Historic Centre of Riga, World Heritage Site in Latvia

Riga is the capital of Latvia and a port city so beautiful that it is called the “Pearl of the Baltic Sea. As the central city of the Hanseatic League, it flourished from the 13th to 15th century, but few buildings from those days remain, and today many 19th century Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style buildings can be seen.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the Historic Center of Riga is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Riga!

What is the Historic Center of Riga?

Located at the mouth of the Daugava River which empties into the Baltic Sea, Riga was founded as a port city in the 13th century and was a major city of the Hanseatic League until the 15th century.In the 19th century, Riga was greatly developed during the Industrial Revolution, and many stone houses in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style were built.As many as 50 buildings from the 19th century still remain.

Riga’s cityscape is composed of various architectural styles. The center of the city is a medieval town, and the area along the canal is lined with 19th century Jugendstil-style houses. The old town has few tall buildings, and the beautiful old town is well preserved when viewed from the other side of the river.

As one of the leading trading cities on the Baltic Sea, Riga has played an important role in various genres, including culture, industry, education, and the arts. The city’s architectural education institutions also influenced the urban architecture of Tallinn, Vilnius, and other cities in the surrounding area.

Main registered properties

Riga Castle

The castle was built in the 14th century by the Knights of Livonia (a branch of the German Knights) and rebuilt in the 16th century. Since then, it has been used for different purposes each time the rulers changed several times, and since 1922 it has been used as the Presidential Palace.Incidentally, a fire broke out in 2013 and the building was not used for some time, but restoration work was completed in 2016.

Riga Cathedral

The cathedral of the Protestant Lutheran Church, a symbol of the old town.It is famous as the largest cathedral in the Baltic States. The cathedral dates back to the 13th century, and as it was repeatedly enlarged and remodeled, it became a building of various architectural styles, including Romanesque and Baroque. The cathedral is famous for its large pipe organ built in the 19th century.

St. Peter’s Church

The church of the Lutheran Church was completed in the 15th century.And the steeple of St. Peter’s Church was completed in the 15th century and was a huge tower with a height of 136 meters. However, the tower was destroyed and rebuilt many times, and the current spire was rebuilt after the World War II. Today, it has an elevator and an observation deck, making it a tourist attraction in Riga.

House of three brothers

Residential architecture with its origins in the 15th century.It is called “three brothers” because three similar houses are lined up in a row.It is characterized by its staircase-shaped roof and various architectural styles, including Gothic and Renaissance.It is now an architectural museum.

House in Blackhead

It was built in the 14th century and used as a hall of the Blackhead Brotherhood, a guild of merchants, sailors, and others. However, it collapsed due to a German attack in 1941, and was rebuilt between 1996 and 1999. It is now used as a museum.

Cat House

A Jugendstil style construction built in 1909. It is called the “Cat House” because a bronze statue of a black cat was built on a tower on the roof.It is currently used as an office building and restaurant.

For what reason is the Historic Center of Riga on the World Heritage List?

Riga was evaluated for the following points

Registration Criteria (i)
Riga is a beautiful city with a variety of architectural styles from the late Middle Ages to the 19th century, with a particular concentration of Art Nouveau buildings.

Registration Criteria (ii)
That Riga, as a trading city, had a great influence on the surrounding countries in terms of architecture, sculpture, and garden design.

Conclusions and Impressions of a World Heritage Maniac

Although it is said that Riga remains more German than Germany, most of the architecture in the old town has been destroyed. Plots remain, and most of the buildings have been reconstructed.In fact, there are many buildings in the Jugendstil style, and it is surprising that there are as many as 300 in total. The city’s reputation as a trading city has been recognized for its mix of cultures through ships, and its architectural technology in particular has influenced other cities and regions.

Latvia actually has the lowest GDP among the Baltic countries. While Riga is attracting more and more tourists, the rest of the country also has no outstanding tourist attractions. And the current situation is that high-rise buildings cannot be built in Riga due to landscape protection. Furthermore, the surrounding buildings are being considered for demolition, which is great from the perspective of heritage protection, but makes you wonder about the development of the city….

*The contents here are considerations derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts. As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.