Tourist routes of Riga. Coat of arms on the water tower. The main entrance to the courtyard of the convention is located directly opposite the monument to the Bremen Town Musicians

Today we are waiting for a fascinating and informative tour of the capital of Latvia. As part of a one-day trip, we will try to get acquainted with all its sights and look into the darkest corners of the history of this city. We will tell you what you can see in Riga in one day.

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Fountain of the Nymph

This architectural delight is located at the entrance to the famous Opera and Ballet Theatre. It was created in 1887 by the brilliant master of his time A. Foltz.

The history of the creation of the fountain is no less unique than the end product itself. According to legend, the author of the fountain, in the process of creating the figure of a naked girl, fell in love with his model. Suddenly, his feelings haunted him, and the completion of the construction was constantly delayed. As a result, the beloved nevertheless reciprocated and agreed to become the wife of a brilliant architect, and the fountain, to the great joy of the inhabitants of Riga, was completed. Today it is a statue of a naked girl with a shell in her hands, from which a jet of water escapes. Next to the nymph are figures of children, a turtle and a dolphin. Each element of this sculpture is created in great detail. Therefore, this attraction is highly recommended to be included in the excursion program.

Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians

All of us in childhood watched with interest the adventures of the Bremen town musicians and sincerely cheered for them, sitting in front of the TV screens. It seems that in Riga there is a special attitude towards the heroes of this fairy tale, because a real monument has been erected to them on one of the streets. On the pedestal, one on top of the other, there are four recognizable characters - a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster. Do not be surprised that the author of the monument was a German sculptor from Bremen. After all, this city is considered twinned with Riga. By the way, according to the sculptor's idea, the monument bears a deep historical and philosophical thought and is dedicated to the end of the Cold War between East and West. Of course, modern residents of Riga and guests of the city do not think about such “high matters”. They prefer to believe that if you rub the nose of a donkey or the beak of a rooster, the most secret desires will surely come true.

House of the Blackheads

This historical building was restored after the military devastation only in the 90s and became a kind of gift to the city for the 800th anniversary. Today, this house attracts tourists not only with its unique appearance, but also with its luxurious interior. It hosts exhibitions and private events for high-ranking guests. According to historical information, the house was created in the 14th century and belonged to the famous merchant guild of the Blackheads. By the way, the name is not at all connected with the surname of the merchants. The coat of arms of the house depicted St. Mauritius with a black head. Unfortunately, it is not possible to verify the conformity of the current appearance of the building with the historical prototype.

Occupation Museum

In 1993, the Museum of the Occupation opened its doors, which from its very creation to the present time stands out for its political and financial independence. Its collection is replenished exclusively at the expense of sponsors. The main idea of ​​the exposition is to convey to modern society the life of Latvians who suffered from the terror of the Nazis during the war years, and were also persecuted by representatives of the Soviet regime. For the convenience of visitors, the collection is divided into several sections, each of which is dedicated to a separate historical period of the country. Many Russians have a controversial attitude towards the gallery, because its creators actually equated Stalin with Hitler.

The Dome Cathedral

One of the most significant sights throughout Latvia is the Dome Cathedral, the construction of which continued for 5 centuries, starting from the 13th century. It's no surprise that a project that spanned generations of architects has such a mixed style. It is here that the unique organ from the German manufacturer E.F. Walker & Co, which reaches a height of 25 meters! A decorative carving acts as an ornament of a musical instrument, and when a tearing sound escapes from its seven thousandth army of pipes, the heart begins to pound furiously in the chest. Even today, this instrument is considered the largest in the territory of the former USSR. And in 1883, when it was installed, there were no analogues in the whole world.

Art Museum

The gallery called "Riga Stock Exchange" includes a huge collection of the best examples of European, Oriental and Ancient Egyptian art. The oldest exhibit dates back to the fifth century BC. A huge collection of works and contemporary artists is presented. The gallery with works by Northern European authors is especially popular among connoisseurs of art. Near the Western Gallery there is the Silver Cabinet, where you can enjoy an impressive collection of products made from this noble metal, which came to Riga not only from Europe, but also from the Asian region.

government castle

This ancient complex deserves to take its rightful place in the excursion program. Tourists will be amazed by its unique appearance and rich history that dates back several centuries. At one time, it was in his offices that the historic decisions of numerous "occupation" governments of the country were made. Since each new owners of the castle adapted it to their needs, we can contemplate a rather interesting interpretation of its exterior and interior decoration. Today this building is the residence of the head of the Latvian state. But there was a place for several museum galleries.

Bar Black Magic

We advise you to finish the day program at the Black Magic bar on Kalku Street. It was here that the legendary Riga Balsam was invented, the author of which is considered to be the alchemist A.Kunze. By the way, this drink owes its popularity to Empress Catherine II, who not only appreciated its refined taste, but also made it possible to establish a full-fledged production of herbal tinctures. Even today, the bar has a safe that holds the 24 herbs needed to create the drink. And for 20 euros, each visitor can see how it is actually created. The interior of the bar is also attractive – ancient lamps sway under the stone vaults, and the furniture is made exclusively of wood.

Hotel Garden Palace

Located in the historical center of Riga

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Of course, Riga did not start from the Town Hall Square and we were not the first to admire its architectural ensemble. Therefore, I will limit myself to a couple of pictures.

Pay attention to this building

which does not flaunt its modernity, does not shout about it, but tactfully complements the ensemble of the Town Hall Square.Between this building and the house of the Blackheads is another building - the Blue Guard Warehouse.

Since the middle of the 13th century, the city has maintained various kinds of armed detachments, which from the 14th century received the name of the guard. The Blue Guard was founded in the 1st quarter of the 18th century by clerks of Riga merchants and named after the color of their uniforms. The Blue Guard had a glorious military history, participating in all significant military campaigns. The Blue Guard existed until the end of the 19th century, but its Warehouse still occupies a worthy place even with such masters of Riga as the house of the Blackheads. Here is another picture of this house, which at one time housed the Riga Fire Society.

The public building acquired such a modern look in 1999.
From the Town Hall Square departs Tirgonu street - merchants - adjoins the Town Hall, commercial square. Merchants settled on it, there were merchant shops.

On the corner of Maza Coin and Maza Jaunielu is the Flower House. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a pharmacy in it, probably a homeopathic one, judging by the coloring.

The former pharmacy is located on the corner of an ordinary street, which are a dime a dozen in old European cities.

And not about Maza Coin (Malaya Monetnaya) V. Klopotovsky, a journalist, wrote - LIKE A SLOT IN A PIGGAGE AN ALLEY, A CURVE AND NARROW-OLD! ...
And this street was listed in my Riga program under No. 1 - Jauniela.

She is also Flower, she is Baker Street, the heroine of Soviet cinema.

Almost everything was filmed abroad then in Riga. Tallinn, too, though got the role. There was a pet shop in this house where Professor Pleischner used to go.

The one that is one-story, covered with snow.
And he jumped out of the window of this house.

Although the house is not only remarkable for this, it is another example of a combination of eclecticism with modernity.

The decoration of the portal is charming - a mascaron against the backdrop of the sun. The whole building is completely asymmetrical, although somewhat ponderous, especially against the backdrop of the surrounding buildings.

As in the rest of the city, Jaunielu-Flower-Baker Street has an endless stream of visitors. Despite the winter, non-tourist time

Riga guides work hard. They have something to tell and show. For example, this house where Peter I stayed.

Or this building. Charming! Didn't the chimney sweep sit down on the ridge of the roof to rest?

