Culture Sites

Riga Brethren Cemetery is Latvia's largest memorial ensemble dedicated to about 2,000 Latvian soldiers (among them also about 200 unknown) who were killed between 1915 and 1920 in World War I and the Latvian War of Independence. More »

Every Old Town building has its own history, among them, 4 Riharda Vāgnera (Richard Wagner) Street. Once it housed the first theatre in Riga; in addition, German outstanting composer Richard Wagner spent a few years here while working as a chapel-master in Riga. Some world-famous composers have visited this place - Franz Liszt, Clara Wieck, Robert Schumann, Hector Berlioz, and others. Today, the building hosts several institutions, as well as a concert hall for chamber music. More »

The narrow land strip in the middle of the Daugava River becomes one of the most popular recreational areas in the summer - various events take place on the AB Jetty, there are many cafes and art galleries, or people can simply take a walk there to see the beautiful panorama of Riga afforded from the jetty. More »

Āgenskalns Baptist Church at 14 Mārupes Street was built between 1913 and 1916, according to the design by architect A. Vanags. More »

St.Saviour's Anglican Church was built on the land of former Pauls Bastions between 1857 and 1859. Architect - J.D.Felsko. More »

Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady or St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker Church is one of the oldest churches in Riga. It was first mentioned in 15th century documents. It has been rebuilt several times, and is still open for worhipers. More »

Arkādijas Garden Park is a typical landscaped Riga park, located in Torņakalns. More »

The Bolderāja Music and Art School has a Music Division (piano, violin, cello, kokle, guitar, and wind instruments), Art Division, where students learn drawing, painting, shaping and composition, as well as basics of pottery and wood-carving, and a Choreography Division. More »

Three legendary musicians play their music on Skārņu Street between St. Peter's Church and the Convent Yard: a donkey, a dog, a cat and a cockerel standing on each other's backs. You can see surprise in the animals' eyes, but they are not staring at the robbers' feast; they are peering through the Iron Curtain! More »

The "Annas 2" centre in Riga is a place where creative, enthusiastic and goal-oriented young people from ages 6 to 25 can spend their free time. More »

"Sapņu fabrika" is a multi-functional arts and entertainment centre. More »

The Culture and Traditional Arts Centre "Ritums" was established according to the 19th December 1995 decision of Riga City Council. The centre encompasses two former institutions: the so-called Professor's House (for teaching and scientific staff) and the Printing Workers' House. More »

Opened in 1995. Located in the area of Anniņmuiža Park, surrounded by Imanta appartment buildings. The centre holds traditional celebrations of Easter, Līgo Festival, Ann's Day, and Christmas, as well as professional and amateur concerts, exhibitions, events for kids and families. More »

Picturesque Daugavgrīva Fortress can be best seen from above - a six-pointed star fallen from the sky by the mouth of the Daugava River. But when you're inside, you'll find testimony to the construction's history on every step. Here's a house where Mr. Bukin once lived; he was in charge of fire safety as this was a base for Soviet troops during the USSR period. Today the fortress is completely abandoned and those who are interested in history can have a walk in the empty premises and view the ruins of military structures. More »

The park is for both active recreation and rest & relaxation More »

This centrally-located park is 8.75 hectares large, and surrounded by Elizabetes, Kalpaka, Krišjāņa Valdemāra and Brīvības streets. More »

The Freedom Monument has been Riga's central landmark for more than a half century. This granite and copper work of art is a symbol of the Latvian nation's striving for freedom and independence. The woman on top of the monument is holding up three golden stars, which represent Latvia's historical regions of Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale. The motto "For the Fatherland and Freedom" is inscribed upon the base. Unveiled on 18 November 1935 and financed entirely from public donations. Its height - 42.7 metres. More »

The Ģertrūdes Street Theatre (101a Ģertrūdes Street) is an open stage, jointly run by the "United Intimacy" Theatre and the "Nomadi" Creative Association in collaboration with the Latvian New Theatre Institute. This is a venue for contemporary dance and theatre performances by Latvian and foreign artists and their troupes More »

Riga's Goethe Institute opened in 1992. It is the Federal Republic of Germany's cultural institution operating worldwide to promote German language studies and cooperation in the cultural field. More »

According to legend, once upon a time a very strong man lived on the Daugava riverside and he earned his living by carrying people across the river on his back. One night he was approached by a little boy who asked to carry him over the river. Although the weather was stormy, the man picked up the child and began carrying him across the river. With each step, the man found that the child was becaming heavier until by midstream only with the greatest of effort could he made it to shore. The boy turned out to be Christ's son so the man was named Kristaps (Latvian form of Christopher). Now you will find his statue on the right bank of the Daugava. More »

Grīziņkalns Park, located in Riga's Latgale District, has 10.45 hectares and is surrounded by Pērnavas, Ata and Jāņa Asara streets. More »

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The House of Dannenstern is one of the most impressive examples of the Baroque style architecture in Latvia testifying to the 17th century merchants' wish of public showcasing their prosperity. The building was constructed according to Dutch Classicism pupular in the Northern Europe at that time; plenty of ornaments harmonizing with the restrained facade - typical features of Riga Baroque. More »

St. Gertrude's New Church was built in 1906 according to architect Wilhelm von Strick's designs at what was then called Aleksandrs Square, now the intersection of Brīvības Street, Cēsu Street and Tallinas Street. More »

Rumbula is one of the largest mass extinction locations in Europe. More »

