Riga – Gem of the Baltics

Teddy Nee,

Correspondent (Travel)

 

Riga, the capital of Latvia, is truly the gem of the Baltics. It is the 2014 European Capital of Culture, home to Europe’s largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings, and the Prettiest European City chosen by readers of USA Today and 10 Best.

This Gem of the Baltics is situated on the shores of the Gulf of Riga on the Baltic, at the mouth of the Daugava. Riga has a rich cultural heritage and an ancient history.

Located by an important waterway, the Daugava River, Riga has been a transportation hub, thus, making it a multicultural city. There are Latvians, Belarussians, Poles, Ukrainians, Russians, and other ethnic groups among its 7,00,000 inhabitants.

Attractions
There is diverse architecture in Riga that travellers may admire. The central part of Riga is the city’s economic, financial and cultural core, as well as a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. Besides, there are also numerous music festivals taking place in Riga, especially in summer. Several of amazing places that you need to visit are listed, but not limited, as follows:

The Freedom Monument, Riga’s major landmark and the symbol of Latvian independence stands on the main street of Brīvības iela.

If you are fond of opera, National Opera is one of many places that you cannot miss. It is the pride of Latvian cultural and musical life, constructed in 1863 as the German theater. It has excellent acoustics and houses world-class opera, pop music, and ballet performances. The best moment can be enjoyed on Riga Opera Festival that take place every summer.

Riga catches attention, as it is one of the most prominent Art Nouveau centers in the world. One third of the city center is built in this style. Several of the examples are located in Elizabetes and Alberta streets.
The House of Blackheads, which was built in 14th century, was the most prestigious venue in the whole city at the time. It was damaged during WWII but was rebuilt again in 1999.

Dome Square is the largest square located in the heart of Old Riga. You can see Dome Cathedral nearby, which was built in 1211 as Bishop Albert’s Cathedral. It is the largest medieval church in the Baltic States. Dome Cathedral exhibits a mixture of late Romanesque, early Gothic and Baroque architectural styles. Besides, it is also famous for its organ, which was once the largest in the world and has more than 6,700 pipes.

Festivals
Many activities are going on in this prettiest European city. There is always something to see and do in Riga’s lively culture scene. Here are several of the annual events, including festivals that are waiting for you.

The most impressive and the largest festival in Latvia is the Nationwide Song and Dance Celebration. It usually takes place once every five years and lasts an entire week. This festival is over a century old. It comprises huge choirs and dance groups of tens of thousands of people dancing and singing.

Nordea Riga Marathon run has been an increasingly popular sport event in Riga, drawing thousands of runners from various countries. Participants run passing several of Riga’s most beautiful touristic spots.

Riga Opera Festival, one of the large-scale opera in Northern Europe, takes place in the National Opera annually. The quality of the opera’s productions has been noted outside of the country since it features the best in international and Latvian opera.

Image Courtesy: By David Holt uploaded and derivative work: MrPanyGoff (http://www.flickr.com/photos/zongo/4818085625/) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons