "Three Brothers" building, Museum of Foreign Art(Arzemju makslas muzejs), Latvian National Museum of Art(Latvijas Nacionalais makslas muzejs, www.lnmm.lv), (Riga Art Nouveau Museum) in the former apartment of the famous artist and engineer Konstantin Pekšens, History Museum of Latvia plus Museum of Literature, Theater and Music in the Riga Castle, one of the oldest collections of its kind in Europe - Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation(Rigas vestures un kugniecibas muzejs, founded in the 18th century), rather controversial Occupation Museum(Latvijas Okupacijas Muzeja, it is interesting that it is located in the former building of the American Embassy), a private collection of an unusual Sun Museum(Saules muzejs) in the southeastern part of the Old Town, Museum of Culture "Dauderi", Museum of Nature And Sports Museum.

Also noteworthy is the only one in the Baltic countries Porcelain Museum, photography museum, State Art Gallery of Latvia, Theater Museum, synagogue and Latvian Jewish Museum(Muzejs Ebreji Latvija) in the suburb of Maskavas (a ghetto was located here during the Nazi occupation), Riga Automobile Museum(Rigas Motormuzejs, " Motor Museum", more than two hundred different vehicles, 17 thousand related exhibits and a unique library), Railway Museum, The Wax Museum And Riga Film Museum.

On the opposite bank, next to the TV tower, the well-deserved attention is Riga Aviation Museum named after Zander(Rigas aviacijas tehnikas muzejs, ru.airmuseum.lv, 1997) - one of the largest in Europe. It is known for the largest collection of Soviet aircraft outside the CIS (more than 40 aircraft), as well as an extensive collection of related equipment, cockpits and weapons.

And you should definitely visit one of the largest complexes of this kind in Europe - an open Latvian Ethnographic Museum(Latvijas Etnografiskais Brivdabas Muzejs, 1924-1932, an area of ​​90 hectares!) on the shores of Lake Juglas (Juglas ezers) with a collection of buildings from all over the country - from wooden churches to windmills of the 16th-19th centuries.

Theaters and concert halls

Fans of theatrical art will also find a lot of interesting things for themselves - there are Latvian National Opera(Latvijas Nacionala Opera, founded in 1918, www.opera.lv), Latvian National Theater(Nacionalais Teatris, founded in 1919, one of the largest in the country), Russian Drama Theater(Krievu Dramas Teatris) - the oldest professional group in Latvia (opened in 1883), Dale Theater(www.dailesteatris.lv, 1920, mainly productions of contemporary plays by foreign authors), Latvian State Puppet Theater(founded in 1944), New Riga Theater(Jaunais Rigas Teatris, 1992, mostly by contemporary artists) and so on.

Located in the heart of the Old City Hall of the Great Guild(Liela Gilde; Amatu, 6) you can regularly see performances of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, and in Dome Cathedral And house of the Blackheads listen to regular performances by classical musicians from all over the world. Also, the capital is the main stage of the famous Riga Opera and Ballet Theater - once the third most famous in the USSR (now it is part of the National Opera troupe).

Gardens and parks

The abundance of parks and green areas is very "refreshing" the urban landscape of the capital of Latvia. The oldest is considered Vermanes Park(Big Vermansky, Vermanes darzs), founded in 1813 on the site of a swampy area of ​​​​the floodplain. Now on its vast (5 hectares) territory, which lies just to the east of the University of Latvia complex, you can see several interesting monuments and stelae, the already famous stage, which hosts many musical performances and ... chess battles, as well as a perfectly organized landscape area, in within which about 80 tree species grow.

Lying north of the Old City viestura garden(Viesturdarzs, 7.6 hectares) is the first public complex of this kind in Riga, founded in 1721 by Peter I under the name of the First Tsar's Park (Petrovsky Park). Now here, in addition to a beautiful green area (15 local species of trees and 57 imported), you can see those installed in honor of Russia's victory over Napoleon Alexander Gate(1815-1817), Song Festival Memorial Ensemble and a memorial sign in place of the elm planted by Peter.

A little to the south along the banks of the Riga City Canal (Rigas kanals, Pilsetas kanals) Kronvalda park(Kronvalda parks, 13 hectares), the author of the project is the famous German master of landscape art Georg Friedrich Kufaldt. Founded in 1883 as a private territory of the German Rifle Society, now it serves as a place for mass festivities, where among beautiful flower beds and groves (about 130 plant species) you can also find decorative lighthouse, fountain at Congress houses, pavilion of Kergalvis, as well as many sculptural compositions. And to the south, a whole series of green spaces begins, marking the contour of the fortress wall that once ran here. It stretches for almost 3 km through the square of the Freedom Monument, past the Riga market to the Daugava itself and is most often simply called Kanalmalas apstadijumi (approximate translation - "Planting at the city canal" or simply "Green along the canal").

