Location: Map
Riga is the capital and the largest city of
Latvia. It is the largest city in the Baltic States and home to more
than a third of the population of Latvia, and is the largest
cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and
industrial center of the Baltic Sea region. The city is located in
the Gulf of Riga, at the mouth of the Daugava River. It has an area
of 307.17 km² and is located on a sandy plain between 1 and 10
meters above sea level.
Riga was founded in 1201 and is a former member of the Hanseatic
League. The historic center of Riga, declared a World Heritage Site
by Unesco, stands out for its art nouveau architecture and its 19th
century wooden buildings. The city was designated European Capital
of Culture in 2014, together with Umeå in Sweden. The city is
communicated by air thanks to Riga International Airport, the
largest airport in the Baltic States.
Riga is a member of Eurocities, the union of the Baltic cities (UBC)
and the Union of Capitals of the European Union (UCEU).
There are a lot of interesting things in Riga. The
standard tourist program consists of long walks through the Old Town
with a stop at the Dome Cathedral and St. Peter's Church, exploring the
adjacent boulevards with the Freedom Monument, Art Nouveau houses in the
Albertas iela area, and maybe the high-rise Academy of Sciences with the
central market located nearby, although this final part is unlikely to
arouse enthusiasm among those who are looking for European cleanliness
and accuracy. Of course, you can’t neglect all of the above, however,
you won’t get a complete picture of the city in this way, but you will
see only the very, very center, while the historical districts of Riga
occupy a good half of the modern city.
Although Riga has a rich
medieval history, there are few objects older than the 17th century in
it: these are several churches of the Old Town, fragments of the city
walls with the only surviving (Powder) tower, the Eck convention and one
of the "three brothers" - a complex of medieval houses, two of which
were built when the Middle Ages in the Baltics irrevocably ended. On the
contrary, a lot has been preserved from the 17th century - this is the
famous facade of the house of the Blackheads (however, destroyed during
the war and only recently restored), and multi-storey merchant houses
with sharp roofs (Menzendorf, Dannenstern), and purely baroque mansions
like the Reitern house, and, finally, auxiliary buildings such as barns
and warehouses. Riga Castle has preserved layers from different eras. It
is based on the buildings of the 16th century, but visually it is
perceived as something from the Swedish time, which is greatly
facilitated by the forburg attached at that time.
Walking around
the Old Town, you will surely notice a bunch of multi-storey buildings
built no earlier than the end of the 19th century. During this period,
Riga experienced a powerful construction boom, which affected, among
other things, the historical center. The buildings of the large and
small merchant guilds are made in the Neo-Gothic style, the famous house
with black cats (named after the sculptures standing on the roof) is a
wonderful monument of Art Nouveau, and all this fits well into the
landscape, although it has nothing to do with old Riga. The true
antiquity of the Old Town is now hidden in narrow streets and
cobblestone pavements, but the architecture here is very different,
including modern.
At the turn of the XIX and XX centuries. were
built in Riga in different ways, but from this variety their own style,
which was later called the Riga Art Nouveau, steadily stands out. Most
of all, it resembles German Art Nouveau (“Jugend”), although rich stucco
and classical sculptures, more typical of Austria-Hungary, play a
significant role in it. The most famous modern houses are on the streets
of Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela parallel to it, where a prestigious
district with cozy restaurants and cafes has been formed. Slightly less
refined, but no less interesting hundred-year-old buildings are
scattered throughout the St. Petersburg suburb: you can walk there for
hours, discovering new and new corners.
In addition to
multi-storey residential buildings, churches were also built in Riga,
and a variety of them. For example, in the Moscow suburb, a kilometer
from each other, you will find several Orthodox churches (including the
Old Believers), Catholic and Lutheran churches, as well as the ruins of
a synagogue and a Stalinist skyscraper, which is also in a sense a
temple - only not of religion, but of science. They built in different
styles, from wood and stone, and this diversity is one of the main
features of Riga. Interesting neo-gothic temples should be looked for in
the St. Petersburg suburb, and another gallery of temples of different
faiths is located in the Agenskalns area in Zadvinje.
Wooden
houses are also an important part of Riga. In the St. Petersburg
outskirts, they sometimes wedged into high-rise buildings, violating the
harmony and severity of long, straight and like two drops of water
similar to old Petersburg streets. Ordinary wooden buildings of a
hundred years ago - in the Moscow suburb, interesting wooden mansions
are found on Kalnciema iela and adjacent streets in the Agenskalns area
(aka the Kalnciems quarter). There are many authentic wooden buildings
in the former workers' quarter of Sarkandaugava in the northern part of
the right bank.
Finally, the last, but no less important
component of pre-revolutionary Riga is the old plants and factories.
When tourists get tired of the spiers on the traditional panorama of the
Old City, Riga can brand its old water towers, which are found in every
district and are very colorful. Even more colorful are the industrial
buildings stretching along the railroad along the perimeter of the
Petersburg outskirts and even going beyond it, like the old buildings of
the car building (RVR) and electrical engineering (VEF) factories, where
among the many utilitarian buildings you can find, for example, a
luxurious neo-Gothic building of the old building VEF with a statue of
Zeus on the facade.
The main legacy of the first Latvian Republic
in Riga is the Freedom
Monument. It sets the tone for the entire interwar
Latvian architecture: dim, monotonous and a little heavy, more
gravitating towards modernism than to the geometric forms of
functionalism and Bauhaus. The most notable architectural monument of
this period is the central market, and small forms are most fully
represented by villas in the Mežaparks area.
The Soviet period
brought several new elements to the Riga landscape at once. Firstly, all
the central bridges across the Daugava were built: without their unusual
shapes and wonderful lighting reflected in the dark water, it is no
longer possible to imagine the panorama of Old Riga. The attitude
towards the Stalinist skyscraper of the Academy of Sciences in Riga is
reserved, and it stands in the middle of outright slums, but it has
become the high-rise dominant of the city - along with a bizarre and
very high (368.5 m) TV tower. In recent years, the skyline of the city
has been replenished with the building of the national library and
several glass skyscrapers, which gradually form an ensemble on the
previously low-rise and discreet left bank of the Daugava.
There
are observation platforms on the tower of St. Peter's Church and in the
building of the Academy of Sciences, as well as on the TV tower, but it
stands a little away from the center of Riga.
Livu Square (lat.
Līvu Laukums)
Livu Square (received this name in 2000) appeared in 1950 according
to the project of P. Seletsky on the site of the buildings destroyed
during the Second World War, and was originally called the “Square
near the Philharmonic”. In 1974, according to the project of Karlis
Barons, the square was reconstructed, paths and specially equipped
recreation areas appeared, and in the central part there was a pool
with a fountain (now it is not working).
Albert Square (lat.
Alberta laukums)
The history of the city begins with it - one of
the first settlements on the territory of Riga, where the Livs
lived, was located here. The square was located in a bend of the
river, in the harbor of which in 1201 the ships of the founder of
Riga, Bishop Albert, landed. Later, the port was moved, the river,
which had become shallow over time, was covered up, and a post
station and stables were set up on the site of its harbor. In 1889,
a square was laid out on the site of the former post office
building, which in 1923 was renamed Albert Square.
Herder
Square (lat. Herdera laukums)
It first appeared on the map of
Riga in 1650 and until 1864 was called Malaya Vesovaya because of
the location of small city scales on it. In 1864, in honor of the
centenary of the arrival of Johann Gottfried Herder in Riga, the
square was renamed (a monument to the German enlightener was also
erected on it). The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation is
located on the square.
Jekaba Square (lat. Jēkaba laukums)
Jacob's Square, which was called Yakovlevskaya Square during the
Russian Empire, appeared in the 17th century after the ramparts were
filled. At the end of the 18th century, it became a place of rest;
in the 19th century, military exercises and parades took place on it
(it was then called Parade Ground). In 1905, according to the
project of Georg Kufaldt, the square was reconstructed (later, the
layout was supplemented according to the project of A. Zeydaks) and
in 1950 it was renamed Chernyshevsky Square. Jacob's Square got its
name back in 1987.