Of course, it would be wrong to stick Moscow names on foreign streets, but Kalku Street reminded me of the Arbat. Pedestrian. Noisy. Ludna. Beautiful.

Kalea-Kuznechnaya departs from it - fire hazardous forges were moved here in the 17th century. In fact, Kaleju is the Ridzene embankment

And repeats the path of its flow through Old Riga. Unfortunately, the river is no more, its channel has long been covered up.

The building of the Russian theater was built for the Third Riga Mutual Credit Society. A close look at the previous picture will notice the corner of this building with the inscription in the medallion. On this street, this is the most outstanding building. Strongly rebuilt in Soviet times, it blocked the neighboring Kaleya-Kuznechnaya street. That glass gallery connecting the two buildings and hanging over Kaleyu Street is just the rest of the extension.

The recent alteration freed up the street and gave the theater such a respectable look.

A horseshoe is attached to the window of the 2nd floor. She was lost on a gallop either by the horse of Peter I, or

Charles XII. It is interesting that the Latvian guide about Petreni is a dream, not in spirit, there is a legend about Karl. Here Ilya Dimenshtein in the book “Russian Riga” (a wonderful publication, easy, pleasant and interesting to read) says that this horse of the Russian emperor lost a horseshoe and is indignant that modern guides have shifted the focus to the Swedish Charles. They probably owe Karl more than Peter! Here is the horseshoe itself (I confess, the picture is not ah.)

Perpendicular to Kalku departs Meistar (Masters) - this is the continuation of Kalei, once it was the embankment of the Ridzene River

Medieval buildings have been preserved on it. Probably, the cow brought a considerable income to the owners if they erected her sculpture over the entrance.

It is impossible to pass by the building of the Small Guild! The Union of Riga Artisans erected such a palace. Now within the walls of the Small Guild there is a museum and at the gate there is a tout, dressed in the costume of a medieval artisan.

The building acquired a modern facade at the end of the 19th century. designed by I.D. Felsko in the style of eclectic English Gothic.
Amatu Street separates the Small and Large Guilds, hiding from the eyes of the curious one more wonderful house, which is a turret

trying to imitate his famous counterparts. Or compete with them!
There is no shortage of turrets!

And these cats on spiers are famous for the fact that the customer of the house turned them either with their muzzle or with their tail.

to the building of the Great Guild. He was not accepted into its membership - and the cat turned its tail to the Guild, changed its decision - and the cat nobly turned its muzzle to the building. You do not need to have a chamber of mind to guess that the house is called that, Cat's House.

In this perspective, it is noticeable that there are two cats, on both turrets. We missed the dog, there is somewhere nearby and the dog on the ridge of the building, exactly opposite the cats. But they paid attention to the decoration of the portal of the building.

The mascaron above the entrance is a personal monogram of that short era, 1907-1914. It is written in a smart book that such masks express the significance of labor in the life of every person.
And here is the Great Guild - the building of the union of merchants and merchants. Rebuilt after a fire in 1963. its interior hall was refurbished

to the concert hall of the Riga Philharmonic.

It seems that the houses on Kenyu Street just parted, parted for a while to clear the passage

and give an inquisitive eye an opportunity to consider all the details of a large puzzle called Riga.

We lingered at a simple house on the street. Smilshu 8, not included in any guidebook.

And where can he compete with the brilliance of his neighbors. Of course, it is inferior to the decoration and surroundings at 12 Valnya Street - the street of shops and institutions.

The opera was both a German and a Russian theatre. Is it a matter of nationality?

The main thing is art, and let it be eternal!
Riga does not give time for a break at all. Like pictures in a kaleidoscope - one brighter than the other!

Isn't it about these Atlanteans that the poet wrote that WITHOUT DRINKING AND BREAD THE ATLANTS FORGOTTEN FOR CENTURIES KEEP THE SKY ON STONE SHOULDERS.

The globe at the top is made of glass and zinc and is very effectively illuminated at night.

Did the occupation of its owner, an antiques dealer, influence the choice of decor? The balcony is supported by the statues of Athena and Hermes, trying to help the Atlanteans to support the weight of the structure.
Valnu street - 21. Probably, from everything that was the best in the architecture of the turn of the century, Riga gathered a dazzling collection,

putting bright exhibits on public display, boasting and being proud of them.
For connoisseurs, she saved her treasures in narrow and cramped streets.

And, as in a real museum, not always allowing you to remove artifacts. But even in this perspective, the originality of the house is guessed. The Lantern of Happiness is installed on it, and it is signed under it, so that it would not be interpreted otherwise. Gleznotayu street.

Probably, under Bishop Albert, the same crows circled over St. John's Cathedral, although it then looked completely different.

Of course, as often happens, they paid attention to the birds when they looked at the pictures. The temple acquired its famous star vaults at the turn of the 15th-16th century.

But once you enter the cathedral, it is already impossible to take your eyes off this vault. At first, the temple was Catholic. Belonged to Dominican monks, cat. in 1523 they arranged a big religious procession in Riga and its suburbs. If only they knew what a reckless step they are taking! The townspeople, who were very hostile to the Catholics, locked the city gates and did not let the monks back. For many decades the cathedral became Lutheran. It was returned to the Catholics by Stefan Batory when Poland took possession of the city. We were lucky to listen to a magnificent concert of organ music in the cathedral. There were so many listeners that the apple had nowhere to fall. The pastor gave a short sermon before the concert... in Russian!
The vault of the cathedral was so mesmerizing that I wanted to photograph it again and again.

Short winter day. Twilight was already descending on Riga, enveloping the city with its mysterious light. It seems that if you stand a little longer on Skarnu Street, the front door will creak and the hostess, dressed in middle clothes. the dress will release the cat and rattle the bolt, closing the doors more tightly.

And in the Cathedral of St. Peter, the evening service will begin and the God-fearing townspeople will flow in a stream to its carved portals, afraid to be late for the beginning of the Mass:

And from behind the corner of house 4 along Marstalu street, a rider will jump out and spur his horse. But you never know what else can happen on New Year's Eve!

A festive dinner was not planned at all, it was a gift from Riga!

In the cozy cafe Provincia on Kungu street we were the last allowed visitors and the meal turned out to be really festive!

Are you visiting Riga for the first time or just for one day? With our hint, you will know exactly where to go and what to see (especially if there is not much time).

The capital of Latvia has a rich ancient history. Located on the shores of the Gulf of Riga and at the mouth of the Daugava River, Riga has long been a commercial and multicultural city. And this means that today there is something to see here. Of particular interest to travelers is the Old Town. Let's go through it.

1. Church of St. Peter

This is one of the significant and impressive buildings of the historical center of the city. The spire of St. Peter's Church rises above the houses, representing a kind of landmark and symbol of old Riga. The building is really unique, because it is the oldest in the Latvian capital. The construction of the church was completed in 1209. After that, it burned down more than once, was restored and rebuilt. The time of progress also left its mark: today the church has an elevator that takes everyone to two viewing platforms. It is unforgivable to visit Riga and not climb the tower, because from the height you can see an amazing view of the city. By the way, the total height of the tower of St. Peter's Church is 123.5 m, and the spire accounts for 64.5 m.

Viewpoint of St. Peter's Church

View of Riga from the spire of St. Peter's Church

2. Town Hall Square

The most important square of the Old Town in Riga - the Town Hall - is located directly opposite the Stone Bridge. Knowing this, it is very easy to find it. In the Middle Ages, this place was a trading platform, where an extensive market worked. In addition, the Town Hall Square was the administrative center of medieval Riga. Unfortunately, to this day it has not retained its original appearance, since the Second World War left no stone unturned from this place. And yet, thanks to the miracles of reconstruction, now we can see the Town Hall building, the House of the Blackheads, the statue of the knight Roland on the square and imagine exactly how Riga looked in those distant times.