Tiny Koyusalas park(Kojusalas) is sandwiched between Kojusalas iela, Gredu iela and Fridrika iela streets in the very south of the former Moscow suburb. Founded in the first half of the 18th century, for a long time it was a favorite vacation spot for citizens, then it changed its appearance several times and is now known for its old linden alleys and decorative hedges made of cotoneaster and alpine currant. And literally a couple of blocks to the north begins a slightly larger Moscow park(Maskavas darzs, 6.2 ha), founded in 1937 - now there is a children's playground, a sports arena and a pleasant green area. The park is also popular. Esplanade(8.7 ha) with monuments to Barclay de Tolly and Oskars Kalpaks (the first commander of the national units of the Latvian Armed Forces), Victory Park(36.7 ha) with the monument of the same name and park Dzeguzhkalns(Dzeguzkalns, 6.4 ha), crowning the ancient dune of the same name on the left bank of the Daugava, is in fact the highest point in the city (28 meters above sea level).

Things to Do in Riga

In the northeast of the city, on the coast lakes Kisezers, located Riga Zoo(Rigas zoodarzs, rigazoo.lv), opened in 1912. Here, on an area of ​​​​about 0.2 square meters. km (plus branch Ciruli on the 154th kilometer of the Riga-Liepaja highway with an area of ​​137 hectares) there are almost 500 species of animals and birds, there are special pavilions for birds, insects, enclosures for tigers, giraffes, polar inhabitants, takins and pandas, a special complex for seals and water birds, as well as the House of the Tropics (about 80 species of amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates and nocturnal mammals). You can get here from the center of Riga in just 20 minutes by trams No. 11 and 9, as well as bus No. 49. And practically in the center of the city there is a small indoor water park. Aqualande(www.akvalande.lv) with two large slides, several saunas, swimming pools, jacuzzis, playgrounds and cafes.

Every year, the city hosts many interesting cultural events, including the famous Riga Opera Festival(www.opera.lv/en/festival), Riga Salsa Festival(www.rigasalsafestival.com), Autumn days of chamber music(www.kamermuzika.lv), international music festival Porta(www.festivalporta.lv), classical music festival winterfest(www.hbf.lv), international film festival " Arsenal" (September), International Organ Music Festival in the Dome Cathedral (July) and others.

There are many modern sports facilities in and around the city, among which the multifunctional complex " Arena Riga"(Arena Riga, 2006), and in May-June, the capital traditionally hosts participants in the annual Riga Marathon.

Night life

In recent years, Riga has acquired a rather dubious reputation as one of the "drinking centers of Europe." The old town offers an innumerable number of nightclubs, bars and restaurants, usually filled seven days (or rather nights) a week. Prices vary quite widely depending on the location of the establishment and the policy of the owner, so when planning a trip, it is best to study all the nuances through the city tourist office or the Internet. However, excellent Latvian cuisine, incorporating many elements from the most diverse cultures of the region, allows you to spend an evening without much emphasis on alcohol.

Shopping in Riga

Riga is not the cheapest of the capitals of the Baltic countries, especially for imported goods. However, most handicrafts, souvenirs, clothes and shoes of local craftsmen, as well as culinary products will surely find their buyers.

The main shopping area of ​​the capital is located within the Old Town and around it - most of the boutiques and supermarket chains are concentrated here. The most popular in this regard is Audeju street with many shops of various directions, the oldest shopping center in Riga is also located here - Galerija Centers(Audeju iela, 15/16). Grocery supermarkets Rimi, Prisma or Maxima there is in almost every major department store (it is typical that they usually open an hour earlier on average and close an hour later than the mall itself). Also popular Spice And spice home(Lielirbes, 29) on the way to Jurmala, Domina(Ieriku iela, 3), Mols(Krasta iela, 46) next to the entertainment complex "Lido", as well as small shopping centers Olimpia(Azenes, 5), Riga Plaza on the left bank of the Daugava (Mukusalas iela, 71) and Galerija Azur(Rencenu iela, 1) in the southern part of the city. And the largest shopping complex of the capital - Alpha- located outside the Old Town, next to the "Motor Museum" (Brivibas gatve, 372).

Fans of antiques and handicrafts can be advised specialized stores like Antiqua(Kr Valdemara, 20), Tango(Dzirnavu, 66) or Volmar(Brivibas, 39). The best place to buy amber products is Valnu iela, where many specialized shops selling "sun stone" are concentrated.

Another exceptionally local souvenir - the famous Riga Black Balsam (Rigas Melnais balzams) created in the middle of the 18th century by pharmacist Abraham Kunze from 24 herbs and oils, is sold in almost all licensed stores. However, when buying it, you should be wary of fakes - a characteristic ceramic bottle is not yet a complete proof of its authenticity (you should ask for a certificate).