Pils Square (lat. Pils laukums)
The
square was formed in 1783 on the site of a former moat in front of
the Riga Castle. In 1817, in honor of Russia's victory in the
Patriotic War of 1812, the Victory Column was erected on the square,
consecrated in the presence of Tsar Alexander I (in 1915, the metal
part of the column was taken to Russia, and the stone part of the
monument was removed in 1938). In 1928, the square was renamed in
honor of the first president of the Republic of Latvia, Janis
Čakste, but in 1941 it was called the Pioneers' Square, due to the
location of the Palace of Pioneers and Schoolchildren in the Riga
Castle. In 1942-1944, the square was given back its name Pils, and
in 1944 it was renamed Pionerskaya again. The historical name Pils
reappeared only in 1987.
Town Hall Square (lat. Rātslaukums)
Formed in the second half of the 13th century, the Town Hall Square
was the central city square. There was a market, city scales and
craft workshops, holidays, competitions, processions, dances, as
well as punishments of criminals (the Pillory was located on the
square), to attend which everyone was invited by the bell of St.
Jacob's Church. Later, the market was moved, residential buildings
were built and opposite the House of the Blackheads - the Riga City
Hall. In the center of the square, on the site of a former artesian
well, a statue of the patron saint of Riga, St. Roland, was erected.
Square of the Latvian Riflemen
It is located on the banks of
the Daugava in front of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia
(formerly the Museum of the Red Latvian Riflemen), which in 1970
separated part of the former vast Town Hall Square. A monument to
the Latvian Riflemen is erected on the square. In Soviet times,
rallies and official events were held on the square. Subsequently,
the granite slabs around the monument were replaced with
cobblestones.
Dome Square (lat. Doma laukums)
Dome Square
was created at the end of the 19th century. In 1936, after the
demolition of several houses, May 15 Square was formed (in honor of
the coup d'état of President Ulmanis in 1934), which in 1940 was
merged with Domskaya, giving them the name June 17 Square (the date
the Red Army units entered the city). In 1943, the former May 15
Square was renamed Albert Bukshofden Square, later they were united
again under the name Domskaya, but in 1944 they were renamed June 17
Square. Since 1987, Domskaya Square has finally acquired its current
name. Seven streets of Old Riga lead to it and in the center of the
square there is a brass rondo with information that Riga is included
in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is under the protection of
this organization.
Embankment November 11 (11.novembra
krastmala). The Daugava embankment was the city's main port in the
14th century. Until the 17th century, a wooden embankment was used
for loading / unloading river ships (because the river near the
coast was too shallow for sea ones). In the 18th century, the length
of the embankment was only 3.2 km, and the pontoon bridge built in
1701 served as a pier for ships. In 1825, the last wooden embankment
was built, in 1875-1876, after reconstruction, its surface was lined
with red-hot granite. In 1944, the embankment was blown up by the
retreating Germans and was restored until 1949. The port was placed
closer to the mouth of the Daugava, and the embankment now serves as
a place of rest
Riga Castle (Rīgas pils,
President's Castle).
House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) ,
Kalku iela 1. ☎ +371 670 44300. €3, €1.50 students.
Great Guild
(Lielā ģilde).
Small Guild (Mazā ģilde).
Three Brothers (Trīs
brāļi).
Palace (house) of Peter the Great (Pētera I nams (palasts)).
House with black cats (Kaķu nams), Meistaru iela 7-11.
Powder Tower
(Pulvertornis) , Smilšu iela 20.
Jekaba barracks (Jēkaba kazarma).
Seimas building (House of the Knights, Saeimas nams, Bruņinieku nams).
Swedish Gate (Zviedru
vārti).
Protective walls of Riga (Rīgas aizsargmūri).
Bastion Hill (Bastejkalns).
Vermanes Garden
(Vērmaņdārzs).
Park "Arcadia" (Arkadijas dārzs).
Kronvalda park.
Park Dzeguzhkalns (Dzegužkalns).
Grizinkalns Park (Grīziņkalns).
Park Ziedondarzs (Ziedoņdārzs).
Victory Park (Uzvaras parks).
Dome Cathedral (Doma baznīca) (Dome Square, 1). €3.
Saint Peter's
Cathedral (Svētā Pētera baznīca).
Church of St. John
(Svētā Jāņa baznīca).
Cathedral of St. Jacob (Church of St. Jacob,
Rīgas sv.Jēkaba katedrāle), st. Kloster, d.2.
Church of the Sorrowful
Mother of God (Rīgas Sāpju Dievmātes baznīca).
Cathedral of the
Nativity of Christ (Katedrāle).
Anglican Church of the Holy Redeemer
(Anglikāņu baznīca).
Freedom Monument (Brīvības piemineklis). Symbol of
independence of Latvia. The monument was built according to the design
of the sculptor K. Zale and the architect E. Shtalberg, and was solemnly
opened on November 18, 1935. The Statue of Liberty (works by sculptor R.
Mirsmeden), crowning the 42-meter monument, holds three gilded stars in
its hands, symbolizing the historically cultural regions of Latvia -
Kurzeme, Latgale and Vidzeme and personifies the unity of the state. The
foot of the monument is decorated with 13 sculptural compositions:
Freedom, Mother Latvia, Lachplesis, Breaking Chains, Vaidelotis, Labor,
Guardians of the Fatherland, Song Festival, etc.
Monument to the
Latvian Red Riflemen (lat. Latviešu sarkano strēlnieku piemineklis). The
monument to the Latvian Red Riflemen, designed by sculptor V. Albergs,
architects D. Driba and G. Lusis-Grinberg, was opened in 1971, a year
after the opening of the Museum of Latvian Riflemen, located on the same
square. Later, the word "red" was removed from the name of the monument.
Monument to the writer Rudolf Blaumanis in the park along the city
canal. Sculptor Teodors Zalkalns, installed in 1929.
The monument to
the Bremen Town Musicians (lat. Brēmenes muzikantu piemineklis) was
created by the Bremen sculptor K. Baumgartel and presented to Riga by
the sister city of Bremen. The sculptural composition is a plot from the
fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm, when the Bremen town musicians looked
into the window to the forest robbers - at the very bottom there is a
donkey, on the back of which there is a dog supporting a cat, on which a
rooster sits. There is a belief that if you rub the nose of each of the
animals and make wishes, they will certainly come true. The most
cherished will be performed by a rooster, which is very difficult to
reach. According to another version, each subsequent character increases
the chances of fulfilling one of the most secret desires.
Big
Kristaps (lat. Lielais Kristaps). The wooden sculpture of Big Kristaps,
personifying St. Christopher, an assistant in illness, was carved by the
sculptor M. Brinkman in 1682. People put flowers and coins to the
sculpture of the giant, seafarers' wives brought their personal beads,
ribbons and necklaces to Kristaps to protect their husbands (some of
them are kept in the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation). It
was believed that Big Kristaps would save from illness and adversity,
and when something hurts, then you need to tie this place with a ribbon,
and then tie this ribbon to a sculpture that will take over the disease.
A copy of the giant was installed on the embankment in 2001.
The
monument to the Russian General Field Marshal Mikhail Barklajam de Tolli
(lat. Piemineklis Krievijas ģenerālfeldmaršalam Mihaelam Barklajam de
Tolli), whose ancestors settled in Riga in the 17th century, was erected
in 1913, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the victory over Napoleon.
In 1915, the monument by the Berlin sculptor W. Wandschneider was
dismantled, and restored only in 2001 at the expense of the Riga
businessman E. Gomberg.
Monument to the mayor of Riga, George
Armitsted ("Lady with a Dog") (lat. Piemineklis Džordžam Armitstedam
("Dāma ar suni")), on which the mayor of the city of Riga (1901-1912) is
depicted with his life partner Cecilia Pihlau and a chow-chow dog, was
made by the sculptor A. Varpa and installed at the expense of the Riga
businessman E. Gomberg in 2006 in honor of the arrival of Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II in Riga.
