Old Town
As a center of commerce in the Middle Ages, there was lot more money floating around Riga than in Tallinn or Vilnius. It shows. The merchant houses, guilds and churches have that extra touch of class and wealth. Two or three hundred years ago there was pressure for Burghers and Barons to keep up with the Joneses, so to speak. And, in this town, they had the money to do it. Efforts by the rich to outdo one another left old city Riga a rich legacy of buildings, courtyards and squares.
A good place to start any tour is atop the spire of
St. Peter’s Church
Skarnu 19; tel. 735-6699. Open:10-17; closed Mon.
The church was destroyed during World War II. The result is a 13th century church with a somewhat botched Soviet renovation job. The main reason for coming here is the viewing platform around the spire; you can walk 360 degrees around the tower to see the whole of Riga laid out before you. This is a perfect way to get your bearings straight before you actually start pounding the cobble-stoned streets.
From St. Peter’s, you can head north to another landmark—the Dome Cathedral, tel. 721-3498. Open:13-17; Sat. 10-14; Sun., Mon. closed.
This bloated, red-brick cathedral is one of the largest and most distinctive houses of worship in the region. Begun in the 13th century by Latvia’s Teutonic conquerors, the Dome Cathedral is an impressive testament to centuries of German domination. It has gone through one reconstruction after another and is now a curious mishmash of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and other styles. The church walls are crammed with plaques celebrating the glories of Latvia’s medieval rulers. Among the distinguished Crusaders buried in crypts here is Bishop Albrecht, a key figure in subduing the local heathens in the early 1200s. Scores of other notable citizens from the past are also buried here, including most of Latvia’s archbishops and architects. After the 16th century Reformation, plots inside the church were simply sold to the highest bidder. The Dome is also renowned for its gigantic church organ, complete with 6,768 pipes. It’s the fourth largest organ in the world.
Just a few minutes northeast of the Dome Cathedral is the famous
House of Cats, on Meistaru. This is the building with cat sculptures perched on the top of its roof. The sculptor of the pair of felines fell to his death in the course of putting them in place. But that isn’t the only intrigue surrounding these figures. The owner of the house had commissioned the cats after his membership in the Big Guild across the street was rejected. Initially, they were positioned with their rear-ends facing the guild and with their tails straight up. Taking this as the insult it was intended to be, guild members sued in court to have the animals shifted into a less offensive posture. They won the case.
Good examples of medieval dwellings are the Three Brothers, on Maza pils 17, 19 and 21, in the northwest corner of the old city.
No. 17 was built in the 1400s; it’s the oldest stone house in Latvia. No. 19 is an architecture museum.
Another good museum is the Museum of War, inside the Powder Tower, at Smilzu 20; tel. 722-8147. Open:10-18; Mon., Tue. closed. It’s a somewhat overbearing, historically confused exhibition. But this actually makes the place all the more interesting. Many exhibits were first set up during Soviet rule to celebrate the supposed military superiority of communist states. Since then, something much closer to the truth has been superimposed over the Soviet propaganda—though the Latvians also sometimes fudge historical events a bit in their favor. The museum includes an array of weapons used by and against Latvians over the last 700 years—armor, muskets, shells and more. There’s also a fine exhibit on World War I—a war in which Latvian territory featured prominently. Most exhibit labels are in Latvian, but special guides can be arranged.
No trip to Riga is complete without visiting the Freedom Monument, at the beginning of Brivibas street. It has come to symbolize Riga itself in the way the Eiffel Tower has come to symbolize Paris. Built in the thirties to commemorate Latvian independence, it’s a puzzle why the Soviets didn’t tear down Milda when they took over in 1940. It was designed by one of Latvia’s most renowned sculptors and even the Sovs may not have wanted to risk the natives’ wrath by tearing it down. During the Soviet era, a running joke was that the monument was a travel agency, because anyone who dared place flowers at its base got a free, one-way ticket to faraway Siberia.
Other Old Town Sights
House of Black-heads and the Town Hall: The 14th century guild house and Town Hall, on Melngalvju nams, have miraculously risen from the ashes of war. These buildings and the cobblestone square around them were destroyed in a 1941 bombing raid. Their restoration virtually from scratch began only in 1995. The area is already attracting crowds, even though finishing touches to the buildings and their surroundings are still being made. Currently, the black, boxy Occupation Museum sits awkwardly right up against the ornate House of Blackheads; the city wants to move the museum and dynamite this ungodly looking shoebox in which it’s located, but some Latvians say it’s a sacred building in its own right and should stay put. Adding to the historical schizophrenia is that a monument to the famed Latvian Riflemen is just a few meters away, as are a number of unsightly Soviet-built office complexes.
Riga Castle: Now home to Latvia’s president, this old city castle was built by German knights in 1330. On several occasions the ruling Germans had to barricade themselves inside as disenchanted townsfolk tried to storm the castle. You can get the best look at it from the Vansu Bridge, spanning the mighty Daugava River.
St. Saviour’s Church: A little piece of Britain in Latvia. This Gothic-styled church, built in 1857, was constructed on ten meters of gravel brought from Britain by English merchants. The church, at Anglikanu 2a, belongs to the Church of England. English-language services every Sunday.
Swedish Gate: An old-city gate built by ruling Swedes in 1698; it’s the only gate still standing. Sadly, most of Riga’s old-city wall was torn down in the 1800s to improve the flow of traffic in the economically booming city. Nearby is the Powder Tower, the only one of 18 original towers still standing. See the Russian cannonballs that stuck in the tower (G/H-3) during attacks in the 16-17th centuries.
Mentzendorff’s House: A 17th century house on Gricinieku 18. Open during the day, it gives visitors a good sense of how Riga’s rich and famous lived 300 years ago.
