Old Rīga
Built in 1695 as the home of a wealthy German glazier, this sparsely furnished house offers insight into everyday life for Rīga's successful merchants…
Must-see attractions in Rīga
Ķīpsala, Āgenskalns & Torņakalns
A rare example of an all-wood art nouveau building, this 1909 four-storey apartment house was built as worker housing. Now renovated for the better-heeled…
Latvian National Museum of Art
Central Rīga
Latvia's main gallery, sitting on the edge of the Esplanāde's leafy grounds, is an impressive building that was purpose-built in a baroque-classical style…
Old Rīga
Built into the city’s medieval walls in 1698 while the Swedes were in power, this arched gate is the only one left in Old Rīga. Set in the largest…
Central Rīga
One of Latvia's greatest writers, Blaumanis (1863-1908) wrote the short story 'In the Shadow of Death.' one of his most famous works. This statue was…
Central Rīga
A former tower hill, which used to be a part of the city wall, It is now the highest and arguably the most romantic feature of the park that runs along…
Memorials to Victims of 20 January 1991
Central Rīga
On 20 January 1991 Soviet riot police stormed the nearby Latvian interior ministry, killing five people. The stone slabs serve as a memorial to the…
Old Rīga
A branch of the National History Museum, this exhibition involving interactive multimedia technology covers the period of the third Atmoda (national…
Central Rīga
This gracious red-brick neo-Gothic church is dedicated to St Gertrude, the patron saint of travellers. Surrounded by flamboyant art nouveau architecture,…
Ķīpsala, Āgenskalns & Torņakalns
Looking like a ski-jump ramp designed by Swarovski, this recent Rīga landmark is a prophesy fulfilled. A feature of many Latvian fairy tales, the Castle…
Old Rīga
Rīga's historic town hall was destroyed in WWII and rebuilt from scratch in 2003. A statue of St Roland, the city’s patron, takes pride of place on the…
Old Rīga
This quirky museum houses a collection of porcelain assembled in now-defunct local porcelain factories from Soviet times. One was run by Russians hailing…
Rīga
The shipping yard behind the Central Market is the latest district to benefit from a generous dose of gentrification. These crumbling brick warehouses…
Rīga
Set in a hilly pine forest in Mežaparks, Rīga National Zoo has a modest collection of animals, including an assortment of tropical fauna, as well as the…
Latvian National Museum of History
Central Rīga
This museum traces Latvian history from the Stone Age to the hipster age. If the exhibits have a temporary feel it's because the museum is meant to return…
Maskavas Forštate, Avotu Iela & Grīziņkalns
It would be a classical-style Lutheran church like many others if it wasn't made entirely of wood, which makes it a unique architectural gem that…
Central Rīga
Built in 1924 as a gentle way to encourage Rīgans not to be late for work, this clock is a popular meeting place, carrying the branding of a popular…
Central Rīga
One of the great Latvian writers, Rainis – his pen name – created works that called for independence and have become part of the Latvian identity. He died…
Old Rīga
The entire north side of Torņa iela is flanked by the custard-coloured 18th-century Jacob’s Barracks, inhabited by cafes and boutiques.
Old Rīga
A statue of St Roland, the city’s patron, takes pride of place on the square in front of the town hall.
Central Rīga
On 18 November 1918 Latvia declared its independence at the baroque National Theatre.