City Hall building in Riga

Statue of the knight Roland

3. House of the Blackheads

This beautiful building, which is, without a doubt, the main decoration of the Town Hall Square, was completely destroyed in 1941 and rebuilt from scratch in 1999. Initially, the building had a different name - the New House. It was built in the 30s of the XIV century for various societies. In the next century, the house completely passed into the use of the Society of Blackheads (a brotherhood of merchants). But the name "House of the Blackheads" did not take root right away - it began to be used only in 1687. Blackheads became full owners of the house even later - in 1713.

4. Dome Cathedral

In the heart of the Old Town is the Dome Square, where the best cafes and bars in the city are located. All of them, oddly enough, very peacefully coexist with the Dome Cathedral, which is known for its famous organ. Since its foundation (in 1211), the cathedral has been rebuilt many times, and now it is an architectural object that combines the late Romanesque style, Gothic and Baroque. Today, the Dome Cathedral houses a huge amount of historical and artistic treasures collected from all over Latvia.

5. Three brothers

Not far from the Dome Cathedral, you can find a unique complex of buildings for Riga, consisting of three houses from different eras. The white building was built at the end of the 15th century, the yellow one in the middle of the 17th century, and the green one in the middle of the 18th century. People called them "Three brothers". In the old days, buildings in Riga were very dense, and usually representatives of one profession settled on the same street. Since it is known that a bakery once worked in one of the houses, historians suggest that bakers once lived in the brother buildings. The interior of the houses is just as unusual as the exterior: they are distinguished by very high ceilings, narrow corridors, steep stairs and brick floors.

One of the most significant buildings in Latvia is located right here - in Riga, right on the banks of the Daugava (Western Dvina). After the country gained independence, the Riga Castle became the Presidential Palace, and before that it had been the seat of Soviet power for many years. Riga Castle is a classic architectural element of old Riga. It was built by the Livonian knights in 1330, when they were forced out of the then city.

7. Powder Tower

Riga, like many ancient cities, was once surrounded by a fortress wall. The only surviving tower reminds of this. Previously, it was called the Sand Tower and, according to historical data, was built in 1330. It received its current name - Powder - in the 17th century, when they began to store gunpowder in it. In 1919, the Military Museum was opened here, which is still open today.

8. Livov Square

This place is considered relatively new in the Old City. Livov Square was formed only in the middle of the 20th century, but it harmoniously fits into the general style of old Riga, since houses from different eras have been preserved here. It is especially lively on Livov Square in the summer: tent cafes open here, mobile trade works, and street musicians perform. In short, if you stay in Riga for a few days, you know where to relax in the evening after walking around the city.

The spire of St. Peter's Church is also visible from Livov Square

9. Cat house

No matter how familiar the name of this building sounds, it has nothing to do with a fairy tale. But the story of the Cat's House is no less interesting. It was built in 1910 by a wealthy merchant who was not accepted into the Guild of Merchants. In retaliation for this, the owner of the building placed two cats on the roof of the building with their backs turned towards the Guild. Everyone understood the hint, and it came to a scandal. The merchant still had to turn the cats in the other direction. But, as they say, the sediment remained. You can find the Cat's House on Livov Square, directly opposite the Great Guild building.

10. Large and small guilds

Not far from Livov Square, you can find two more architectural monuments - the buildings of the Great and Small Guilds. The first was a merchant organization, and the second was an association of Riga artisans. Today, the Great Guild is considered one of the oldest public buildings in the entire Baltic region (it was erected in the 14th century). After the restoration, it turned into a philharmonic. The small guild is much younger - it was built in 1866, and its octagonal donjon tower "hints" at the English neo-Gothic style. Today, the Small Guild houses the Center for Folklore Art and Culture.

11. Freedom Monument

One of the significant sights of Riga is the Freedom Monument, which is a symbol of the independence of the Republic of Latvia. It is located on the main street of the city of Brivibas (or Freedom Street) and is visible from afar. Still, is it possible not to notice the nine-meter figure of a woman holding three golden stars above her head? And not far from the monument there is a green zone in which the Bastion Hill is located - an artificial bulk structure along the city canal. A nice place.

12. Riga Cathedral

This Orthodox church is considered the largest in the city. At the time of the opening, which took place on October 28, 1884, the majestic cathedral with dark blue domes was considered the most expensive building in Riga. Under the Soviets, a planetarium and a restaurant were located here. After the country gained independence, the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ was restored and “gilded”, and now its doors are again open to believers.

Route in Old Riga

The walk starts from St. Peter's Church, as it is the closest to the city's railway station.

Photo 1 of 10: Riga Attractions: St. Peter's Church © Depositphotos

The city of Riga, located at the mouth of the Daugava River, is the largest in the Baltics and probably the most popular among travelers from Ukraine.
To facilitate planning a trip to the capital of Latvia, we have prepared a detailed guide, which describes where tourists should go if there is only 1 day to get acquainted with Riga. But let's start with a little history.

• Sights of Riga - how the city was founded

The legend says that the founder of Riga was Big Kristaps - a man who built a house on the banks of the Daugava and carried people from one bank to another. One night he heard a child crying and crossed the river to take it back. On the way back, the child became very heavy, and Kristaps was completely exhausted, but he did not abandon his burden and carried it to him safe and sound and put him to bed. In the morning the child disappeared, and in its place was a chest with money. It was with this money that the first houses in Riga were subsequently built on the site of the Kristaps monastery. In honor of this legend, on the embankment you can find a glass "box" in which a statue of a giant with a child on his shoulder is installed.

The medieval part of Riga is located on the eastern bank of the river, and is of the greatest interest to the guests of the city: rather small, it is very beautiful, well-groomed, with distinct German motifs in architecture and magical "gingerbread" churches. There is practically no "Soviet past" in the city center, and, having visited more remote areas with characteristic "Soviet" buildings, you understand that it's for the best.

• . INvisit to the Cathedral of St. James
  

Riga sights: Cathedral of St. James © Depositphotos

The main Catholic Church of Latvia cannot boast of a calm and measured past. Its formation is associated with the Livonian Order and worship services for "singing virgins" - Cistercian nuns, as well as the fact that the temple was originally located outside the city fortifications, as a result of which it was popular with rural residents. In the 16th century, anti-Catholic unrest began, as a result of which the church was destroyed, after which it was "converted to Lutheranism", until in 1582 King Stefan Batory bought it to give it to the Jesuits. The whole thing did not end there, and the cathedral passed from one denomination to another several times, and in the 17th century several Russian shells hit it, two of which were later, in memory of the siege of Riga, embedded in the altar, and two in the facade. Inside the church, you should pay attention to the pulpit of rare mahogany, made in the Empire style, which is not typical for Riga, and to the most beautiful stained-glass windows.

From the Church of St. James, you can walk to another Catholic church − Church of Mary Magdalene, once part of the Cistercian monastery (it, unfortunately, has not been preserved). And from her already to Riga castle hand over.