The main market of the city - Central(Negu iela, 7), open daily from 7:00 to 18:00 (its different sections may have slightly different opening hours). Located in old hangars to the south of the city center, it is still far from the gloss of European establishments familiar to many, but there is an opportunity to bargain, and the choice of goods is very large. There is also a modern shopping center here. Origo with inexpensive clothing, footwear, perfumery, cosmetics and electronics stores, as well as several restaurants and cafes, a grocery supermarket, a bookstore (there are publications in Russian). Nearby - halfway to the bus station - there is also a shopping center of the Finnish network Stockmann.

Most retail outlets are open from 9:00 to 17:00 without a break for lunch, on weekends - a little shorter, most supermarkets are open until 22:00.

Tourist Information

The main city tourist office LIVE Riga (www.liveriga.com) is located at Ratslaukums 6. It is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, telephone 67-181-091. Here you can get comprehensive information about the capital and its environs, open exhibitions and festive events, restaurants and transport schedules.

A great help when visiting the city will be a special Riga Card(www.rigacard.lv), which provides guests with the opportunity to freely use the bus, trolleybus and tram system, a free train ride to Vecaki (Vecaki, a northeastern suburb on the Baltic Sea) and Jurmala, free or discounted admission to most museums, as well as discounts in a number of shops, cafes, restaurants and car rentals. The card is issued in three versions - for 24, 48 and 72 hours. In addition to the tourist office, it can be purchased at the airport, in some hotels and stalls with a green RC logo.

Surroundings of Riga

Just 22 km west of Riga lies the first-class seaside resort (Jurmala), which is the largest in the country. Here, in addition to a three-kilometer beach made of the purest quartz sand, numerous health resorts and rest houses, you can see residence of the President of the Republic of Latvia, dacha-museum of the couple Jan and Aspazija Rainis, Brezhnev's dacha(now a museum here), the famous concert hall " Dzintari", Babite lake and of course the suburbs Ķemeri(Kemeri), which forms the western part of the town. This climatic and balneo-mud resort was founded in 1838 around mineral water springs (there are about 30 of them, each with its own unique physical and chemical composition) on the territory estates of the forester A. Kemer from where it got its name. Now peat mud from the nearby Sloka lakes(it is itself known as a great place for bird watching) and sapropelic mud from Lake Kaniera(7 km northwest), which only expands the possibilities of the resort area (however, many sanatoriums are in a rather deplorable state). But opened in 1997 Ķemeri National Park provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the ancient ecosystem of coastal dunes, forests and raised peat bogs, which are a haven for thousands and thousands of birds and aquatic animals. It is characteristic that there are many well-groomed walking and cycling paths, there are boat rental stations on the lakes of Kaniera and Valguma, and if you have a license in the lakes, you can go fishing perfectly.

There is a small town 28 km southeast of the center of Riga Baldone(Baldone), known as a first-class balneological resort since the 15th century. Its low-hydrogen sulfide mineral water and peat mud help with a whole range of diseases, and the picturesque park allows you to relax between treatments.

A small town lying on the Memel River Bauska(Bauska, www.bauska.lv, 65 km south of Riga) is one of the oldest in the country - it was founded by the Teutonic Knights in 1443 as a stronghold on the southern border of the order. Nowadays, its main decoration is Bauska Castle(1443-1451, now there are several museum expositions), Museum of Local History and Art, as well as Russian Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit(XVI century).

And just 10 km west of Bauska, near the village of Pilsrundale (Pilsrundale, on Russian maps - Mazrundale), is one of the most famous monuments of Latvia - Mezotne Palace, or rundale(Ruental), - the country residence of the Dukes of Courland, built according to the project of F. B. Rastrelli for E. I. Biron in 1736-1768. In addition to the complex itself, which is a vivid example of the Baroque style and replete with ceremonial halls and galleries, here you can see a French garden surrounded on all sides by a canal (an area of ​​10 hectares) and a hunting park (34 hectares). Now the actively restored complex has the status of a museum and is used to receive official foreign delegations.

18 km southeast of Riga is one of the oldest settlements in the country - the town Salaspils(Salaspils, www.salaspils.lv) - location of the infamous concentration camp of the same name. Between 1941 and 1944, more than 100,000 people were tortured here, including 55,000 Riga Jews and 47,000 Soviet prisoners of war. Today, the camp is preserved as a reminder of those terrible days and serves as a museum, on the territory of which a memorial complex in memory of the victims of fascism was opened (1967). You can get to it by commuter trains, intercity buses or by car. The complex is open around the clock, admission is free.