Courtyard of the Convention (lat. Konventa Sēta)
John's Compound (Jāņa sēta).
Riga TV Tower (Rigas televīzijas
tornis).
(lat. Rīgas televīzijas tornis)
Berg Bazaar (lat.
Berga Bazars)
Central Market (lat. Rīgas Centrāltirgus)
Riga
Russian Theatre. M. Chekhov.
(lat. Mihaila Čehova Rīgas Krievu
teātris)
National Opera.
(lat. Latvijas Nacional Opera)
The
building of the Academy of Sciences of Latvia
Laima watch (lat.
Laimas pulkstenis)
Museum of Decorative and Applied Arts
Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation
Latvian National Theatre (Latvijas Nacionālais teātris)
Kalnciema quarter (Kalnciema kvartāls) (Around the intersection of Kalnciema and Melnsila streets, on the left bank).
Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum
Swimming pool "Kipsala", Kipsalas street, 5.
Riga Zoo,
Mezha Avenue, 1.
Botanical garden, Kandavas street, 2.
Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, Palasta
st., 4.
Museum of the History of Medicine. Paula
Stradinya, Antonijas str., 1.
Latvian National Museum of
Art, Krishjana Valdemara str., 10a. 6€. The largest
collection of Latvian art (and perhaps the only one
regularly exhibited) starts with a few rooms representing
Baltic German art, but then quickly moves on to works
created by ethnic Latvians in the Russian Empire and then
after 1917. All the main names and trends are shown, and the
paintings are regularly rotated (most of them hang in the
storerooms, which can be seen from the basement floor -
however, you wouldn’t see much there). For all that, the
museum is small, and if you wish, you can see everything in
an hour and a half. You can go up to the roof of the
building - specially built for the museum in 1903-05 - from
where there are good views, including the old city.
Museum of Foreign Art (Riga Stock Exchange Art Museum) ,
Domskaya sq. D 2.
Riga Motor Museum , Eisenstein st., 6.
Latvian Museum of Nature , Krishjan Barona st., 4.
Museum
of Railway History, Uzvaras boulevard, 2a.
Latvian Fire
Museum, Hanzas street, 5. Jan 2023
Riga Porcelain Museum,
Kaleju street, 9/11.
Menzendorf's house, Grecinieku
street, 18.
Latvian Military Museum, Smilshu street, 20.
Riga Aviation Museum , Marupes region, Skulte, st. Skultes,
35 (Final stop of bus number 43). Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00. 7€.
Art Nouveau Museum, Alberta street, 12.
Museum of the
Sun, Valnyu street, 30.
House of the Blackheads, Town
Hall Square, 7.
Amber Museum.
Museum of the Occupation
of Latvia, Rainis boulevard, 7. for free. In 2019, the main
building is under renovation; part of the exposition is
exhibited in another building.
Film Festival "Great
Kristaps".
Cinema "Citadele", 13 January st., 8.
Cinema "Cinamon", Brivibas str., 372.
Cinema gallery
“K.Suns”, Krishyan Baron str., 45/47.
Cinema "Splendid
Palace" (former cinema "Riga"), Elizabetes str., 61.
Cinema “Multikino”, Mukusalas street, 71.
Riga Opera
(National Opera), Aspazijas boulevard, 3.
Riga Russian
Theatre. Mikhail Chekhov, Kalku st., 16. ☎ 67-55-24-09.
12:00-19:00, closed 12:00-17:00, break 15:00-16:00.
Latvian Puppet Theatre, 16/18 Krishjan Barona Street.
By plane
Riga is the
largest aviation hub in the Baltics and the base airport for Air
Baltic, which operates flights to most of Europe and the CIS.
Although Air Baltic positions itself as an airline that sells
low-cost tickets, which means that it charges a separate fee for
baggage, food and even for check-in at the airport, tickets for
direct flights to Riga are usually more expensive for it than
for connecting flights. It should be borne in mind that Air
Baltic allows very long connections with an interval of more
than a day between flights, and this is one of the opportunities
to visit Riga, although you will certainly not have enough time
for any meaningful tour of the city.
There are several
flights a day from Moscow, Petersburg, Vilnius, Tallinn,
Helsinki and Stockholm to Riga. Among the low-cost flights,
WizzAir offers flights to various points in Western Europe.
Ryanair is on the schedule but less active. As of 2015, the Riga
airport can even boast of performing one transatlantic flight:
an Uzbek Airlines plane from Tashkent to New York makes an
intermediate landing here.
Riga Airport (Lidosta, IATA:
RIX). The airport is located to the west of the city almost on
the border of residential buildings. Although there is only one
passenger terminal building, it is divided into five parts,
called terminals A-E. You can walk from one to the other in a
couple of minutes right inside the building, but this
fragmentation leads to the fact that in each of the compartments
it is quite crowded, and this configuration is especially
unsuccessful for those who fly outside the Schengen area: after
passing through passport control, you you will find yourself in
a small room, where there is practically nothing to eat, and
there are not enough chairs or amenities for everyone. Transit
through Riga (especially for flights outside the Schengen area)
is below average pleasure. If you have a long connection and
have a visa, feel free to go to the city.
The departure area
of the Riga airport is known for unreasonably high prices even
for coffee, not to mention other food, which, however, is not
enough here. The most basic thing to eat is pizza in Terminal A
and sushi in Terminal B, while other cafes will only offer you
cakes and sandwiches. In the reception area, the situation is
somewhat better: there is a TGI Friday restaurant and a large,
but unobtrusive Lido on the 2nd floor above the reception desks.
Prices are the same as in the city (€ 5-10 for lunch), plus a
great view of the airfield. Those arriving in Riga will find it
useful to have a tourist information kiosk in a small hall,
where they get through the customs. The kiosk sells tickets for
public transport and city maps, and it works late. At the exit
from the airport building there will be a Narvesen kiosk with
the opportunity to buy a local SIM card or press if you need it
for some reason. Luggage storage is located in the arrival hall:
€ 1.50 for every 8 hours up to a day, € 3 for every next 24
hours (2015). There is free Wi-Fi throughout the airport
building, but sometimes it can be congested.
How to get
there:
City bus number 22. In the center it stops at the bus
station and railway station (central market). Travel time: 25
minutes, interval of movement: 10-15 minutes, does not go after
midnight. You can buy a ticket from the driver, but it is more
advisable to do this before boarding - for example, at the
ticket machine at the bus stop. See also Transport.
Minibus
number 222 goes to the railway station. The payment system is
the same as on the bus.
The Airport Express minibus runs
twice an hour and differs from regular public transport in that
it travels around the city center, stopping at major hotels. The
final one is the bus station. Ticket: € 5 (2015) from the
driver, can be bought in advance via the Internet. There is
Wi-Fi.
Baltic Taxi: green cars are carried by the counter or
by a special voucher, which must be bought for € 14 on the
airline's website no later than a day before the trip. The
voucher covers any trip within the city and is justified in the
event that you do not want or do not have the opportunity to
order a taxi by phone. When ordering a taxi from the city to the
center, it will hardly cost more than € 10.
If you
arrived at the airport ahead of time and do not know what to do,
you can go to the aviation museum created by local enthusiasts,
where old planes and helicopters, mostly Soviet ones, are
exhibited: from the terminal exit to the left, 400 m along the
fence, Mon – Fri 9: 00 - 18:00.
By train
Trains in
Riga are mostly suburban. There are only three distant ones: to
Moscow (16 hours), Minsk (12 hours) and St. Petersburg (16
hours), all at night. The Moscow and St. Petersburg trains are
of the Latvian formation (LDz company), the Minsk train is of
the Belarusian one. All trains are registered electronically,
i.e. a ticket can be bought through the Russian Railways website
and simply printed. Tickets are also sold at ticket offices at
Riga and Daugavpils train stations.