Riga sights: Arcadia © facebook.com/riga.in

• : visiting the Dome Cathedral and the Museum of the History of Riga

The pearl of Riga − Protestant Dome Cathedral- the largest medieval temple in the Baltic countries. There are two versions explaining the name of the church: the first refers to the Latvian word Doms and the German Dom, which mean "cathedral"; the second - to the Latin phrase Domus Dei ("House of God") and the Latin abbreviation D.O.M. (Deo Optimo Maximo - All-good Great God). However, the name is far from the most valuable thing that the temple can boast of. The church was founded in 1211, and none other than the already mentioned Albert von Buxgevden became its founder. The construction was led by German craftsmen under the vigilant control of the bishop. In 1270, the cathedral was completed and practically did not change until the middle of the 16th century, but then a tower was built and attempts were made (not very successful, because in the end it was dismantled anyway) to install a wooden spire that would make the cathedral taller . Instead, in the 18th century, a domed baroque spire was erected on the tower. Interestingly, the floor of the church is much lower than the street level: this is due to the fact that after the floods over the years, the streets of Riga were often covered with gravel.

Riga sights: Dome Cathedral © Depositphotos

The interior of the church has survived to this day and is a Gothic style, "diluted" with decorative elements of the Baroque style. The Gothic style has also been preserved in the form of the northern portal. The most famous landmark of the cathedral is a huge organ built at the end of the 19th century by the German company E. F. Walcker & Co. The instrument, still used in concert performances, has 6718 pipes, and they are made of different woods and alloys; the length of the largest pipe is 10 meters, and the smallest is only 13 mm in length. Music for him was written by such famous composers as Franz Liszt and Johann Max Reger.

Part of the ensemble of the Dome Cathedral is considered Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, which is the oldest public museum in Latvia. The basis of the museum's exposition was the collection of natural science, art and historical objects of the Riga doctor Nikolaus von Himsel, which, according to the last will of the doctor, was transferred to the city after his death. And there are a lot of beautiful models of various ships.

• : visiting the Church of St. Peter

You can easily find St. Peter's Church: of course, because its spire is one of the most recognizable symbols of Riga. The history of the landmark, whose first mention dates back to 1209, is very curious: if the Dome Cathedral was built by a bishop, then this temple was built on donations from merchants, artisans, Riga burghers and all others who considered it necessary to have a "people's" church in the city - a symbol of the involvement of all townspeople.

Initially, the temple was Gothic - some details of the original construction can still be found in the central part of the building, but over time, due to many reconstructions, it acquired a baroque facade with richly decorated portals. The recognizable spire is also not medieval, but its almost identical copy: during the Second World War, the church was badly damaged by shelling and lay in ruins for a long time - only wooden carved epitaphs remained of the old decoration, which by some miracle were taken to Poland in advance.

Riga Attractions: St. Peter's Church © Depositphotos

Restoration of the church began in 1954, and first of all, the roofs were rebuilt. On August 21, 1970, an exact reproduction of a 250-year-old bronze cockerel-weather vane was returned to the top of the now iron spire (by the way, it has also been preserved, and you can see it inside the church), and in 1983 the restoration of the interior was finally completed.

The church clock began showing the time in 1975, and it still shows, and according to a long tradition, there is only one arrow on the dial, and the simple melody of the folk song Rīga dimd sounds five times a day. The tower has an elevator so that visitors do not get too tired when climbing to the observation deck, located at a height of 72 meters, which offers amazing views of the city and the river.

Riga sights: Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians © Depositphotos

At the altar of the church, outside, there is a monument to the Bremen Town Musicians, which was presented to the sister city in 1990 by German Bremen. Favorite folk entertainment "rub something on the statue - and the wish will come true" is also here - in this case it is believed that you need to rub the nose of a donkey, but the most creative people prefer to rub the noses of all animals, even the beak of a rooster, for which they are forced to perform non-trivial acrobatic stunts .

• : tour of Riga

Thanks to the tour you will be able to visit the central Riga market, large and noisy, housed in pavilions originally intended for airship hangars, where you can buy a variety of souvenirs and try local products. Get to know Jauniela street personally: it portrayed Baker Street in Soviet films about Sherlock Holmes, and the apartment of the great detective of all time was located in house number 22 (by the way, Professor Pleishner from "17 Moments of Spring" fell near the house opposite, in which now the hotel is located).

Riga attractions: Riga market © Depositphotos

Learn the history of guild houses, including the exquisite Houses of the Blackheads, and make sure that "three brothers - White, Medium and Green" are not heroes of local folklore, but an architectural complex; see the best examples of Art Nouveau buildings and be surprised to hear that beavers live in the city canal of Riga, from which they try to get rid of them peacefully from time to time, but so far to no avail. In short, get a huge amount of positive emotions and impressions.

• : walk in the park

Then you can go to one of the Riga parks for a short afternoon walk. Victory Park, located on the left bank of the Daugava, just two tram stops from the center, was broken in 1909. The official opening ceremony of the park was attended by Emperor Nicholas II, and, they say, he even planted several trees that have not survived to this day.

The park is spacious, clean and very attractive for sports lovers: in summer, yoga and mini-golf lovers gather in the meadows, and in winter, the 1250-meter track becomes a favorite place of pilgrimage for local skiers (a snow cannon and ski rental are also available).

Riga sights: Victory Park © Depositphotos

Another green oasis is located near Victory Park − Arcadia. He is older than his neighbor (in 1852, it was decided to set up a garden of exotic plants on a deserted plot). For a hundred years, the park has been landscaped by changing authorities: a summer theater was added, the course of the small Marupite river was changed, a well-thought-out system of cascades and waterfalls was built according to the project of Georg Friedrich Kufaldt. Over time, greenhouses with exotic plants had to be abandoned, but the park is still one of the favorite places for walking and dating.

Big Vermanes Park− the oldest park in Riga. It is located in the city center, near Elizabetes Street, and was founded in 1813 at the expense of the entrepreneur's widow, Anna Gertrud Verman. She was not the only patron, but her donation was the largest, and amounted to a huge amount of 10 thousand marks at that time. In 1833, an institution of artificial mineral waters was opened in the park, whose building has survived to this day. Thanks to the spring, the park has gained immense popularity among both residents and guests of the city. Violin concerts, circus performances and many other events were also held in the park. In particular, the first car exhibition in Latvia was held in it. And in the park there are a huge number of monuments, a summer stage, and in the summer chess players gather on the benches.

Riga sights: Latvian Ethnographic Museum © Depositphotos

• : going to the Latvian Ethnographic Museum

One of the oldest and largest ethnographic museums in Europe is located in Riga. Characteristic national buildings, ancient baths, working smithies and pottery workshops, where you can make yourself a souvenir as a keepsake (craftsmen work in the yards on weekends in the summer) - in total, the museum has 118 buildings from different parts of Latvia, which once belonged to peasants, fishermen, artisans . The interiors and household items are carefully preserved - the museum was opened in 1924, when the war had not yet had time to destroy a significant part of the ethnographic and cultural monuments.

• : collecting panoramas of evening Riga

Now is the time to return to the city and get acquainted with the evening Riga. There are a lot of good viewing platforms in Riga, and almost everything can be visited without any problems.

We also want to offer you guides to cities such as, and if you have only 24 hours.

Route "along the paths" of the Middle Ages, or in search of adventure, knights and romance

“It was a strange world. Unstable, but harmonious in its own way. Lithuanians, Letts, Samogits, Estonians, Russians, Lithuanians, Livs, Yotvingians, Semigals lived here... some disappeared long ago, others live here to this day. The Russian princes along the Daugava - the Western Dvina - collected tribute from the surrounding tribes, fought with them, often became related to Lithuanians and Livs ... And it is not known how the fate of the Baltic states would have developed if German missionaries had not landed here, at the mouth of the Daugava, for which the knights came. In 1201, the energetic Bishop Albert founded the city of Riga, the Order of St. Mary, or the Sword-bearers, arose, which systematically conquered tribes and peoples, baptized pagans - those who did not want to be baptized perished, those who agreed - became a slave. And the cities ruled by the Russian princes - Kukernois, Gersike, Zamoshye, then Yuryev - were taken by the Germans one by one. They couldn't get along..."

