Riga: Paris of the North

Riga, the capital of Latvia, is the largest city of the three countries in the Baltic Sea. Its well-preserved historical elements and the unique and exquisite architectures have attracted numerous tourists to visit the city.

Riga is divided into the New Town and Old Town. The Old Town is located at the right bank of the Daugava River and is surrounded by the canal. The Old Town features the city style of Middle Ages: low-rise buildings, narrow streets, red tiles and so on. While the New Town has a strong flavor of modern style with broad avenues, grand buildings, fountains, memorials and statues everywhere.

The main attractions

Blackheads' House

Built in 1344, House of the Blackheads is an ancient building located in Riga’s Old Town, which belonged to the Brotherhood of Black Heads, a league organized by a German unmarried businessman in Riga. The building was bombarded by a German plane and left in ruins; its remnants were demolished by the Soviet government in 1948 and rebuilt from 1995 to 1999.

Museum of the Occupation in Latvia

The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia is an historic educational institution located in Riga, Latvia. It was established in 1993 to exhibit artifacts, archive documents, and educate the public about the 51-year period in the 20th century when Latvia was successively occupied by the USSR in 1939, then by Nazi Germany in 1941, and then again by the USSR in 1944.

St Peter's Lutheran Church

St. Peter's Church is a Gothic architecture located in central area of the Old Town, and was completed in the thirteenth century. It is the best spot to overlook the whole city with a height of 123.25 meters.

Dome Cathedral

Built in 1211, the Dome Cathedral is the largest church in the Baltic Region, standing on the DomaLaukums. There is a pipe organ composed of 6,768 pipes in this church, which was completed in 1884.

St Jacob's Cathedral

The church building was dedicated in 1225. It was not originally a cathedral since the RīgasDoms served that function. At the beginning of the 15th century the Holy Cross Chapel was built at the south end of the early Gothic church, and part of the church was transformed into a basilica.

Riga Castle

The castle was founded in 1330 and served as the residence of Master of the Livonian Order. Today it is the official residence of the President of Latvia as well as home to several museums.

Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum

Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum is an open-air museum located just outside Riga, on the lightly wooded shores of Juglas Lake. The museum currently occupies 87 hectares and displays 118 buildings, as well as more than 3,000 items. Most of Latvia's historical ethnic groups are represented in the museum.

Freedom Monument

Unveiled in 1935, the Freedom Monument is a memorial located in Riga, honoring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920).

Three Brothers

Three Brothers, the unique examples of buildings of various styles in Riga, are situated behind the DomaLaukums. The three buildings respectively represent the architectural styles in different periods of the Middle Ages and also the most well-preserved stone architectures in Riga.

Livu Square & Cat House

Livu Square is comparatively “young,” it was formed in the middle of the 20th century. Located in the Square is one of the most interesting complexes of residential buildings of 18th century in Riga. In summer time, there are a lot of street cafes and life here is never quiet.

Town Hall

The Town Hall is opposite to the Blackheads' House and is located s in the north of the square. It was once destroyed in the World War II and was rebuilt later.

Powder Tower

The Powder Tower was built in the 14th Century and has a cylindrical body shape. Today, a war museum has been established in it.