Riga, Latvia Photo Gallery
Looking towards Old Town Riga from the cruise ship.
Centra Nams, a building of luxury apartments that was near the port. I took this photo from my balcony. At first I thought this looked like an American mega-church.
The National Library of Latvia is a national cultural institution. Its current main building is known as the Castle of Light.
We found another bakery and coffee shop, V Kuze.
We had a mango eclair, cinnamon roll, pastry with apple filling and a macaroon, all good.
I love all the old cobblestone streets.
The monument commemorates the declaration of Latvia's independence in 1991. The citizens of Riga were afraid of Soviet invasion and built barricades to protect the city. It is situated near the buildings of Latvian Parliament.
The graffiti in the background warns against the old threat returning.
I just found this street interesting.
The “Three Brothers” is a complex of three houses in Riga built between the 15th and 17th centuries. Amongst the three is the oldest known surviving stonebuilt house in Riga.
The art museum in Riga.
Dome Square is the largest square in the Old Town. It is deemed to be the heart of the city as all activities meet here, flowing in from seven streets like seven arteries.
Historically, Riga Cathedral was the main bishop's church of Livonia right until 1561 when Livonia collapsed. It is the biggest medieval church and one of the oldest religious buildings in Latvia and in the whole Baltic region.
Another angle of Riga Cathedral.
The Cat House-It is known for the two cat sculptures, with arched backs and raised tails, on its roof. It is said that the owner of the house wanted the cats to be placed with their tails turned towards the house of the Great Guild, which is nearby, as he held a grudge against its members.
The squares here had a different feel because of the fir trees, not something we'd noticed in other cities.
All these cafes looked like they would be very good.
The square here was so pretty with many different flowers.
The House of the Blackheads-The original building was erected in 1334 as a warehouse, meeting and celebration place for merchants. It was also used by Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners and foreigners. Additionally, it is the site of the first decorated Christmas tree, which was erected in 1510.
The fancy gate of the House of the Blackheads.
St Peter's Church, Riga' tallest church being 404 ft tall. The tower has collapsed, burned down, and been destroyed along with part of the church in WW II. It was rebuilt in 1967.
St Peter's Church is a parish church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. The first information about it was recorded in documents in 1209, when the cemetery located next to it was consecrated.
Margaret and I up in St Peter's tower with the breathtaking view of the red roofs of Old Town.
Riga Central Market is Europe's largest market and bazaar. The main structures are five pavilions constructed by reusing old German Zeppelin hangars. The Riga Radio and TV Tower is the tallest tower in the European Union. It was built between 1979 and 1989 with funding from the central government of the Soviet Union.
The Latvian Academy of Sciences is the official science academy of Latvia and is an association of the country's foremost scientists.
The Railway Bridge is a bridge that crosses the Daugava river and is the first iron railway bridge in Riga.
I'm up in St. Peter's tower looking down on the red roofs of old town.
Another photo from St. Perter's tower looking at the old town and beyond.
The Vanšu Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that crosses the Daugava river. The word vanšu refers to the cables suspending its deck, comparing them to nautical rigging also known as shrouds in English; thus a direct translation of the name is Shroud Bridge. The interesting building is Swedbank.
From St Peter's tower looking at the bell tower of Riga Cathedral and our ship.
The Powder Tower-originally a part of the defensive system of the town. The name of the powder tower dates back to the 17th century when apparently gunpowder was stored in it.
Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ is the largest Orthodox cathedral in the Baltic provinces built with the blessing of the Russian Tsar Alexander II. The green statue is the Freedom Monument. It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia.
The big RIGA sign and clock is at the Central Station. The 2 towers in the background are old water towers.
The Palace of Justice, (with the green roof) the location of the Supreme Court of Latvia and St Frances Roman Catholic Church and Liela Kalna -John the Baptist Church with the black domes.
The white building is the Grand Poet a hotel and the interesting structure behind it is the Academy of Arts of Latvia.
We thought Riga was such a picturesque city and loved the cobblestone streets.
Riga Black Balsam is often considered to be the national drink of Latvia. It was created in 1752 by Abraham Kunze, an apothecary (pharmacist) and legend says healed Catherine the Great when she was ill in Riga.
Northwest Tower of the Castle of Riga-The castle is a residence for a president of Latvia
A beach at the mouth of the River Daugava.
The seashore is very pretty.
The lighthouse at the mouth of the river.