Kir Bulychev, "The Abduction of the Sorcerer"

Riga is a mysterious and strange city, and at the same time recognizable at every turn. Walking along the narrow streets and looking at the bright facades of medieval houses, you now and then remember your favorite films (the route "Starring - Riga, or Through the places of military glory of Standartenführer Stirlitz" we will go through just a few pages). Riga's Old Town (Vecriga) is small compared to tourist favorites like Prague or Paris, but those who have been here once usually come back. What is to blame for this: is it the famous Riga balm, are the medieval streets shrouded in fog, or the legends that cover every corner - we will try to figure it out together ...

I propose to start our acquaintance with the city with an excursion in the footsteps of half-forgotten medieval architects and noble knights. Although, perhaps, their nobility is as much a myth as the midnight moans of lovers, walled up in the walls of the Swedish Gate. We will find out about this in the very near future!

It is most convenient to start a walk around the city from Riga railway station. Firstly, it is symbolic: most of the visitors here first set foot on the land of Riga (the train from Moscow to Riga is night-time - so you do not waste precious daytime). Secondly, from this point it is quite easy to get to the Old City, where we are heading. So, going out onto the platform, you go to the station building, on the left side of which there is an underground passage, it will lead us to the Old Town (it starts literally across the busy road from the station and the large Stockmann store). Then go straight, focusing on the tall sharp spiers of the churches of St. Peter and the Dome Cathedral, dominating low houses. If you get a little lost in the narrow streets of Riga, do not worry: the local population for the most part speaks Russian and they will always help you find the right path (supposedly, the hostility of Latvians towards Russians is a myth, nothing more).

On Town Hall Square(Ratslaukums) on the left side, in a beautiful red building decorated with statues, there is a tourist office on the ground floor where you can get a map and several booklets about the city for free. Now you can look around... After the end of World War II, the Town Hall Square was a ruin, and both armies (Soviet and German) actively denied their role in the destruction. Actually, now it doesn’t matter anymore, because in Soviet times the square was surrounded by rather faceless buildings, some of which have survived to this day. The square began to be restored only in 1996, when the townspeople began preparations for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Riga.

Occupation Museum in a gloomy black rectangular building divides the square into two parts: the one closer to the river, with a monumental monument to the Latvian riflemen in the center, is a "legacy of the Soviet regime" - gloomy buildings, the one closer to St. Peter's Church - the restored look of medieval Riga .

In the medieval part of the square, the center decorates it Roland statue with sword and shield. They say that this once adorned almost every Hanseatic city. This is a copy, the original is in the Museum of the History of Riga. In the summer, during the harvest festival, he is dressed up in an apron and a wreath of autumn flowers and fruits.

In front of Roland stands a building restored at the end of the last century town halls(Ratsnams). It was in the building of the Town Hall, in the Council Hall, that the magistrate gathered, who made important decisions for the city, the standards of measures and weights stood here, and dishonest merchants or artisans were judged here. At the entrance to the Town Hall there was a pillory, where the guilty were chained, during executions in the center of the square they put a platform where they chopped off their heads. During the holidays, noisy fairs were held on the Town Hall Square. At the monument to Roland there was a well, from where the townspeople took water. From the balcony above the entrance, the trumpeters read the decrees of the city fathers, and during the celebrations, chairs were placed here for members of the magistrate. Alas, the Town Hall has not retained its medieval appearance, now it looks like it did in the 18th century, but it looks nice, like the ultra-modern glass house standing on the side of it, where several fashionable shops are located - it has been given the shape of a medieval Gothic house.

Of course, the decoration of the square - House of the Blackheads(Melngalvju names, Rātslaukums, 6), inside of which the city tourist office is located, and outside such beauty that it takes your breath away: stunning brickwork, statues on the roof and walls, intricate carvings ... It is even more interesting to look at this building in the night illumination, I advise you to set aside some time for this in the evening.

Blackheads in Riga were called young single merchants who chose the Christian martyr (and former Roman legionnaire) Saint Mauritius as their patron, as you might guess, the Moor (his sculptural image is easy to find on the facade of the house). Here transactions were made, receptions were held, reference measures (lengths, weights, etc.) were stored here. Having married, the Black-headed merchants already moved to the Big Guild (Read about the Big and Small Guilds in the route " Excursion to funny monuments or Treat Riga with humor»).

The house, built in the style of the Dutch Renaissance in 1334, was considered the most beautiful building in Riga, and, in my opinion, it still is. They say that the festivities held in the House of Blackheads did not hesitate to attend even the Russian tsars, and many nobles of Europe (the guest book contains the signatures of the German chancellor Bismarck, Empress Catherine, Tsar Alexander I, and little things - German and Russian dukes, counts, barons ), Catherine the Great even presented her portrait to cheerful and hospitable merchants - as a sign of special disposition. In a special room on the second floor in the Middle Ages, the famous collection of silver was located, as well as gifts from the guild and all sorts of curiosities, such as whale ribs or dinosaur bones, as well as a small library where, in addition to books, maps were kept. Where all this went after the war is not known for sure, only silver was traced - it was taken to Germany in 1939. After the bombings during World War II, the House of the Blackheads was completely destroyed, and it was restored only in 2001, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Riga.

Behind the House of the Blackheads, a sad semi-abandoned quarter begins: many houses are being repaired, and only medieval facades remain of many, while inside there are pits with construction debris. Opposite one of these buildings is a synagogue, near which, for some reason, a policeman in a patrol car is on duty. The entire area around the synagogue was Jewish before the war, and during the war the Germans drove the entire population of the area into this very synagogue and burned it alive. But it was the Soviet troops who were later called invaders ... In the same area we saw a funny house: broken windows in it replaced children's drawings.

If you go from the House of the Blackheads to the left (if you are facing the entrance) to the Church of St. Peter, and without crossing the road, look to the right, then at the corner streets Grecinieku (Greciniekuiela) And Kungu(Kunguiela) you will see another local attraction - merchant Menzendorf's house(Mencendorfa nams), built in 1695. For more than two centuries there was the oldest pharmacy in the city. Once there was a large trading floor inside, where vials, jars and flasks stood on numerous shelves. They stored not only drugs for various ailments, but also spices that merchants brought from exotic countries, cosmetics, soap, candles, gunpowder, and even ink. Under the pharmacy, extensive wine cellars have been preserved, where pharmacists stored wine and alcohol used to prepare medicines and cosmetics.

It was in this building that in 1762 the Riga pharmacist Abraham Kunze invented the legendary Riga Balsam(about which the locals to this day say that it is a medicine, not a drink, and consume it with blackcurrant juice). According to the author of the balm, he helped with two dozen ailments, including frostbite, toothache, migraine, insect and snake bites, and even dislocations, sprains and fractures, and the balm healed dangerous wounds in just 6 days. It is not known how quickly this balm healed fractures, but it became a very successful souvenir - it is still the most popular Latvian brand, sharing the palm only with Dzintars cosmetics. The house received its current name after the name of the subsequent owner, the merchant August Menzendorf (1884). After the war, the house stood abandoned for a long time, and only during the restoration in 1982, medieval frescoes were found on its walls and vaults, which can be seen by visiting Menzendorf Museum, open in this building.

Museum site in the pharmacy buildinghttp://www.mencendorfanams.com/index-lv.php

Check the schedule of exhibitions and concerts on the museum's website.