Each of these trains has
less than ten carriages, but all classes of service are represented
in them - from the general carriage to the CB. The pricing policy is
the same as in Russia, i.e. take a ticket in advance - up to 30%
cheaper, and less than 10 days before departure - 10-15% more
expensive than the basic fare, which for Moscow is approximately €
35/70/135. There is no common carriage in the Minsk train, reserved
seats and compartments cost € 34 and € 52, respectively (2015). If
the Minsk train has a certain meaning, then you can fly to Moscow
and St. Petersburg for about the same money by plane, unless, of
course, you want to travel overnight in a common carriage - and this
is the most classic common carriage based on a reserved seat. The
rest of the cars are also of Russian type, some have Wi-Fi (only in
Latvia). The Moscow train seems to have a restaurant car.
If
you want to go by train to Vilnius or just somewhere in the
direction of Lithuania - forget about it. You can go to Tallinn with
a change in Valga, which will take from 8 hours (by bus, about twice
as fast). In the direction of Tartu, the train is comparable to a
bus, 2-3 times a day, on the way 5 hours with a change in the same
Valga.
Railway station (Centrālā stacija). The station is
located a stone's throw from the Old Town and looks more like a
shopping center from the outside. A hall with suburban and
long-distance ticket offices is hidden among the numerous shops and
cafes. In the basement, there is an automatic locker, there is also
a manual locker: € 2/3 for 24 hours depending on the size of the
luggage (2015). From the central hall you can go through one of the
tunnels leading to the central market. The most useful tunnels B and
C, between which there is an inexpensive cafe Pelmeni XL, as well as
a cozy dining room Kļavas lapa - an analogue of Lido, only cheaper.
There are dozens of places where you can drink coffee in a cozy
atmosphere. An Origo shopping center with a Rimi supermarket and
many other outlets is attached to the station. City cards, other
printed materials and SIM-cards for mobile communication can be
purchased at the points of the Narvesen trade network (there are
several of them in the station building).
By car
From Riga
you can go anywhere in Latvia and the Baltic States: to Tallinn 308
km along the E67 highway, to Vilnius 300 km, to Kaunas 260 km, to
Klaipeda - 309 km via the E77 highway. Riga is connected to Moscow
by a direct highway E22 (920 km). The highway to St. Petersburg (600
km) goes through Pskov (300 km).
By bus
Bus service is the
main one within Latvia, and the Baltics as a whole. Buses to Tallinn
(4.5 hours) and Vilnius (4 hours) run on average every 2 hours. They
differ in the level of comfort, but most often they belong to the
Lux Express group, less often to the Ecolines. Tallinn buses stop in
Pärnu. Buses to Vilnius sometimes call in Panevezys, but often go
without stopping at all. Ticket prices start at € 10 and go up to €
20-25 at peak times, especially if you want to travel in comfort.
All buses are large and modern, most often equipped with sockets and
Wi-Fi.
There are no direct buses to Estonia except Tallinn.
You can get to Tartu (4 hours) and Narva (7 hours) by buses to St.
Petersburg (11-12 hours), there are also St. Petersburg buses
through Pskov, and there are at least 3 of them a day. In the
direction of Lithuania, in addition to numerous buses to Vilnius,
direct buses go to Palanga-Klaipeda and Siauliai several times a
day, but they are served by local carriers. A night bus to Moscow
(15 hours) runs daily, at a price comparable to a common train
carriage.
Bus Station (Autoosta), Prāgas 1. Riga Bus Station
is compactly located behind the railway station, between the railway
embankment and the city canal, next to the central market and a
stone's throw from the Old Town. In the timetable, it is designated
as Rīgas SAO (Starptautiskā Autoosta) or Riga Coach Station and is
the final destination of all intercity buses (some international
buses go to the airport, making a stop at the central bus station).
On the ground floor there are a couple of food outlets, of which
only a pastry shop deserves attention, as well as shops, cash desks
and a round-the-clock storage room (€ 0.60 for the first hour, then
€ 0.30 / h). There is no waiting room, very few seats. If you need
to pass the time, head up to the second floor for an old-fashioned
inexpensive dining room. Its windows offer a rather unusual view of
the central market and the dark water in the canal.
Minibuses
parking. The minibus berth, designated in the timetable as Rīgas MTS
(Maršruta Taksometru Stacija), is located on Satekles iela across
the street from the railway station. At the beginning of 2015, there
are already more urban minibuses here than intercity ones.
Nevertheless, minibuses still operate flights to some surrounding
cities and, in principle, may be in demand by travelers. Each
direction has its own berth, the schedule is also posted there.
Each of these trains has
less than ten carriages, but all classes of service are represented
in them - from the general carriage to the CB. The pricing policy is
the same as in Russia, i.e. take a ticket in advance - up to 30%
cheaper, and less than 10 days before departure - 10-15% more
expensive than the basic fare, which for Moscow is approximately €
35/70/135. There is no common carriage in the Minsk train, reserved
seats and compartments cost € 34 and € 52, respectively (2015). If
the Minsk train has a certain meaning, then you can fly to Moscow
and St. Petersburg for about the same money by plane, unless, of
course, you want to travel overnight in a common carriage - and this
is the most classic common carriage based on a reserved seat. The
rest of the cars are also of Russian type, some have Wi-Fi (only in
Latvia). The Moscow train seems to have a restaurant car.
If
you want to go by train to Vilnius or just somewhere in the
direction of Lithuania - forget about it. You can go to Tallinn with
a change in Valga, which will take from 8 hours (by bus, about twice
as fast). In the direction of Tartu, the train is comparable to a
bus, 2-3 times a day, on the way 5 hours with a change in the same
Valga.
Railway station (Centrālā stacija). The station is
located a stone's throw from the Old Town and looks more like a
shopping center from the outside. A hall with suburban and
long-distance ticket offices is hidden among the numerous shops and
cafes. In the basement, there is an automatic locker, there is also
a manual locker: € 2/3 for 24 hours depending on the size of the
luggage (2015). From the central hall you can go through one of the
tunnels leading to the central market. The most useful tunnels B and
C, between which there is an inexpensive cafe Pelmeni XL, as well as
a cozy dining room Kļavas lapa - an analogue of Lido, only cheaper.
There are dozens of places where you can drink coffee in a cozy
atmosphere. An Origo shopping center with a Rimi supermarket and
many other outlets is attached to the station. City cards, other
printed materials and SIM-cards for mobile communication can be
purchased at the points of the Narvesen trade network (there are
several of them in the station building).
By car
From Riga
you can go anywhere in Latvia and the Baltic States: to Tallinn 308
km along the E67 highway, to Vilnius 300 km, to Kaunas 260 km, to
Klaipeda - 309 km via the E77 highway. Riga is connected to Moscow
by a direct highway E22 (920 km). The highway to St. Petersburg (600
km) goes through Pskov (300 km).
By bus
Bus service is the
main one within Latvia, and the Baltics as a whole. Buses to Tallinn
(4.5 hours) and Vilnius (4 hours) run on average every 2 hours. They
differ in the level of comfort, but most often they belong to the
Lux Express group, less often to the Ecolines. Tallinn buses stop in
Pärnu. Buses to Vilnius sometimes call in Panevezys, but often go
without stopping at all. Ticket prices start at € 10 and go up to €
20-25 at peak times, especially if you want to travel in comfort.
All buses are large and modern, most often equipped with sockets and
Wi-Fi.
There are no direct buses to Estonia except Tallinn.
You can get to Tartu (4 hours) and Narva (7 hours) by buses to St.
Petersburg (11-12 hours), there are also St. Petersburg buses
through Pskov, and there are at least 3 of them a day. In the
direction of Lithuania, in addition to numerous buses to Vilnius,
direct buses go to Palanga-Klaipeda and Siauliai several times a
day, but they are served by local carriers. A night bus to Moscow
(15 hours) runs daily, at a price comparable to a common train
carriage.
