Riga – the biggest and most vibrant city in the Baltics | Latvia
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia, the biggest and most vibrant city in Baltics, and an important seaport, situated on the mouth of the Daugava. It is also the largest city of the Baltic states and third-largest in the Baltic region, behind Saint Petersburg and Stockholm.
Riga’s historical centre is declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site thanks to its amazing houses. The city is known as the most expensive Baltic city and is particularly notable for its extensive Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) architecture, which UNESCO considers to be unparalleled anywhere in the world.
Around Riga you can visit several great places such as the coastal resort Jurmala, the Sigulda castles overlooking the scenic Gauja River Valley, and the Rastrelli Palace at Rundale.
What to see in Riga
- Great Guild Hall and Small Guild Hall
- Symbol of the historical centre – The Dome Cathedral – impressive mixture of romantic, gothic, Renascence, baroque and classical styles. There is one of the largest organs in the world in the cathedral
- The architectural complex Three brothers – three houses are the oldest stone buildings in Riga built in the 15th, 17th and 18th centuries
- St. Maria Magdalena Catholic Church – built in the 13th century
- Sweden Gate – the newest and the only saved as they are of 25 gates of Riga, which used to protect the city from enemies
- St Jacob Church – served both to the Catholics and the Lutherans in the past
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