The City of Riga, Latvia

I want to show you some pictures that I have taken since we have gotten here.  I hope they give you an idea of what the city is like.

Riga is split into two parts -- Old Town and New Town.  "New" Town really isn't an appropriate word, because the buildings in that part of the city are still very old -- they are just not as old as the ones in Old Town.  Some of the buildings in Old Town have been there since the 15th century.

Here is the view of the street from the window of the hotel where we stayed the first night.  We were on the 5th floor, so we got a really good view.

Here is a view of one of the narrow streets.  Cars actually drive down these streets, and you'd better get out of their way!

Here is a view of another street.  Notice the cobblestones.  They make walking difficult, though a lot of Latvian women do it in spike heels.

Riga is known as the "City of 1,000 Faces" because of all of their Art Nouveau architecture.  Here are some examples of the faces that you see.  Some of them are okay, but some of them are downright scary.

Here is what is called the "Cat House."  The story is that the man who originally built the house was angry about not getting into some type of organization, so he put the cats on the top of the house and turned their tails toward the organization's building.  However, city authorities eventually made him turn the cats the other direction so they'd be less offensive.

You see these type of openings everywhere.  They are called "gates."  At one time, there was a wall around the city to protect it from invaders.  The wall is still there, but buildings have been built onto the front and the back of the wall.  This opening was one way that people could cross through the wall.  Now they add a picturesque effect to the city.

This is the Riga Dome Church.  It is one of the largest churches in the city.  Its structure is once again very old.  It is a Lutheran Church, and I want to attend it this Sunday.  It is right in the center of the town.  There are organ concerts held here all the time.  I hope to get to one of them.

Notice how there are lots of people in the picture above?  Most of the restaurants have outdoor seating areas, and people definitely take advantage of them.  Here are two more pictures that illustrate the popularity of the restaurants and their outdoor seating.

The Freedom Monument is a special monument in the city.  It was opened in 1935 and honors the soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence. It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty.  It is truly a sight to see.  You can't tell it from the picture, but it is a very tall structure that really reaches into the sky.

Although it's not the same as being here, I hope these pictures give you a feel for what the city is like.  It's a beautiful place.

I'll add more pictures later!