Bus Station (Autoosta), Prāgas 1. Riga Bus Station
is compactly located behind the railway station, between the railway
embankment and the city canal, next to the central market and a
stone's throw from the Old Town. In the timetable, it is designated
as Rīgas SAO (Starptautiskā Autoosta) or Riga Coach Station and is
the final destination of all intercity buses (some international
buses go to the airport, making a stop at the central bus station).
On the ground floor there are a couple of food outlets, of which
only a pastry shop deserves attention, as well as shops, cash desks
and a round-the-clock storage room (€ 0.60 for the first hour, then
€ 0.30 / h). There is no waiting room, very few seats. If you need
to pass the time, head up to the second floor for an old-fashioned
inexpensive dining room. Its windows offer a rather unusual view of
the central market and the dark water in the canal.
Minibuses
parking. The minibus berth, designated in the timetable as Rīgas MTS
(Maršruta Taksometru Stacija), is located on Satekles iela across
the street from the railway station. At the beginning of 2015, there
are already more urban minibuses here than intercity ones.
Nevertheless, minibuses still operate flights to some surrounding
cities and, in principle, may be in demand by travelers. Each
direction has its own berth, the schedule is also posted there.
On the ship
Cruise ships often call in Riga. Regular sea
service is limited to the daily Tallink ferry to Stockholm.
Passenger port, Exporta iela 3a. The Riga port passenger terminal is
located one kilometer north of the Old Town.
Public transport
There
are trams, trolleybuses, buses and minibuses in Riga. All of them
belong to the municipal company Rīgas satiksme, on whose website you
will find complete timetables, a map and a route planner. Public
transport operates from 5 am to midnight. On weekends (night from
Friday to Saturday and from Saturday to Sunday) there are special
night buses. Many routes converge in the area of the railway
station (stops Stacijas laukums, Centrālā stacija and
Centrāltirgus).
The trams are very diverse. The lines include
both old Tatras and modern, smooth and quiet low-floor
air-conditioned trams. The retro tram of the early 20th century runs
in summer (from May to September) on weekends on the Ausekļa iela -
Mežaparks route, which roughly coincides with the route of tram
number 11: this is a great opportunity not only to ride, but also to
see non-tourist areas of the city. The cost of a ticket for a retro
tram is € 2.00. Tickets are sold by the driver, smart cards are not
valid. For children under the age of 7, the trip is free (2017).
Minibuses (minibuses, minibuses) are currently fully integrated
into the route network, depart on schedule, and their difference
from the rest of the transport is that they stop on demand and
travel, thereby, somewhat faster than buses. Minibus routes are
generally longer and connect more distant parts of the city than
other modes of transport. Minibuses have three-digit numbers
starting with 200. Ordinary city buses have one- and two-digit
numbers.
Tickets: The simplest paper one-way ticket can be
bought from the driver for € 2 (2020). It is much more profitable to
purchase a smart card (e-talons), which can act as a multi-trip
ticket (€ 1.15 each) or a daily ticket (€ 5, valid for 24 hours).
There are also tickets for 3 days (€ 10), 5 days (€ 15) and monthly
passes. The cards are sold at Narvesen kiosks and ticket machines at
major stops. "Yellow" smart cards have no collateral value and can
be thrown away at the end of their validity period. By default, you
will be sold exactly this. There are also “blue” rechargeable smart
cards with collateral value, which have a number of advantages, but
they do not make sense for those who do not live in Riga
permanently.
Regular tickets are not valid on night buses.
The journey costs € 2, paid to the driver.
When entering the
transport, the smart card must be attached to one of the validators.
Single tickets do not imply transfers, i.e. at each entrance to the
transport you will have to pay for a new ticket.
By bike
The Riga authorities are encouraging bicycles in every possible way
and even created a network of bike paths in the city. Cyclists can
be seen here almost all year round, although this does not mean that
cycling will be easy and comfortable everywhere: the layout of the
streets has largely been preserved from Soviet times, and the bike
paths are created by cutting sidewalks or the roadway. There are few
equipped bicycle parking lots.
There are many private bike
rental companies in the center of Riga. You can also use the city
bike rental company Sixt, which has more than 20 stations throughout
the city: € 0.90 for every 30 min or € 9 / day (2015). The bike can
be picked up at one station and returned at another.
Pre-registration is required with a credit card number and mobile
phone. Bicycles are removed for the winter.
Pleasure boats
Nice, though not cheap, way to see Riga from an unusual perspective.
From spring to late autumn, small and modern, but stylized at the
beginning of the 20th century, ships sail along the canal among the
boulevards surrounding the Old Town, go through the tunnel to the
Daugava, bypass the Old Town and re-enter the canal. The walk takes
about an hour and costs € 18 (2015). If this type of entertainment
is not to your liking or is not affordable, just watch the boats
from the shore: they fit perfectly into the Riga landscape.
Marina for pleasure boats, Bastion Hill next to the Freedom
Monument.
By car
Driving around Riga by car is not a big
deal, but as in any big city, finding a parking space can be
difficult. During the day and especially during rush hours, the
streets are busy, traffic is slow, and in some places there are bus
stops without "pockets" or left turns without a dedicated lane and
traffic light, which contributes to traffic jams. The quality of the
roads is poor, there are one-way traffic on many streets even
outside the center, and there are not enough signs.
Parking in the Old Town is
always paid: the first hour costs about € 4, each next hour costs €
7. Outside the Old Town, you need to pay only on weekdays from 8 to
20 and on Saturdays from 9 to 17, the first hour is € 1.5-2, each
next hour is about € 3 (there are several zones with different
costs). Payment at a parking machine or from a mobile phone. There
are also private guarded parking lots at various prices. The easiest
way to park a car for free is in Zadvinje, and then cross the bridge
on foot or take 1-2 stops by bus. Hotels in the Old Town do not have
their own parking lots, with rare exceptions, and therefore will
charge you a considerable bill for parking. Arriving in Riga with a
car, it is better to settle further from the center. For unpaid
parking, they usually write out a fine and simply leave it on the
glass. Evacuation is rarely used.
Taxi
Riga taxis are
known for their tendency to cheat customers. Even after the city
authorities introduced the maximum permitted tariff (€ 2.13 for a
landing and € 0.71 / km), there are enough drivers in the city who
are trying to demand much larger amounts from passengers, citing
night time, bad weather or something else. The requirement to turn
on the meter can meet with strong and even fierce resistance, so try
to order a taxi by phone, and not catch on the street, especially
since even the official tariff is lower in this case. Avoid cars
around the train station and Old Town.
Riga balm.
Amber products.
Natural linen items
Ceramic
products
Cosmetics Dzintars.
Chocolate and sweets Laima.
Riga
sprats.
Cheap (~3—5€)
Bakery "Mārtiņa Beķereja", st. Marijas, 19
Cafe
"Jungle.Lv", st. Marijas, 21
Cafe "Pasaka" ("Fairy Tale"), st.
Dzirnavu, 119 (near the railway station)
Cafe-home cooking. A set
lunch on weekdays (very satisfying and, most importantly, delicious) for
2.00 LVL. Address: st. Birznieka-Upiša 26 - yellow sign "Mājas virtuve".
Located at the other end of the street from the hotel "TALLINK". or
Maskavas*
Cafe in the Railway Clinic (Dzelzceļa veselības centrs).
Address: st. Gogol, 3 (entrance from the street Timoteya (Timoteja iela)
Dumplings "XL Pelmeņi" at the Central Railway Station (between tunnels A
and B, ORIGO CENTRS, Stacijas laukums 2), as well as on the street.
Kalku 7. Menu, as well as promotions on the site.
Average cost
(~5 €)
LIDO. Worth a visit to get acquainted with the traditional
cuisine, try the traditional Latvian bread soup with cream (Maizes
zupa).