Biķernieki Forest is a graveyard for thousands of Jews slaughtered there during World War II. The memorial ensemble's center is a black granite cube, a symbolic altar, with an inscription from the Book of Job: "Earth, do not shield my blood or hide my cry!" The surrounding thousands of stones remind one of traditional Jewish burial grounds. More »

A unique 19th century's complex of wooden buildings is now renovated in Pārdaugava. A group of friends and associates are actively involved in a project of preserving the historic atmosphere of the district and adapting it to the dynamics of the 21st century. Latvian and European design; fairs, art exhibitions and workshops at court-yards. The district's special feature - old LADA cars to take you into the past. More »

Located in Riga's Latgale District, Ķengarags Park offers various open-air events. More »

The Morbergs began to build their summer mansion and gardens in the mid-1880s, and continued expanding them up till the famous art patron's death in 1928. More »

Kronvalda Park (originally Strēlnieku Garden) is 11.92 hectares in area, with the city canal running through it. Bordering Elizabetes, Kr. Valdemāra streets, Kronvalda and Kalpaka boulevards. More »

Lielie kapi Cemetery is an architectural landmark of state importance with memorial tombs, a burial ground and park owned by the Latvian Lutheran Church. It is located between Brīvības, Mēness, Miera and Kljānu streets. More »

A unique contemporary art project - "Mājas svētība" is a houseplant exchange for everyone who consider themselves to be a gardener. A cafe, a houseplant hotel and even a rehabilitation centre for houseplants offer plants not for sale but for exchange! More »

One of the largest and most active Baptist parishes in Latvia. Founded in 1867. After changing several locations, the parish bought land on Matīsa Street in 1867. The present building was constructed according to the project by arch. H.Melbarts in 1902. More »

Žanis Lipke provided safe haven for 50 Jews during World War II, and this memorial is a tribute to his heroism. The memorial itself is a 12-meter long, six-meter high wall supported by columns with the names of 270 people, who risked their lives. On the central column - a portrait of Lipke. More »

Kronvalda Park in central Riga features a monument to prominent Russian poet Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin. The bronze figure was presented to Riga City by the Moscow House. More »

Esplanāde Park features a monument to Russian Field Marshall Barclay de Tolly (1761-1818), a copy of the now lost 1913 sculpture. More »

The motionless bronze man standing at the crossroads of Kr. Valdemāra street and Raiņa boulevard is a monument to former Latvian president Kārlis Ulmanis (1877 - 1942), built by private donations. The monument was erected in 2003 as a present to the City from the Riga Latvian Society House and the National Culture Development Fund. More »

You will find an interesting monument - a bronze man and lady with a chow chow dog, in a park in front of the Latvian National Opera. It is dedicated to George Armitstead, Mayor of Riga from 1901 to 1912, who entered Latvian history as one of the greatest leaders Riga has ever known. The monument was created by donations from local businessman Yevgeny Gomberg and unveiled by British Queen Elizabeth II in October 2006. More »

On Merkela Street opposite the Riga Latvian Society House, a bronze Sir has assumed the pose of a distracted dandy. This is Kārlis Padegs (1911-1940), a famous Latvian painter of his time, graphic artist and bohemian. More »

Mstislav Keldysh (1911-1978) was President of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1961–1975). The monument to Keldysh next to the main building of the Univerity of Latvia was erected in 1978. More »

An unusual monument is located outside the Faculty of Biology (University of Latvia) building in Riga. The object shaped as malic acid molecules (the so-called Walden Inversion) is devoted to Latvian-born Nobel Prize nominee scientist Paul Walden. More »

Jānis Rainis (1865 — 1929) was an outstanding Latvian poet, playwright, translator, and politician. The monument to Rainis has been erected in the heart of Riga, where Poetry Day events are held annually on the poet's birthday on September 11. More »

Medieval scientist Ulugh Beg is listed among founders of modern astronomy. His main achievement is a star catalogue. In 2004 a monument to Ulugh Beg was set up at Kronvalda Park as a gift from Tashkent (Uzbekistan). More »

Moscow House - a cultural and practical cooperation support centre between two countries, a unique bridge connecting Russia and Latvia. More »

On the site of the shut-down Jewish Cemetery in Riga's Latgale District, Communist Brigades Park was established in 1960. As of 1990, this place (2.7 hectares) is called the Old Jewish Cemetery. More »

The splendid Eclectic and Neo-gothic-style Old St. Gertrude's Church is one of those rare churches in Riga which is located outside Old Town. A long time ago, it was on the very border of the city, beyond this in bygone days were only small huts, meadows, forests and roads. Today, Old St. Gertrude's Church belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and concerts are also held here. More »

The white and blue Our Lady of Sorrows Church was the first stone church built in Riga after the Reformation had reached Livonia (a historic region once encompassing present-day Latvia and Estonia). The idea of constructing the church was especially supported by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. The Classicism-style building was dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows symbolising the oppressed Catholic Religion in Terra Mariana. More »

Riga Ascension Latvian Orthodox Church was consecrated on September 1879. This is the only Orthodox church in Riga with services in Latvian. The church was also accessible during the Soviet period. More »

Riga Castle has stood on the right bank of the Daugava for more than 700 years. Through the centuries, it saw severe destruction, numerous rulers and wars. Today it houses the residence of the President of Latvia and a museum. More »

Founded in 1871, the Riga Choral Synagogue was burned to the ground in 1941. A memorial is located in the ruins today in memory of those who perished in the blaze, and another one was unveiled in 2007, dedicated to those who provided safe haven for Jews during the war. More »