Riga is the gorgeous capital of Latvia and it is known by several different names, including “The Second City that Never Sleeps” and “The Paris of the North.” This is a spectacular city to visit with the largest European collection of art-nouveau architecture, including praying goddesses and nightmarish gargoyles. With over 700,000 people, Riga is the largest city within the Baltic States and is a multicultural city that is perfect for travelers near and far. You can enjoy active recreation, architecture, culture, food, and more. Here are the top attractions to make it a point to see while in Riga.

1. Old Town Riga

You can find Old Town Riga, or Old Riga, along the Daugava’s right bank. This is the geographical and historic center of the city, covering a small inner area that includes fortifications dating back to the 13th through 18th century. This area has a high concentration of medieval architecture that managed to survive two world wars without damage. Old Town hosts the Riga Dome Cathedral (from the 13th century), St. Jacob’s Cathedral (where you can find the Seat for the Roman Catholic Church), St. Peter’s Church, the Synagogue of Old Riga, and other gorgeous buildings. This is the ideal area of the city for history buffs.

Website: www.rigaoldtown.com

 

2: Freedom Monument

The Freedom Monument is 42 meters tall and bears a phrase which translates to “For Fatherland and Freedom.” The monument is dedicated to Latvian heroes who died fighting for freedom between 1918 and 1920. This monument is made up of 13 bas-reliefs and sculptures showing Latvian culture and history. There is an obelisk measuring 19 meters tall with the Freedom figure on top, measuring 9 meters itself. Since 1990, automobile traffic hasn’t been allowed directly next to the Freedom Monument, making it even easier for visitors to enjoy.

Website: www.latvia.travel

3: Riga Central Market

Central Market is just a short walk from Old Town, Central Railway Station, Riga Bus Station, and the Daugava. With between 80,000 and 100,000 daily visitors, this is one of the biggest markets throughout all of Eastern Europe. You can shop for all sorts of items in the market, ranging from produce (both fresh and marinated) to fish (fresh or smoked) to meat, milk, cheese, real country bread, honey, and more. In addition to offering food, Riga Central Market also features crafts, such as caps, scarves, knitted socks, and souvenirs. The pavilions of the market are an architectural landmark, drawing more visitors to the area and the market has been part of the UNESCO Global Heritage List since 1998.

Website: www.rct.lv

4: Riga Art Nouveau

Around a century ago, Riga was strongly influenced by the architectural style now known as Art Nouveau. This means that today, when you walk around Riga, you will notice that about forty percent of the architecture is Art Nouveau, a number much higher than other European cities have. Experts also feel that Riga was the place where Art Nouveau truly took off, finding its expression and power. The range of Art Nouveau architecture is actually part of the reason that historic Riga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This allows the city and the world to preserve the architecture as well as wooden buildings.

Website: www.latvia.travel

5: St. Peter’s Church

This church is one of the most valuable and oldest monuments from medieval architecture within the Baltic States. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since December 1997, further cementing its history and importance. The building first appears in documents from 1209, back when it was only a small hall with three aisles and maybe a bell tower. The current basilica is the result of 15th century reconstruction work, during which time the altar area was built following the Gothic design. Various portions of the church have been renovated throughout the years, largely during the 20th century. The interior restoration finished in 1983, leaving the gorgeous church you can visit today.

Website: www.latvia.travel

6: Black Head House

Black Head House or the House of the Blackheads is found in Old Town. This building was built during the early portion of the 14th century to be used by the Brotherhood of Blackheads. This brotherhood was a guild made up of unmarried German merchants who were living in Riga. There were later major works during 1580 and 1886, which is when the majority of the ornamentations were added. Germans bombed the building in 1941, with the Soviets demolishing the remains in 1948. The current building is a reconstruction built between 1995 and 1999.

Website: www.latvia.travel

7: Riga Cathedral

The Riga Cathedral is sometimes known as the Riga Dome Cathedral and it is the cathedral of the Latvian Archbishop. Until 1561 when the Livonian Order disintegrated, the cathedral housed this order. During the medieval period, this cathedral was among the oldest sacral buildings in the region as well as the largest. The cathedral has elements of Art Nouveau, Baroque, Early Gothic, and Romantic architecture.

Website: www.doms.lv

8: Bastion Hill (Bastejkalns)

Bastion Hill is a quiet park close to central Riga. This park was created during the 19th century following the removal of city bulwarks. Bastion Hill is framed on one side by the Liberty Monument and by the Blaumanis Sculpture on the other. The Pilsetas Canal divides Bastion Hill and there are a picturesque bridge, relaxing benches, and memorials for those who died fighting for the country’s freedom.

9: Three Brothers

This is the oldest block containing dwelling houses in the city and it is situated along 17 Mazā Pils Street. This particular house was built during the late 15th century and you can see the links between Riga and the Netherlands at this time via the architectural inspiration. The Three Brothers were restored between 1955 and 1957 and soon after its completion, the courtyards of the houses were joined.

Website: www.latvia.travel

10: Powder Tower (Pulvertornis)

When it was built, the Powder Tower was one of the buildings of the Riga defensive system. There aren’t records of its construction date and the current name was added later. We do know, however, that the first tower in the location was built during the 13th century and as of the 14th century, it was called Sand Tower. The modern tower is the result of building and restoration based on the lines from the 15th to 16th century tower, showing a large span of history in one site.

Website: www.citariga.lv