Riga historical center

Unesco's Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization has recognized Latvia's Riga Historical Center as a 1997 Cultural Heritage.

Riga is the capital of Latvia founded by Germans in 1201. The first time when it was founded, the city was not large and was often invaded by neighboring countries. Beginning in the 13th century, this city was gradually stabilized and initially developed. By the middle of the 13th century, Riga had become a leading commercial center and at the same time the largest city among the Baltic states .

The capital of Riga is deeply influenced by Western European culture, the imprints of that influence are bold on the architectural works and artistic architecture here. One of the highlights of Riga is that the old town is the historic center recognized by Unesco as a World Cultural Heritage in 1997.

Previously this old town was surrounded by a canal, which later became the city's green park. Across the streets in Riga city, wherever visitors can see beautiful architecture and works. Roads such as Alberta Road, Elizabetes Road and Strelnieku Road . are home to many beautiful, valuable works of art.Art Nouveau art architecture can be found around the city. Art Nouveau style began to penetrate Latvia from around the 19th century. These style buildings are noticeable with beautiful decorative façades and arches designed asymmetrically.

The current general landscape architecture of Riga is not quite the same as when the city was founded. The general landscape and architecture have changed over time to become a multi-style but still homogeneous architecture. In the 13th century, most of the rooftops in Riga had a picture of a rooster . These chickens are made of metal and the people here paint the chicken with black and gold colors on the sides. These chickens are not only symbols of the city but also help people determine the direction of the wind. However, to date, these roosters are only present on some ancient buildings.

Despite the war, the buildings here have been damaged quite a lot but there are still many works that are preserved and preserved in good condition. The most remarkable in the historic center of Riga can be referred to as St. Peter's Cathedral, Dom cathedral, bell tower, knight castle, museum and many old houses built in the 15-17 century.St. Peter's Church is known as the tallest church in Riga. Dom Cathedral is famous for its large walkways, worsening inside the church. Riga's most glorious time is probably the period from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The centuries after that, Riga continuously suffered war, though still growing and recovering after the war but speeding up. Growth is not like its heyday.

St. Peter's Church, Dom Cathedral and bell tower of typical works in Riga Historical Center.

For the 19th century, Riga became prosperous and became an important economic center of the country. Some beautiful architectural works were also built at this time such as: National Museum; Latvia national arts theater . So far, Riga is the city with the largest collection of art Nouveau art works in Europe.

Riga historical center was recognized by Unesco under the criteria (i) and (ii): Latvia's historical center still retains its urban structure from the Middle Ages. Some architectures are relatively intact and have outstanding artistic value. Riga historic center is also home to a large number of European Art Nouveau-style buildings.

Currently, Riga has become one of the most famous and attractive cities for tourists because of its special culture and history and beautiful architecture. In the early days of 2014, along with the Swedish city of Umea, Riga was voted as the European Cultural Capital in 2014.