Entrance ticket costs 1 lats, each exposition - 0.5 lats more.

In the neighboring square stands the tallest building in medieval Riga (123 m) and, until recently, the tallest building of wooden construction in Europe. This St. Peter's Church(Rīgas Sv. Pētera baznīca, address: Skarnu iela, 19). The first mention of the city magistrate's church already under construction dates back to 1209, so construction began a few years earlier. The magistrate of a prosperous Hanseatic city strove to ensure that his church was the very best, so that he would not be ashamed in front of his neighbors: the tower was the highest, the nave was the largest, the frescoes were the best masters of their time, the bell was the most sonorous. No money was spared, and there was plenty of it, which is why the church turned out to be impressive. True, in subsequent centuries it was rebuilt several times, for example, in the 15th century it acquired Gothic features, and wood and white limestone were gradually replaced with fashionable red brick. Around the same time, the church was significantly expanded, adding side naves, a century later it was given the features of the then fashionable Baroque architectural style, and now it has the same appearance that it could boast of in the distant sixteenth century.

The townspeople were not lucky with the church tower: built at the end of the 15th century, it suddenly collapsed in March 1666, several dozen people died under its rubble. After 10 years, the restored tower burned down. By the end of the 17th century, after many years of new construction, the master Rupert Bindenshu created a unique wooden structure for the new baroque tower. True, a sad fate awaited her: in 1721, the tower burned down again, and with it the Dutch chimes, which cost the city treasury 8 thousand thalers - an astronomical sum! After 22 years (during which, probably, the townspeople chipped in for a new tower), the carpenter Vulbern took up the work, who created a tower 121 meters high, crowned with a golden cockerel. At the end of his work, Vulbern climbed to the very top of the tower, took off on a golden cockerel (in fact, it is the size of a large horse), took out a bottle of wine he had stored in advance and drained his glass so that the tower stood forever. After drinking, he threw the crystal glass down, and lo and behold - the glass did not break! The fact that the glass fell from an incredible height was evidenced only by a small crack, and that this story was not a story was evidenced by the glass itself, stored in the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation. During the bombing in 1941. the hall of the museum, where the glass was kept, was damaged, and a few days later the shell hit right on the tower - the sign came true. In 1970, the head of the repair work, Peteris Saulytis, climbed onto the unfinished spire, drinking for the construction and also throwing his glass down. The glass was shattered, but the tower is still intact. completed its construction in 1973. Some guides also tell the second version of the legend: the first glass broke into two parts, which meant that the church would stand for 200 years, and it stood for 220, day-to-day ...

Before the Reformation, the church could boast of magnificent decoration: guild chapels decorated with sculptures, modeling and painting on the themes of the Old and New Testaments, an altar taken from Holland, even, they say, the famous Flemish tapestries. He survived a harsh time when the luxury of church decoration was not encouraged, only a unique wooden altar of an unusual design, around which interesting exhibitions are arranged: either author's works on ceramics, then photographs, then landscapes of Jurmala.

You can also use a dedicated lift to church tower, to levels 57 and 71 meters. (For the best observation decks in Riga, see the section " Observation platforms of Riga, or Flying over the city»).

The observation deck of the tower of St. Peter's Church and the exhibition in the church

Address: Skarnu street ( Skarnu iela ) , 19

Height: 72 meters

How to get there: entrance through the cathedral, ticket office at the entrance, on the right. There is an elevator going up.

Entrance ticket price: 2 lats for adults, schoolchildren under 18 years old - 0.70 lats. Entrance to the exhibition costs 0.5 lats

Hours and working conditions: daily 10.00 - 17.00, except Monday.

Behind the church of St. Peter, on the left, you will see buildings attached to the walls Set Convention(Conventa Seta). Once upon a time there was a strict episcopal castle, near the walls of which a monastery (convention) was founded - as a shelter and hospital for the poor, widows and orphans. Later, following the European model, a beguinage was opened here - a kind of "city within a city", a women's community, originally formed by the widows of the crusaders, who had to somehow survive in the harsh medieval world. The ladies settled separately, built houses for themselves nearby, surrounded them with a high wall, and lived there in solitude and often according to monastic canons. At the same time, they did not take the tonsure, that is, they had the opportunity to marry again. The wives of the crusaders were also taken to the beguinage for a while, while the husband was on a campaign (the campaign could last several years). If the husband returned home, the community could be left and return to normal family life. Behinki were engaged in socially useful deeds: weaving lace, caring for the sick and the elderly, and raising orphans. The beguines were patronized by influential people - the local nobility, who gave money for the construction of the beguines and supported them financially. Unfortunately, the beguinage has not been preserved in Riga, because since the 15th century, the monastery of the tertiaries has been located in its buildings, and after its abolition, the townspeople began to settle here, opening shops and workshops in the former houses of the beguins.

Now Konventa Seta is a real medieval quarter in the center of Riga, formed by small and tightly adjoining houses, narrow streets, paved with stone. You take a step into one of the arches that serve as an entrance - and you seem to find yourself in another world, where even the air seems to be different, medieval, despite the fact that after the war there were ruins and the buildings were abandoned until the 70s. The small buildings of the Seth Convention now house antique shops, cafes, and even a nice hotel. You can get here through one of four exits, but the main one, which is the easiest to find, is located just behind St. Peter's Church - opposite Monument to the Bremen Town Musicians.

Step inside, walk a few steps forward - and look around. You will see the spire of the tower of St. Peter's, a cute house with yellow walls and a high roof - a view that begs for a photo! Probably, many artists who captured this view on their canvases argued the same way. Including Nicholas Roerich, who came to Riga in 1903.

In the buildings surrounding the Convention of Set, from the side of St. Peter's Church, a Gothic Church of St. George(Sv. Jura Baznica, Skarnu iela 10/20), the absence of a tower which unmistakably betrays its age - the 13th century. Once the church was a castle chapel, and it was founded by Bishop Albert himself. Inside the castle were rooms of chivalry, the bishop's quarters, a council hall, and a reception hall - nothing but the chapel has been preserved. The energetic Bishop Albert attracted people who were not so honest as lively to the order, and by the end of the 13th century this gang so pissed off the inhabitants of the city that the civilians stormed the castle in 1297, dispersed the knights who bothered the citizens with robbery, hanged those especially guilty, and the fortress demolished, leaving only the chapel. I suspect that the townspeople who destroyed the castle in 1297 simply showed respect for religion. The church of St. George was built from the castle chapel and the remains of the assembly hall, which served until the Reformation (XVI century), when they made a warehouse out of it, having previously destroyed everything inside that could be destroyed: sculptures, wall paintings, carved furniture. All silver and gold utensils were melted down for the needs of the magistrate.

For several centuries, merchants stored grain, hemp and leather here - the main goods that Riga traded. After the war, old furniture and things taken out of bombed-out houses, but not useful to anyone, were kept here, and in the attics and chapels, and adjacent houses, local children played “war” (several local residents told me about this, including youth 30-35 years old). After 1991, when the houses had not yet been restored, grown-up children looked for old things among the junk and successfully handed them over to antique shops that were beginning to appear at that time. Today in the chapel is located Museum of Applied Arts where art exhibitions are held. It is worth getting inside at least to see with your own eyes the Gothic interior of the 13th century.

Museum of Applied Arts, address: Skarnu street 10/20

Entrance ticket - 3 lats. On Wednesdays, free admission for pensioners, the disabled, schoolchildren, large families.

