Walk around Riga. Sights of Riga: Old Town
Last summer, my wife and grandson traveled by car to 9 countries, not counting Russia: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland again, Belarus. 26 days, 6500 km.
It's not far from Pskov to Riga. Road across the border with Estonia. We don't drive fast. We like to stop, drink coffee, and stop in some town along the way. This time we stopped by Sigulda. I’ve known this name for a long time, I often fall for the names. Sigulda turned out to be such a big village. Quite nice, but somehow unstructured. We reached Riga in the evening.
We quickly checked into a hostel near the station and went for a walk in the old town. There was an hour and a half left before darkness. The weather was not good, it was going to rain all the time. Moreover, I was unfairly fined for illegal parking. True, I later managed to challenge the fine (all via the Internet) and by the end of the trip I received a letter that the commission recognized that I was right. In general, the mood was no better than the weather. I took pictures and thought that with such a mood nothing would work out at all. But something happened.
1. The Riga tram impressed my grandson very much. 
2. Old Riga, as always, is lovely. I've been here several times under Soviet rule. 
3. What is Riga without the Dome Cathedral 
4. Absolutely awesome House of Blackheads. I haven’t seen it before, the house was restored in 1996-2000. The black parallelepiped on the right was built and is familiar to me as the Latvian Riflemen Museum, now it is the Museum of Occupation. 
5. For some reason, the Bremen Town Musicians appeared in Riga. The monument in Bremen is somehow more organic. 
5.1 As explained in the comments, Riga is Bremen’s sister city. And this is a gift from Africa to Germany.
Well, then the Bremen Town Musicians: 
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7. Very cute 
8. It seemed that there was somehow too much tourist tinsel in the old city - these verandas, often occupying entire streets, idle crowds... Now I understand that this impression arose, perhaps, out of habit - the effect of the first old European city on the way . It will get worse :) 
9. At first we had some tension, provoked by the popular opinion that Russians were treated poorly in the Baltics. Nothing like this! Didn't notice this. On the contrary, everyone answers in Russian very kindly and helps you get your bearings. Young people and not so young. This guitarist was singing, and three couples were dancing in front of the stage. Apparently it was a folk dance. The music ended and the guitarist greeted the audience in the purest Russian. 
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The program was used when processing photographs
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Of course, Riga did not begin with Town Hall Square and we were not the first to admire it architectural ensemble. So I'll limit myself to a couple of pictures.
Noticed this building
which does not flaunt its modernity, does not shout about it, but tactfully complements the ensemble of Town Hall Square.Between this building and the Blackheads' house there is another building - the Blue Guard Warehouse.
The city contained various kinds of armed detachments already from the middle of the 13th century, which from the 14th century received the name guard. The Blue Guard was founded in the 1st quarter of the 18th century by clerks of Riga merchants and was named after the color of their uniforms. The Blue Guard had a glorious military history and participated in all significant military campaigns. The Blue Guard existed until the end of the 19th century, but its Warehouse still occupies worthy place even with such masters of Riga as the House of the Blackheads. Here is another photo of this house, which at one time housed the Riga Fire Society.
Such modern look The public building was acquired in 1999.
Tirgonu Street - merchants' street departs from Town Hall Square and adjoins Town Hall Square, retail space. Traders settled there and there were merchant shops.
On the corner of Maza Monetu and Maza Jaunielu - Flower House. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a pharmacy in it, probably a homeopathic one, judging by the coloring.
The former pharmacy is located on the corner of an ordinary street, the kind that is a dime a dozen in old European cities.
And isn’t it about Maza Moneta (Malaya Monetnaya) V. Klopotovsky, a journalist, wrote - LIKE A CUT IN A PIGGY BANK A ALLEY, CROVEY AND NARROW - OLD!…
And this street was listed in my Riga program as No. 1 - Jauniela.
She is Flower, she is Baker Street, the heroine of Soviet cinema.
Almost everything abroad was then filmed in Riga. Tallinn too, although they got the roles. There was a pet store in this house, where Professor Pleischner came.
The one that is one-story, covered with snow.
And he jumped out of the window of this house.
Although the house is not only remarkable for this - it is another example of a combination of eclecticism and modernity.
The decoration of the portal is a charming mascaron against the backdrop of the sun. The entire building is completely asymmetrical, although somewhat heavy, especially compared to the surrounding buildings.
As in the whole city, there is an endless stream of visitors on Jaunielu-Flower-Baker Street. Despite the winter, non-tourist time
Riga guides work hard. They have something to tell and show. For example, this house where Peter I stayed.
Or this building. Charming! Wasn’t the chimney sweep sitting down to rest on the ridge of the roof?
Of course, it is inappropriate to attach Moscow names to foreign streets, but Kalkyu Street reminded Arbat. Pedestrian. Noisy. Ludna. Beautiful.
The Kalei-Kuznechnaya branch departs from it; the fire-hazardous forges were moved here in the 17th century. Essentially Kaleju is the Ridzene embankment.
And it repeats the path of its flow through Old Riga. Unfortunately, the river no longer exists; its bed was filled up long ago.
The building of the Russian theater was built for the Third Riga Mutual Credit Society. A careful look in the previous photo will notice the corner of this building with the inscription in the medallion. This is the most outstanding building on this street. Heavily rebuilt during Soviet times, it blocked the neighboring Kaleya-Kuznechnaya street. That glass gallery connecting the two buildings and hanging over Kaleju Street is just the remnant of the extension.
The recent renovation cleared up the street and gave the theater such a respectable appearance.
There is a horseshoe attached to the window of the 2nd floor. She was lost while galloping, either by the horse of Peter I, or
Charles XII. It is interesting that the Latvian guidebook about Petreni, not in spirit, tells a legend about Karl. In the book “Russian Riga” (a wonderful publication, easy, pleasant and interesting to read), Ilya Dimenstein says that it was the Russian emperor’s horse that lost a horseshoe and is indignant that modern guides have transferred the emphasis to the Swedish Charles. They probably owe more to Karl than to Peter! Here is the horseshoe itself (I confess, the photo is not great.)
Perpendicular to Kalki, it goes to Meistar (Masters) - this is a continuation of Kaley, which was once the embankment of the Ridzene River
Medieval buildings have been preserved on it. Probably, the cow brought considerable income to the owners if they erected its sculpture above the entrance.
There is no way to pass by the Small Guild building! The Union of Riga Craftsmen erected such a palace. Now within the walls of the Small Guild there is a museum and at the gate there is a barker dressed in the costume of a medieval artisan.
The building acquired a modern façade at the end of the 19th century. designed by I.D. Felsko in the style of eclectic English Gothic.
Amatu Street separates the Small and Large Guilds, hiding from the eyes of the curious another wonderful house, which has a turret
trying to imitate his famous brothers. Or compete with them!
There is no shortage of turrets!
And these cats on spiers are famous for the fact that the customer of the house turned them either with their muzzle or with their tail
to the Great Guild building. He was not accepted into its membership - and the cat turned its tail towards the Guild, they changed their decision - and the cat nobly turned its muzzle towards the building. It doesn’t take much intelligence to guess that the house is called that, the Cat’s House.
From this perspective, it is noticeable that there are two cats, on both turrets. We missed the dog, there is a dog somewhere nearby on the ridge of the building, right opposite the cats. But we paid attention to the decoration of the building’s portal.
The mascaron above the entrance is a personal monogram of that short era, 1907-1914. The clever book says that such masks express the significance of work in the life of every person.
And here is the Great Guild - the building of the union of traders and merchants. Rebuilt after the fire in 1963. its interior hall was refurbished
V concert hall Riga Philharmonic.
It seems that the houses on Kenya Street simply parted, moved away for a while to clear the passage
and give an inquisitive eye the opportunity to examine all the details of the big puzzle called Riga.
We stopped at a simple house on the street. Smilsha 8, not included in any guidebook.
And how can it compete with the brilliance of its neighbors? Of course, it is inferior to the decoration and surroundings of No. 12 on Valnu Street - a street of shops and institutions.
The opera was both a German and a Russian theater. Is it really a matter of nationality?
The main thing is art, and let it be eternal!
Riga doesn't give you any time to rest. Like pictures in a kaleidoscope - one brighter than the other!
Is it not about these Atlanteans that the poet wrote that WITHOUT DRINK AND BREAD, FORGOTTEN FOR CENTURIES, THE ATLANTEANS HOLD THE SKY ON STONE SHOULDERS.
The globe at the top is made of glass and zinc and is illuminated very effectively at night.
Did the occupation of its owner, an antiques dealer, influence the choice of decor? The balcony is supported by statues of Athena and Hermes, trying to help the Atlanteans support the weight of the structure.
Valnu street - 21. Probably, of all the best things in the architecture of the turn of the century, Riga has collected a dazzling collection,
putting bright exhibits on public display, boasting and being proud of them.
For connoisseurs, she saved her treasures in narrow and cramped streets.
And, as in a real museum, it does not always allow you to remove artifacts. But even from this perspective, the originality of the house can be discerned. The Lantern of Happiness is installed on it, and it is signed under it, so that it would not be interpreted otherwise. Gleznotaju street.
Probably, under Bishop Albert, the same crows circled over St. John's Cathedral, although it looked completely different then.
Of course, as often happens, people noticed the birds when they were looking through the pictures. The temple acquired its famous star-shaped vaults at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries.
But once you enter the cathedral, it is no longer possible to take your eyes off this vault. At first the temple was Catholic. Belonged to the Dominican monks, cat. in 1523 a large religious procession was organized throughout Riga and its suburbs. If only they knew what a rash step they were taking! The townspeople, who were very hostile towards Catholics, locked the city gates and did not let the monks back. For many decades the cathedral became Lutheran. It was returned to the Catholics by Stefan Batory when Poland took possession of the city. We were lucky enough to listen to a great concert organ music in the cathedral. There were so many listeners there that there was nowhere for an apple to fall. Before the concert, the pastor delivered a short sermon... in Russian!
The cathedral vault was so mesmerizing that I wanted to photograph it again and again.
The winter day is short. Dusk was already falling on Riga, enveloping the city in its mysterious light. It seems that if you stand on Skarnu Street a little longer, the front door and the hostess, dressed in a casual suit, will creak. the dress will let the cat out and rattle the bolt, closing the doors more tightly.
And in St. Peter's Cathedral the evening service will begin and God-fearing townspeople will flow in a stream to its carved portals, fearing to be late for the start of the mass:
And from around the corner of house 4 on Marstal Street a horseman will jump out and spur his horse. You never know what else can happen on New Year's Eve!
It was not planned to be a festive lunch at all, it was a gift from Riga!
In the cozy Province cafe on Kungu Street we were the last admitted visitors and the meal turned out to be truly festive!
Walking around Old Riga
We flew to the capital of Latvia for Christmas, of course, not for the cold Baltic Sea, but in order to be away from worries and celebrate this holiday in a European way. Listen to the organ in the Dome Cathedral and wander through the narrow streets of old Riga, get acquainted with local cuisine and attractions.
What can you see in Riga? The first and most grandiose architectural structure is the famous Dome Cathedral (from the Latin “House of God”).
It's massive imposing historical monument was founded in the 13th century by the chief bishop of Riga. The Dome Cathedral was rebuilt over many centuries. The peculiarity and uniqueness of its architecture is a harmonious mixture of different styles: Gothic, Baroque, Renaissance... He has elements from every era he went through.
In recent years, the cathedral has been under restoration. This is a long process that requires significant financial investments. The interior decoration is modest and quite simple. The walls and high ceiling are simply white; the eye glides over them, clinging only to the bright stained glass windows telling about historical events.
Inside there are numerous rows of wooden benches, pulpits, an ancient altar, and armor. The thing for which we were especially eager to get here - the famous 25-meter organ - was hidden behind restoration scaffolding.
Although, this makes it sound no less convincing. He has a huge range of sounds in his arsenal; he can reproduce everything: from the sound of rain to the neighing of a horse. On certain days, hour-long concerts are given on the organ and, believe me, this hour flies by. The recording, which is typical, is not able to accurately convey the solemnity and atmosphere of its sound. These things definitely need to be heard live.
The instrument consists of more than 6 thousand pipes. During restoration, in one of the pipes they somehow found the mummy of a rat and a cat, who dived there in an unknown century...
We wandered the streets for hours, spinning around, now returning to the square, now delving into remote courtyards.
Winter here is quite mild. The grass in the park is green, the air is damp, but not chilly. The only trouble is that it may start to rain coldly. Therefore, it is better to have an umbrella with you, or sit in a warm place so as not to catch a cold.
In the old part of the city, wandering along the rounded and uneven paving stones, you will constantly come across such interesting, ancient places. But it’s better if someone tells you about the meaning and past of these small houses with crooked walls. Because when you find out what their past contains, you will look at everything with completely different eyes.
For example, this gray piece of building with a crooked convex wall is nothing more than the house of the executioner who once lived here. According to legend, on the day of his execution, a glove was placed on his lower window. This meant that there was a job for him.
If you want to not just explore, but get acquainted with the history of the city, find out interesting historical facts– it’s better to take a Russian-speaking guide, of which there are many here. He will take you to places you would never go on your own, take you inside houses and hidden courtyards, tell you historical facts and take photos of you at the same time.
In general, Russian speech can be heard everywhere, and local residents friendly.
The guide shows us what remains of the medieval street.
The famous “Gingerbread houses”, one of the main decorations of New Street in Riga.
In the old part of the city there is the famous Vermansky Park, quiet corner nature in the city center, where you can calmly stroll and wander along the picturesque bridges spanning the canal.
Riga has many museums, attractions and just wonderful places. There is a rather interesting, sometimes even creepy, museum of the history of medicine named after Paul Stradiņš. This is one of the largest medical museums in the world, spread over several floors, with an entertaining, extensive exhibition.
Riga is famous for its buildings of the Art Nouveau era (aka Art Nouveau, or Art Nouveau). In 1997, the capital of Latvia was included in the list world heritage UNESCO. The famous Russian architect Mikhail Osipovich Ezenstein worked on the construction of some of these buildings.
Here is one of his buildings. House number 4 on Alberta Street.
The architectural elements of buildings inevitably attract the eye. The peculiarity of the short, only 20 years, Art Nouveau era is its originality and special, unique atmosphere. The architecture of buildings and interiors is distinguished by the rejection of straight lines and angles in favor of more natural, “natural” ones. All structural elements: stairs, doors, pillars, balconies were artistically processed. There is forging, stucco, statues and bas-reliefs.
We had a separate excursion around Art Nouveau, which took almost half a day.
What is typical is that buildings created in the same style are completely different. But, as a rule, they are all solemn, enriched with a large number of decorative elements. All are well-groomed, as if they had just been rebuilt.
There is also a souvenir shop here.
There is also a Museum of Art Nouveau in Riga, presented in the form of a large apartment. It has restored the original interior of a residential building from the early 20th century. Here you can look at this style from the inside - the layout, ceiling paintings, stained glass windows, original household items of that time: furniture, clothes, dishes...
At the entrance to the museum, you can choose a hat from that era and take a photo against the background of the interior. Girls, as a rule, cannot resist temptation.
Of course, not every family could afford such an environment. Rather, it is a home for bohemians, wealthy, spiritualized aesthetes. This style, although it was bright, did not catch on en masse, which was due to the high cost of all these exquisite and unique things.
After such a rich cultural program, I want to take a little break.
There are plenty of places where you can sit and have a snack in Riga. But there are special, favorite and atmospheric establishments that are definitely worth visiting.
One of these places is the Magic Pharmacy. The establishment is amazing. The atmosphere inside is gloomy. Raw brick walls, wood, antique books on the shelves and glass vials with incomprehensible contents. A reference to the alchemists of the Middle Ages. However, desserts and drinks here are the most common, you can safely order them. Those wishing to taste and purchase Riga balsam are welcome!
But these miracle bubbles contain the ingredients of Riga balsam.
A narrow stone staircase leads to the second hall, a basement room. This is, just for a minute, a bar counter.
There is another unique establishment in Riga that cultivates medieval romance. It is also located in the old part of the city. The Rosengrals restaurant is located in ancient wine cellars. The service staff is dressed in medieval clothes, and the waiter will be happy to tell you about the cuisine of those times. The dishes in this establishment seem to be prepared according to old recipes. Inside, the room is lit exclusively by candles, so it’s quite dark, it’s a basement after all. This is an ideal setting for romantic people, but be prepared to pay a lot for this atmosphere. Yes and in tourist season It can be difficult to get into this establishment.
The small squares leading to the streets of the old town are crowded and noisy late at night.
Right here, traditional food and sweets are prepared in cauldrons, the most pleasant smells emanate. You can try fried pork with peas, blood sausages with sauerkraut, and wash it all down with the “witch’s” drink.
By evening, the festive festivities gain momentum. Souvenir shops lure you in. The souvenirs are all locally produced and of high quality. Leather bags, animal skins, knitted hats, jewelry.
Also a very necessary thing.
If you want to take a piece of Riga with you, then you should go to the nearest Dzintars store for perfume. The souvenir will be quite inexpensive. Also, among the various types, you can choose Riga balsam to suit your taste. In order to remember the vacation spent in this city over a cup of coffee with balm.
We arrived just before the old town. The weather that day decided to test our body and in the morning it gave out 3 degrees of heat. We put on all our warm clothes and the walk began.
The beginning was taken from the statue of liberty
And the house at number 20 is connected by history with Russia and Peter 1. During the siege of the city by Russian troops, Tsar Peter 1 dressed up as a beggar and studied the city to obtain information about the enemy. During such a tour, he noticed that the Swedish army had planted explosives under the Powder Gate. While trying to put out the candle, he was spotted and barely managed to escape. To save Riga, a quick capture of the city was organized and an explosion was avoided. In memory of this, a horseshoe from Peter’s horse was nailed to the house.
Nearby is another reminder of Russia - at Kaļķu 16 there is the Riga Russian Theater, which was opened on October 2, 1883.
“Until 1883, there was no permanent Russian theater in Riga. Occasionally, only amateur performances were given, and there were several cases of small provincial troupes visiting here.
It was only in the early 80s of the 19th century that the construction of the house of the Russian Craft Artel and the Beehive Society, in which there were halls with stages, was completed. Here the opportunity only opened up to begin to implement the idea of organizing permanent Russian theatrical performances in Riga, which had occupied leading Russian people since the 60s of the last century, i.e. since the awakening of the Russian here social movement, the consequence of which was the emergence of the first Russian public institutions...
This was achieved in 1883, which year should be considered the year of the founding of the permanent Russian theater in Riga.”
While reading the story about the Russian Theater, we reached Livov Square. A story about the square.
Then we will continue our walk. To do this, we will walk along the street between the buildings of the Big and Small Guilds - Amatu Street.
As soon as we enter this space between the buildings, what immediately catches our eye is fairytale castle with their turrets. This is house 4 on Amatu Street. In addition to its appearance, it is interesting for its boy on the ledge. Here at such a height he sits, crosses his legs, scratches his head and reads a book. Serious work at such a height. We go further until we hit Šķūņu street. A little to the left of the exit to the street, house 12/14 will attract attention. The so-called house with a dog (as opposed to a house with cats). Beautiful building it's hard not to notice. It is more difficult to notice a dog on the high point visor, as the street is very narrow. Legend says that the owner loved his dog very much and decided to perpetuate her memory.
Further on the path through the streets of Old Riga led us again to Town Hall Square, and then to Menzendorf’s house. But we will talk about this in the continuation of our walks - the daytime part.