Latvia. Riga
Riga greeted us with sunny weather. The narrow streets of the old town captivated the attention of numerous tourists, whose numbers noticeably increased as we approached the central squares. Live music, a hallmark of Riga, added a harmonious touch to our evening stroll...
In the Town Hall Square stands the House of the Blackheads, a 14th-century architectural monument that once served the merchants' guild and now is the city's main attraction. The name "Blackheads" originated from the symbol of St. Maurice, a black head, which adorned their coat of arms.
We had plenty of time, so we managed to catch a moment when the square was relatively empty.
St. Peter's Church is a city landmark, first mentioned in 1209. Atop the spire is a rooster, one side painted gold and the other black. When the wind blows from the sea, the rooster turns its golden side to the city, indicating to merchants that ships were arriving for trade. If the wind blows in the opposite direction, the rooster shows its dark side...
The statue of Roland in Riga’s Town Hall Square symbolized the conclusion of trade and economic agreements and the city's entry into the Hanseatic League...
Skārņu Street is quite remarkable. It offers a beautiful view of St. John's Lutheran Church and the Convent Yard (the yellow building in the center), which was a medieval widow’s shelter for guild members' wives...
Speaking of "live" musicians, Riga's streets and squares are filled with them. Their performances added melody, energy, and spirit, making them one of the city's key attractions...
Here stands the Dome Cathedral, the largest medieval church in the Baltic States...
A brass plaque with information that Riga's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage site...
An example of medieval architecture is the complex called the "Three Brothers" – "White Brother" "Middle Brother" and "Green Brother"...
The square is named after the Livs, a small Baltic-Finnic people. It houses the Great and Small Guild buildings (merchant and craftsmen organizations, respectively), and the legendary Cat House...
The Cat House is famous for the cat statues on its pointed towers. There’s a whole legend about this house: the owner, after being refused membership in the Great Guild, placed cats on the roof with their tails turned towards the windows of the Great Guild’s senior office. Eventually, the cats were turned to face forward, but not without causing quite a stir...
The Lovers’ Bridge...
Laima Clock...
Strolling through Riga’s streets...
After exploring the old town, we crossed the bridge over the Daugava River and descended to the promenade of a small peninsula, offering beautiful panoramas of Riga from the river...
In the evening, a heavy rainstorm hit, followed by the sun re-emerging, allowing us to see the Town Hall Square in new colors...
In the evening, the Town Hall Square was illuminated only until 10:30 PM, after which the lighting of the city's main buildings ceased...
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