Another church adjoins the Convent of Set on the right side - St. John/Jan(Sv. Jana Baznica, address: Skarnu iela, 24) - made of bright red brick, with a stepped pediment and narrow Gothic windows. In 1234, Bishop Albert gave his old residence with a chapel to the Dominican order. In 1330, simultaneously with the laying of a new Riga castle on the banks of the Daugava, the church was rebuilt in the Gothic style, and arches-buttresses, traditional for Gothic temples, were placed not outside, but inside, saving also on the side walls of the chapels.

They say about two masks with open mouths on the wall of the church that in the Middle Ages, on the days of great church holidays, a preacher of the Dominican order sat down near these images (on the inside of the church) and delivered a speech, and his speech sounded throughout the city - the masks served as powerful sound amplifiers. At about the same time, two young monks were voluntarily walled up in the wall of the church, who made such a cruel vow that the church would stand forever. Kind-hearted townspeople brought them water and food, pushing them through a tiny hole, which has survived to our time and is now only fenced off (probably so as not to throw garbage).

The townspeople did not like the Dominicans: they held the Inquisition in their hands, which, although it did not rage in Riga as it did in Belgium, Spain or Italy, nevertheless terrified the townsfolk. Dislike reached its peak in the middle of the 15th century, when the townspeople pretty much destroyed the monastery buildings and the church (and the townspeople were not a mistake!), However, in the same fifteenth century the church was restored. The new church, which has retained its appearance to this day, is somewhat reminiscent of the House of the Blackheads (perhaps they were designed by the same masters). In 1523, the townspeople finally expelled the Dominican order from Riga (the surviving monks had to stomp along the mouth of the Daugava to the nearest monastery about 100 km!) armory. The church received the status of a religious building again only under Stefan Batory, who transferred the church to the Latvian community. Now you can get inside strictly during the concerts inside, or by begging the old women sitting inside in the office.

Don't hesitate to go to Jan's patio(Jana set, Jana seta) to the left of the arch leading to the Convent of Set. The house hanging over the courtyard is residential, judging by the sleepy faces that look out of the windows early in the morning. In Jan's courtyard, you can see another fragment of the defensive city wall, however, year-round blocked by cafe tents.

Leaving the courtyard and winking at the Bremen town musicians, you can go along Skarnu street(Skarnu iela ) to the right. In a few minutes we'll be out on Dome Square(Doma Laukums) , in the center of which rises the main church of Riga - Riga Cathedral(Rīgas Doms).

Also in In the 12th century, on the site of the now spacious square, the knights of the sword founded a small wooden church for the needs of the order, but after the magistrate built the majestic church of St. The best Dutch and German masters were invited for the construction (this is very noticeable in the architecture of the temple), and the construction began on a grand scale. The foundation of the temple was consecrated in honor of St. Mary. The church in the Romanesque style was built quickly, but the bishop himself did not live to see the end of the project, and was buried in the still unfinished cathedral, according to his will, "under the third stone, under the lamp." Near the monastery, a monastery and a palace were built for the higher clergy, in the inner courtyard of the cathedral there is still a gallery through which the monks got straight into the church without getting their feet and heads wet during bad weather (the courtyard is open for tourists).

The Riga Cathedral, like its rival, St. Peter's Church, survived floods, fires, and the Reformation, when almost all the interior decoration was destroyed, later late Gothic and Baroque were added to the Romanesque style of the temple, and even later - and classicism. The current appearance of the cathedral was acquired in 1776. They even say that local students learn architectural styles from the cathedral. The red Gothic brick gradually replaced the limestone from which the very first Romanesque cathedral was built.

Inside the cathedral from the 16th century stands famous organ, the music for which was written by Liszt himself. The organ is decorated with carvings by the German master Johann Rab, where among the images of flowers and outlandish animals there are faces of the "fathers of the city" - councilors of the city magistrate. The floor of the cathedral is one large cemetery: a large number of rich and noble citizens are buried here - each of them wanted to be closer to God. Heavy stone slabs are decorated with coats of arms, images, epitaphs - but all this has been erased by thousands of feet. Once upon a time, family chapels-tombs crowded around the sides of the church, for which the best craftsmen made sculptures, decorated the walls with frescoes and carvings - alas, all this beauty did not survive the Reformation. Who could not buy a place in the consecrated land or did not have enough money for the tomb - ordered epitaph tablets- several pieces of these have been preserved on the walls of the cathedral. From medieval decoration also preserved two wood carvings, dating from the 15th century: one depicts St. Mary, the second - Adam and Eve in paradise. After the Reformation, the monastery premises were used as a library, and fairs were held in the courtyard of the monastery. Now the library occupies part of the monastery, in the second half it is located (we will come here during a walk " Traveling around Riga with children»)

Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation

Founded in 1962. The exposition reflects the history of Riga from its foundation to 1940, the history of Latvian navigation from the 10th century to the present day. The museum collection contains half a million materials, exhibitions are regularly held here. The museum offers tours of the exposition, the storehouse, the Dome Church and the Cross Gallery.

Museum website with up-to-date information on opening hours, entry prices and expositions http://vip.latnet.lv/museums/Riga/

In any weather, street musicians play in the evenings in different parts of the square: closer to the House with cats - on the violin, and right next to the cathedral - on the cello. Beautiful music evokes a slightly sad mood, especially in the fog.

On the stones of the square in front of the cathedral is visible markup, made of stones - they show where the houses of wealthy citizens stood in the Middle Ages, and looking at them, one can try to imagine how the square looked then. True, several meters of the cultural layer will have to be mentally “removed”, because then the street was much lower, and the houses looked tiny and insignificant compared to the cathedral.

In the alley Mukuiela, on the right side of the cathedral (if you face it), there is a popular Hotel Gutenbergs- it is located in two adjoining medieval houses, and the heavy oak beams and old layout are preserved inside. The first printing house in Riga was opened in one of the buildings - hence the name of the hotel.

From the Dome Cathedral to Castle Square(Pils laukums) and Riga castle street leads Pils (Pilsiela): if you stand with your back to the entrance to the cathedral, then this street will be on your left.

Quietly dormant Riga Castle.

Clocks strike in cathedrals.

In a niche, a barefoot statue holds a wet scale.

The shadow trembles on the dials.

Here, under the clatter of horseshoes

Karamzin used to walk

Krylov wandered through the alley ...

S. Zhuravlev, "Walks in Riga"

Riga castle (RigasPils,Pilslaucums, 3), Spread out on the banks of the Daugava, it surprises many: it does not stand on a hill, as every self-respecting fortress should, and the moat with the bridge was removed, and there are no cannons on the walls, and it does not give the impression of a formidable and impregnable citadel. Yes, and the color of the "toy" - yellow-white! But even three hundred years ago, it was possible to enter the fortress only through a huge suspension bridge thrown over a deep and wide moat, which went around the castle and again flowed into the river, forming a small island. For those who have already seen European castles, there is often a feeling of some kind of "fakeness".

The current castle is the third in a row. The first - the wooden castle of Albert - grew in the summer of 1201 at a distance from the river, in its place today are the courtyards of the Convent and Jan Seth. Some local historians, however, believe that the first castle was located on the site of the current Grand Palace Hotel (read about it in the chapter “Where to stay”), and only after it was destroyed by fire, a stone citadel was laid - on the site of the current courtyard of the Set Convention. One way or another, but after 3 years the wooden castle was replaced by a stone one, made of Salaspils limestone, which had stood for 126 years.