LIVONIA, (Maskavas 32) A restaurant that has preserved the old
style of the Moscow suburb. Free parking, access to WiFi and the
opportunity to stay in inexpensive and comfortable hotel rooms.
Two
cafe-bistros "Fabrika". Addresses: st. Marijas 23; st. Terbatas 33/35
Tea house Goija (Tea-room GOIJA), Strelnieku 1a (next to Alberta
street). ☎ 67333370. 14-24. Tea room, the interior of which is dominated
by Moroccan motifs. Large selection of Chinese teas and herbal
cocktails. Tea is prepared according to all the rules and served in a
special bowl. The only tea house in Riga that does not sell alcohol in
principle. Light snacks and exclusive oriental sweets. A special free
atmosphere - concerts, meetings and creative parties are often held. In
summer, a cozy patio with a fountain is open to visitors. WiFi internet
connection.
Expensive
Restaurant Rozengrals. Authentic
restaurant
Cheap
Hostel "The Naughty Squirrel Backpackers", Kaleyu street,
50. ✉ ☎ +371 67220073. from 13€.
Hotel Westa, Negu st., 17 (located
in the central part, on the territory of the central market, a 2-minute
walk from the Bus Station, 5 minutes from the Railway Station and in
close proximity to the Old Town). ✉ ☎ +371 67226232, +37122076168, fax:
+371 67221841. Price per person from 14€ per bed in a multi-bed room.
Each room has a shower and toilet, free Wi-Fi, internet in the lobby.
Additional services: breakfast (not included in the room price), laundry
service, parking. High quality service at reasonable prices."
Average cost
Sala Apartments, st. Salatsas, d.1. ☎ +371 28308872.
09:00-20:00. from 35€. Daily rate apartments. Good furniture, household
appliances (refrigerator, washing machine, gas stove, microwave,
dishes). Clean bed linen, towels. Wi-Fi and cable TV - many channels in
Russian. Free secure parking.
For mobile phones, you can buy Zelta Zivtiņa, LMT, Bite and other
prepaid cards with a nominal value of 1.49 EUR. Identification documents
are not required for the purchase.
Payphones are rare, but still
there. There are VOIP payphones at the railway station for calls abroad.
There is an Internet cafe right on the forecourt and in the Old Town.
Most Lattelecom telephone booths have WiFi installed. Free Internet in
the halls of large hotels and shopping centers.
The telephone number
of the Russian reference service is 1180.
There are scammers in some bars and clubs. The standard method of
deception: a tourist is lured into a bar, offered something to drink
there, and then the waiter brings a bill for hundreds of euros. It is
recommended that you do not buy anything at the bar until you are shown
the price of the drink on the printed menu. Special care should be taken
in the following establishments: “Foxy Lounge”; "Roxy Club"; "Lord's
Pub"; "Puzzle" (formerly "Pink Panther"); "Mary"; "DD Bars"; Saxons;
“Doll House” a.k.a “Zig Zag”; "Bar Fly"; "Zephry Bar"; "Mademoiselle
Cigar Club"; Nobu Sushi.
Rescue phone number 112
TAXI! Before
getting into a taxi, be sure to ask the driver: will a receipt for the
trip be provided? If the answer is no, then it is strongly not
recommended to get into this taxi. REMEMBER TOURIST: Taxi drivers are
required to issue a check to the client for the trip. Feel free to
inquire before your trip.
There are two taxi services in the city
Yandex.Taxi and Bolt.
The name of the city comes from the hydronym "Riga", known since 1198
- the former branch of the Daugava River (now defunct). According to one
version, this hydronym comes from the name of the Baltic island of Rügen
and the Rugs who lived there, who later migrated to the area of
\u200b\u200bpresent-day Riga.
The well-known alternative name of
the river - Rising - is also considered as one of the etymological
variants. By the middle of the 16th century, the name Ridzene was fixed
behind the river in the Latvian environment. By the end of the 16th
century, the “diminutive” name Ridzina began to be used in relation to
the small branches and outflows of the Daugava.
According to
Professor E. M. Pospelov, the hydronym is associated with the
reconstructed Baltic stem ring-, represented in the Lithuanian ringe,
ringis - “bend, bow, backwater, backwater”. This base in the form of a
ring is widely represented in the toponymy of the ancient Curonian
regions. In the Latvian language of Vidzeme, Curonian -in- corresponds
to a long -i-, that is, the Baltic stem ring- is represented by the form
rig- with the same meaning. According to the bends, the river Rigasupe
was named - “river with bends” (now covered), and the oikonym “Riga” was
formed from the hydronym.
Since 1150, Gotlandic traders regularly entered the lower reaches of
the Western Dvina (German: Düna) to the river Riga (German: Riege), from
which the name of the city comes. In the chronicles of Henry of Latvia,
lake lacus Riga is mentioned, which was a natural harbor. In later
times, this river was filled up, and at present the place where it
flowed can only be imagined in the direction of some streets of the old
part of the city. Missionary expeditions were repeatedly made to the
future place of foundation of Riga, which, however, remained
unsuccessful until 1201, when Albert Buxgevden entered the mouth of the
river with a group of German crusader knights.
After the laying
of the fortress on the right bank of the Daugava, Riga became a
well-fortified military and trade center of Livonia. By 1211, through
the efforts of the bishop, the Dome Cathedral was laid. In 1225, an
elective position of city council appeared in the city, and in 1257, the
residence of the Riga archbishops was transferred to Riga from Ikskül
Castle. Trade became increasingly important for the city, and in 1282
Riga joined the Hanseatic League.
During the German expansion to the East, the bishops encouraged the
settlement of Germans in the territories of the indigenous pagan
population. At the same time, the knightly order provided special
support to the military settlers: at first it was the Brotherhood of the
Warriors of Christ of Livonia (Order of the Sword), which was later
attached to the Teutonic (German) Order. After the expulsion of the
crusaders from Palestine, the Teutonic Order began to gain a foothold in
Eastern Europe, primarily in Prussia and Livonia. The Teutonic Order was
a powerful and independent church organization, which soon began to
compete with the archbishops of Riga for influence in the region. The
Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order was formed, headed by the
Landmaster, who reported directly to the Grand Master of the Order.
Conflicts between the Archbishops of Riga and the Teutonic Order
often led to armed confrontation. In 1330, as a result of the civil war
in Livonia, Riga temporarily lost its independence, but 36 years later
it returned it under an agreement between the archbishop and the order
in Danzig (1366).
In 1522, Riga joined the Reformation movement, as a result of which
the power of the archbishops began to weaken. The last Archbishop of
Riga was William of Brandenburg.
With the beginning of the
Livonian War in 1558 and after the collapse of the Livonian
Confederation in 1561-1562. Riga did not support the decision of the
Archbishop and the Order to join the Commonwealth, but sought the status
of a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. The free city of Riga
existed for almost two decades. Only when, during the next Russian
attack on the city in 1581, it became clear that there was nowhere to
wait for help, Riga swore allegiance to the Polish king Stefan Batory.
Forty years of Polish domination, during which the townspeople were
subjected to the Counter-Reformation (which led, among other things, to
"calendar turmoil"), ended with the conquest of Riga by the Swedish king
Gustav II Adolf in 1622. In the Swedish kingdom, Riga was considered the
second city after Stockholm, which was due to its strategic importance
for protecting the interests of Sweden as the main Baltic power. During
this period, the city enjoyed broad self-government. During the
Russo-Swedish War of 1656-1658, Riga was besieged by Russian troops.
At the beginning of the XVIII century Riga was one of the largest
fortresses in Europe. The city was surrounded by powerful walls, which
housed five bastions, two ravelins and two trenches (they were
surrounded by a deep moat with water). On the opposite bank of the
Daugava River there was a separate fort - Kobronschanz, which protected
the floating bridge.
During the Northern War (1700-1721) between
the Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Northern European states
(Saxony, Russia, Denmark, the Commonwealth, etc.) for the possession of
the Baltic lands and dominance on the Baltic Sea and its coast, the
Swedish garrison under the command of General Count Nils Stromberg , who
defended the city of Riga in 1709, numbered over 13 thousand people. In
order to force the Swedes to peace in this protracted war, the Russian
Tsar Peter I decided to intensify military operations in the Baltic
states and in early October 1709 ordered Count B.P. Sheremetev to take
Riga.
On October 27 (November 6), 1709, Riga was blockaded by the
Russian army and by December 2 (13), 1709, it was finally besieged.
On July 4 (15), 1710, after a long military siege, the city of Riga,
defended by Swedish troops, was taken by the Russian army under the
command of Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetev. The Swedish garrison
capitulated. As trophies, the Russian army received all the Swedish
artillery left after the siege (561 cannons, 66 mortars, 7 howitzers).
The remnants of the garrison surrendered - 5132 people, of which 2905
were sick. On the same day, Count B.P. Sheremetev took the oath of
allegiance to Peter I from the citizens of Riga and the Livonian
knighthood (nobility).
On July 12 (23), 1710, Field Marshal Count
B.P. Sheremetev solemnly entered the city and at its gates received two
symbolic golden keys to the city from the Riga City Hall.
The
accession of Riga and all of Livonia to Russia was secured by the Treaty
of Nystadt between Russia and Sweden, signed on August 30 (September
10), 1721. Russia undertook to pay compensation of 2 million efimki (1.3
million rubles) for the lands ceded from Sweden.
On July 17 (28),
1713, Riga became the center of the Riga province within Russia, in
1783-1796 it was the center of the Riga governorate, in 1796-1918 - the
Livonian province.
In 1809, Lieutenant General of the Russian
Army I. N. Essen was appointed military governor of Riga. During the
Patriotic War of 1812, on the night of July 11-12 (from 23 to 24
according to the old style), 1812, von Essen, based on unverified
intelligence reports and succumbing to panic in anticipation of the
onset of the French troops, hastily gave the order to burn the Riga
suburbs - Petersburg and the Moscow outskirts of Riga, which led to a
devastating fire in the city. As a result, 705 residential buildings, 35
public buildings and 4 churches burned down, as well as thousands of
people were left homeless.
On October 23, 1812, the Russian
General F.O. Paulucci was appointed governor-general of the Baltic
region and the military governor of Riga. and many other successful
cases.
In 1841, the Riga Porcelain and Faience Factory of M. S.
Kuznetsov was opened in Riga.
In 1848-1861, A. A. Suvorov, the
grandson of Generalissimo A. V. Suvorov, was the governor-general of the
Baltic region and the military governor of Riga.
The second half
of the 19th century was the heyday of the city as one of the industrial
centers of the Russian Empire.
In 1861, the Riga-Dinaburg (now
Daugavpils) railway was built and the Riga railway station was opened.
Then the railway communication of Riga with Moscow, St. Petersburg,
Warsaw was established. The city received the status of an important
state railway junction. By the end of the century, the Riga seaport had
become one of the most important ports of the Russian Empire and was the
second largest in terms of cargo turnover after the St. Petersburg
seaport.
In 1869, the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works was launched
in Riga, which produced railway cars.
In 1872, the first railway
bridge across the Daugava River was put into operation, and public
transport appeared - omnibuses.
In 1884, the Ilguciem glass
factory was opened.
In 1898, on the basis of merchant workshops
in Riga, the Russian-Baltic Electrotechnical Plant was created, the
predecessor of the Riga State Electrotechnical Plant VEF.
Due to
the rapid growth of industry and trade in the city, the population of
Riga from 1800 to 1913 increased 80 times, and the area of its territory
from 1850 to 1913 increased 10 times.
largest city in the empire
According to the 1881 census in the
Baltic provinces of the Russian Empire, more than 33% of the population
of the city of Riga identified themselves as Baltic Germans, about 30%
as Latvians, 19% as Russians, and 8.5% as Jews. In 1913, already about
40% of the population were Latvians, almost 20% were Russians (including
Old Believers), about 13% were Baltic Germans, and about 7% were Jews. A
smaller proportion of the population were residents of Polish origin.
In 1914, when refugees poured into the city during the war, the
number of residents and the military garrison jumped sharply from 473
thousand to 558 thousand people, and Riga, together with the Riga
Patrimonial District, was the third largest city in the Russian Empire
for half a year, second only to Petrograd (2.1 million people) and
Moscow (1.7 million people), but slightly bypassing Odessa (498 thousand
in 1912) (not including Warsaw (885 thousand in 1914) and Lodz (600
thousand . in 1915) in the Kingdom of Poland, as well as Kiev, which by
the beginning of 1914 had 595 thousand inhabitants).
From May 1909 to 1915, the Russian-Baltic Carriage Works in Riga
produced the first Russian passenger cars of the Russo-Balt brand.
Riga's industrial growth was interrupted by World War I. Since 1915,
the city was located near the front line, so about 200 thousand
residents (workers with their families) were evacuated along with
factories to Central Russia, the Urals and Ukraine. In September 1917,
the city was captured by the German army.
On November 18, 1918, an independent Republic of Latvia was
proclaimed in German-occupied Riga.
During 1919, three different
Latvian governments alternately resided in Riga. From January 4 to May
21, the Socialist Soviet Republic of Latvia existed. After its overthrow
by the forces of the Baltic Landeswehr and the German volunteer corps,
Andrievs Niedra came to power for a short time. Then the power of Karlis
Ulmanis was restored, which was able to hold on even after the attack on
Riga in the autumn of 1919 by units of the Western Volunteer Army of
Bermondt-Avalov.
On August 11, 1920, the Soviet-Latvian peace
treaty was signed in Riga, and on March 18, 1921, the Soviet-Polish
peace treaty was signed.
On February 3, 1931, the Saeima adopted
the Law on the Capital of Latvia. At that moment, there were 40
statistical districts in the city: (1) Old Town, (2) Boulevard, (3)
Vidzeme (Esplanade area), (4) Avota, (5) Latgale (Moscow suburb), (6)
Grizinkalns, ( 7) Darzini (Duntes street area), (8) Ganibu, (9)
Sarkandaugava, (10) port, (11) Vecmilgravis, (12) Jaunmilgravis, (13)
Mežaparks, (14) Ciekurkalns, (15) Zemitani, (16) Sils (Teika, Shmerli,
Bikernieki Forest, Mezciems), (17) Jugla, (18) Purvciems, (19) Janciems
(to the right of the railway from Janyavarty station), (20) Kengarags,
(21) Islands (Zakyusala , Lucavsala, Mukusala), (22) Tornakalns, (23)
Agenskalns, (24) Kipsala, (25) Zasulauks, (26) Ilguciems, (27) Spilve,
(28) Bolderaja, (29) Daugavgriva, (30) Bullu muiža, (31) Kleistes muiža,
(32) Lačupe, (33) Anninmuiža, (34) Zolitude, (35) Shampeteris, (36)
Bierini, (37) Livciems, (38) Ziepniekkalns, (39) (40) Jaunciems .
April 1919 is considered the founding date of the Riga
Electrotechnical Plant VEF.
In the 1930s, the joint-stock company
Vairogs (later known as the Riga Carriage Works) was founded, which
became the largest manufacturer of cars and railway cars in the Baltic
States.
In 1938, there were 385 thousand inhabitants in Riga, of
which about 45 thousand were of German origin.
In August 1939,
Germany and the Soviet Union concluded the so-called Molotov-Ribbentrop
Pact, in which the territory of Latvia was recognized as a Soviet sphere
of influence. Latvia was forced to sign an agreement on friendship and
mutual assistance with the USSR, on the basis of which a 25,000-strong
contingent of Soviet troops was introduced into Latvia. President Kārlis
Ulmanis stated in this regard: “The recently concluded agreement…
strengthens security.”
On June 16, 1940, Latvia was forced to
accept a new ultimatum from the Soviet government demanding the
deployment of an additional military contingent, and already on June 17,
units of the Red Army appeared on the streets of Riga. In the
uncontested elections that followed soon after, the pro-Soviet "Block of
the Working People" ("Darba tautas bloks") took all the seats in the
newly created People's Seimas of Latvia. Soon the city of Riga became
the capital of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), during the attack on the
Soviet Union, Nazi German troops occupied Riga on June 30, 1941. On July
25, 1941, the territory of the Latvian SSR occupied by German troops was
declared the General District of Latvia with the center in the city of
Riga. The district became part of the Reichskommissariat Ostland.
Otto-Heinrich Drechsler was appointed General Commissioner of the
district.
29,602 Riga Jews were imprisoned by the Germans in the
Riga ghetto (since July 21, 1941), another 6,378 Jews were killed before
its creation. Those who escaped executions were imprisoned in the
Riga-Kaiserwald camp or deported to other concentration camps in Nazi
Germany.
On October 13-15, 1944, with the strikes of the 1st, 2nd
and 3rd Baltic fronts of the Red Army of the USSR Armed Forces, Riga was
liberated from German troops during the Riga offensive operation
(September 14 - October 22, 1944). During the operation, 150 thousand
Soviet soldiers and officers died. As a result of defensive and
offensive battles in 1941 and 1944, the Old Town in Riga was seriously
damaged.
There were three camps for German prisoners of war in
post-war Riga. German prisoners of war took part in the construction of
the Riga shipyard (floating docks for this plant were brought from
Germany in 1946). The turbines produced by AEG, necessary for the
reconstruction of the Riga power plant, were dismantled and transported
from the power plant in Katowice, Poland.
The city received
significant economic development in the post-war period. Many industries
developed here: mechanical engineering (Riga Carriage Building Plant
(RVZ), Riga Bus Factory (RAF), Riga Motor-Building Plant "Sarkana
Zvaigzne"), radio electronics (Riga State Electrotechnical Plant "VEF",
Riga Radio Engineering Plant, Production Association " Alfa), chemical,
light and food industries (Riga Musical Instruments Factory, Dzintars
Perfume and Cosmetics Factory, Laima Confectionery Factory in Riga,
Straume Electric Appliances and Toys Factory in Riga, etc.). The Riga
hydroelectric power station and a number of thermal power plants were
built.
Due to industrial growth, the population of the city
increased from 228 thousand people in 1945 to 909 thousand people in
1990 (largely due to resettlement from other republics of the USSR).
After the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991, Riga again
became the capital of the sovereign Republic of Latvia.
XXI
Century
In 2014 Riga was named one of the European Capitals of
Culture.
The historical center of Riga is located in the lower reaches of the
Daugava, and the northern suburbs are located on the southern shore of
the Gulf of Riga. The southern and western suburbs of the city are
relatively sparsely populated: vast swamps and swamps were once the
natural defenses of the city. Formed in the era of the last ice age, the
landscape is replete with small lakes and streams, and to the east and
north of the Old City, back in the late 19th century, wastelands of sand
dunes stretched.
In the north-west, the urban district of Riga is
washed by the Baltic Sea, in the east and north-east it borders on
Carnikava, Garkalns and Stopino, in the south - on Salaspils, Kekava and
Olaine, in the west - on the Marupes and Babites regions and the city of
Jurmala. To the west of Riga is the resort-dacha area of the Riga
Seaside.
The climate in Riga is temperate continental with warm, humid summers (average air temperature in July is 18.7 °C; average rainfall is 85 mm) and snowy winters. Winters with frequent thaws (the average temperature in February is -2.6 °C, the thaw occurs about 10 times a month), but frosts down to -20 °C are not uncommon. Snow cover forms in late December and persists until mid-February - early March. Approximately 40% of the days of the year are cloudy, and the amount of precipitation is 668 mm per year. The average annual wind speed is 4 m/s. The average annual air humidity is 79.2%.
Riga is home to the government of Latvia: the Parliament - the Saeima
(Latvian: Saeima), the Cabinet of Ministers, the Supreme Court, and the
residence of the President of Latvia.
The city self-government
body - the Riga City Council - occupies the building of the town hall in
the Old Town. The City Duma has 60 deputies, whose term of office is 4
years. The deputies elect the chairman of the council (the mayor of
Riga) from among themselves. In 2020, Mārtiņš Stakis became the mayor of
Riga.
According to the results of the 2020 elections, the
following factions are represented in the Riga City Council: the
Development/For! (Latvian: Attīstibai/Par!) and the Progressive Party
(Latvian: Progressīvie; in the last elections they were on a single
list) - 18 mandates; Social Democratic Party "Consent" (Latvian Saskaņa)
- 12 mandates; "New Unity" (Latvian: Jaunā vienotība) - 10 mandates;
"National Association" (Latvian: Nacionālā apvienība) and the party
"Association of the Regions of Latvia" (Latvian: Latvijas Reģionu
apvienība) - 7 mandates; "Honor to serve Riga" (Latvian Gods kalpot
Rīgai) - 5 mandates; "Russian Union of Latvia" (Latvian. Latvijas Krievu
savienība) - 4 mandates; "New Conservative Party" (Latvian: Jaunā
konservatīvā partija) - 4 mandates.
Riga is the most economically developed region and the largest
industrial center in Latvia. 60% of Latvian enterprises operate in the
city and more than 50% of the able-bodied population work in the city.
First of all, we can single out the food industry, as well as the
woodworking, textile, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The volume
of foreign investments attracted by Riga is increasing, which makes it
an important venue for specialized exhibitions in the Baltics.
Almost all of Latvia's largest enterprises are based in Riga, including
the state-owned energy retail company Latvenergo, the gas monopoly
Latvijas Gāze, the railway company Latvijas dzelzceļš, the state postal
company Latvijas Pasts, mobile operators Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (
LMT), TELE2, Bite Latvija and airBaltic.
The country's only stock
exchange, NASDAQ OMX Riga, is also located in the capital. Almost all
important Latvian financial institutions are located in Riga, including
the Bank of Latvia, which is the country's central bank. Membership in
the European Union allowed Latvia to significantly expand trade
relations with European countries, especially with Germany, Sweden and
the UK. Russia remains a traditional trading partner of Latvia.
Tourism is an important source of income for the city; 90% of tourists
visiting Latvia go to Riga.
Especially for the 2006 Ice Hockey World Championship, Arena Riga was
built, a multifunctional facility with a maximum capacity of 14,500
spectators, where ice hockey, basketball and concert events are held. It
also serves as the home arena for the Dinamo (Riga) hockey club, which
previously participated in the KHL championship.
The most
successful football club in the country is Skonto Riga with 14 league
titles, which was opened in 2000 together with the Skonto football
stadium (Latvian: Skonto stadions) with 10,000 seats.
Basketball
club TTT Riga is one of the most titled clubs in European women's
basketball. The most famous men's basketball clubs from Riga are
Barons/LMT (Latvian champion in 2008) and VEF. The basketball club
"Skonto-Riga" uses the "Skonto" arena for 6500 seats, built in 1999, as
a home arena.
Regular events
The Riga Marathon is an annual
marathon run through the streets of Riga. The first competition took
place in 1991, since then it has been held annually in May-June. A half
marathon has also been held since 2006.
With the support of the Riga
City Council, the international football tournament Riga Cup is
regularly organized.
The pre-season ice hockey tournament Latvian
Railway Cup is held annually.
Riga is the most important information center of the country. It
houses the headquarters of public television and radio stations Latvijas
Televīzija (LTV) and Latvijas Radio, as well as private TV channels LNT,
TV3 Latvia, Russian-language PBK Latvija and TV5 Riga.
The
newspapers Diena and Latvijas avize are published daily. Riga is also
home to The Baltic Times, an English-language monthly covering the
events of the three Baltic countries, as well as the Russian-language
online publication Meduza.