In 1282 Riga became a member of the powerful Hanseatic League - a trade union of the cities of the North and Baltic Seas. The cities of the Hansa gained such power that they dared to interfere in the affairs of entire states, and even successfully fought with such powers as Denmark (and then Sweden, Norway, and Finland were included in Denmark). Trade and crafts began to actively develop in Riga, merchants brought not only new goods and curiosities, but also new laws and orders, and the citizens who had tasted freedom could no longer silently endure the tyranny of the Order of the Swordsmen who had seized power. As one of the chroniclers from Riga writes, “the knights were devilishly greedy, evil, greedy… When the master of the Order rode on horseback through the city gates, everyone… had to meet him barefoot and bareheaded” (here are the noble knights!). It is not surprising that in 1297 the townspeople rebelled and destroyed the second castle to the ground.

The third castle was laid by the same knights of the sword in 1330, 33 years after the riot of the townspeople. The place on the river bank was not chosen by chance: away from the townspeople, closer to the river (and you can control the movement of merchant ships, and, if anything, escape quickly). On the day of the summer solstice in 1330, the master of the order himself laid the first stone in the foundation of the future castle, and the townspeople who were responsible for the destruction of the old fortress had to build it. Two decades later, construction was completed, and the castle received its inhabitants - the knights of the Livonian Order. It was a real medieval fortress: with powerful walls and loopholes, and two round watchtowers - Svyatodukhovskaya and Lead. Standing on tonight Castle Square in front of a high battle tower, it is easy to imagine both a moat and a bridge, and even, it seems, the defenders of the castle are rattling their weapons somewhere ... Unfortunately, there are no traces of either the moat or the bridge left, and the favorite frame of tourists is the balcony from which the President is said to be speaking, and a couple of imperturbable guards guarding the entrance. And even the excitement, as, say, in London or Prague, when changing the guard, is not observed.

In 1481, the armed struggle flared up with renewed vigor: the cannons of the order were actively shelling the city, the cannons of the inhabitants of Riga - the Lead Tower, and on the Castle Square, where we are now, the city militia stood in a disorderly and noisy camp. After a three-year siege, the defenders of the castle surrendered, and the order's citadel suffered the sad fate of its predecessors: on the third day after the surrender, the herald called on everyone - old and young, Germans and Latvians - to help destroy the hated fortress. Two months later, the townspeople literally wiped it off the face of the earth. Bricks and fragments of beams were used to build houses, and larger stones were later used as ship ballast. Who knows - maybe the keystones are still looking at us from the walls of buildings standing near the castle? From the castle of the 15th century, only Holy Spirit Tower, which for many centuries served as a beacon for ships sailing along the Daugava through the fog, and now welcomes guests with a tall spire. The tower is located in the center of the castle, on the territory of the presidential residence, and tourists are not allowed there.

After 9 years, the Livonian Order again attacked the city and defeated the city army. Master Walter von Plettenberg was stern and adamant: he demanded that the castle be built in 6 years, and that it be even more powerful than the previous one. By 1515, the castle again grew on the river bank: quadrangular, with a tower in each corner and a paved courtyard in the center. From this castle, cellars and fragments of walls, having a three-meter thickness, have survived to this day, where not only people, but also cattle hid during the wars. In the same place, in the depths of the cellars, a supply of gunpowder, food, water and an order treasury were kept, which, they say, do not stop looking for to this day. The master's residence was located on the second floor: the rooms here reach a height of seven meters and are most luxuriously decorated. The third floor was adapted exclusively for defense: there are loopholes in its walls, through which the defenders of the castle could shoot or pour tar and boiling water on the besiegers. Unfortunately, we will have to be satisfied with only an external inspection of the castle, bypassing it along the perimeter - for reasons of presidential security, after all ...

In 1558, Ivan the Terrible defeated the Livonian Order, and only rats darting through the empty corridors became the inhabitants of the castle. At the beginning of the 17th century, the inhabitants of Riga even thought about demolishing the dilapidated building, but in 1606 the Polish king (Riga then belonged to the Poles) nevertheless decides to leave the castle and repair it - "as soon as funds are found." Nothing significant has been done, but the castle as a whole has been preserved.

In the following centuries, the Swedes and Russians had a hand in rebuilding the fortress, and now, looking at the castle, you see a real hodgepodge of styles (the best photo views of the castle are obtained from the bridge over the Daugava) - each new owner made some changes, rebuilt something in the castle to your liking. Under the Swedes, the castle was no longer perceived as a fortress and the usable area was built up with various outbuildings: stables and warehouses. Perhaps, it was from the time of Swedish rule that the chaotic nature of the castle development, which is very noticeable now, has remained, which is why there is no feeling of its “castleness”.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the territory of Latvia was ceded to Russia. From an impregnable citadel after the filling of the castle moat in the 18th century, the fortress turned first into a provincial administration, then into a city office, where Ivan Andreevich Krylov was the head, and Anna Kern's husband was the governor-general, remember Pushkin's lines: "I remember a wonderful moment ...". The arsenal, built by the Swedes, and the wooden houses surrounding the castle were demolished, clearing the current Castle Square, and a park was laid out in front of the castle.

Sidebar:

The current presidential wing of the castle appeared under interesting circumstances: under the Swedes they were stables, then in 1818 the governor-general of Livonia, Marquis Philip Paulucci, noticed that Tsars Paul I and Alexander I, who were passing through Riga, clearly did not like the Spartan spirit of the fortress. Therefore, the marquis ordered to rebuild the wing of the former stables and build a new one - the third floor. Inside, the Imperial Hall (for magnificent balls), the living room and the royal office were decorated. And at the tower of the Holy Spirit, the cone-shaped roof was demolished and an observatory was built there, which was visited by Tsar Alexander I himself. An interesting detail - after the death of the astronomer von Kesler, the observatory was abandoned, and the unique equipment was saved only by the fact that it was bought by Moscow University. The builders, however, did not take into account that the wing was erected on the site of the former moat and that the whole building stands on unsteady ground that could not withstand the three-story palace - after a couple of decades the building cracked, and it was possible to save it only after a large-scale reconstruction, when wide granite stairs were additionally erected (earlier one had to climb the uncomfortable medieval spiral staircase in the tower).

In 1938 Riga Castle became the residence of the President of the Republic of Latvia. From 1940 until February 1941, the Latvian Council of People's Commissars was located in the castle, in February 1941 the Palace of Pioneers was opened in the northern part of the castle. Back in the 80s of the last century, the cult cafe "Pils" was opened in the castle, with a beautiful view of the Daugava (now closed). Now the castle is a government residence - the President of Latvia works here. The main entrance to the castle is located from the side of the barracks and Pils (Castle) Square, it is guarded by imperturbable guards. True, tourists cannot get inside, you have to be content with an external review. If two flags are flying on the flagpole of the castle (the state flag of Latvia and the presidential standard), this means that the President is in the palace. If the President leaves for another residence (the castle in Sigulda, for example, read about it in the route “What to see around Riga”), then one state flag proudly flies over the Holy Spirit Tower. In the southern part of the palace there are the Museum of Foreign Art, the Museum of Literature and the History of Art. Rainis and the National History Museum of Latvia.

Museum of Foreign Art

Pils lauk ums 3

The largest collection of works of foreign art in Latvia. The most significant collections: a collection of works of art from ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, Rome, Western Europe and the East.

http://www.amm.lv/en/about_us.htm

Entrance ticket for Russians - 5 lats.

National History Museum of Latvia

Pils lauk ums 3

The museum was founded in 1869 and is the richest collection of finds and evidence of archaeological, ethnographic, numismatic, historical and artistic significance. The main exposition covers the period from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century.

Museum website with up-to-date information on opening hours, admission prices and exhibitions

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