Old Riga
Popular Tourist Attractions
The Dome Cathedral
The cornerstone for the Dome Cathedral, which is the seat of the archbishop of the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, was laid on 1211. The architecture of the church includes elements of Early Gothic, Baroque and other styles, but the main building and the attached cloister form a harmonic ensemble nevertheless. This is the largest church building in Latvia, and inside one can find many art treasures.
Open: Mon-Sun – 10:00-18:00
Entrance: 3 Euro
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
One of the most ancient examples of Medieval churches in the Baltic region, St. Peter’s was first built in the 13th century, although since then it has gone through a number of building periods. A Baroque wooden steeple was installed in 1690 - the highest in the world at the time. The church was burned down during World War II and restored only in 1973. The metal steeple is 123.25 meters high. The interior of the church contains ancient epitaphs and burial plaques. From the observation platform of the tower you can enjoy a wonderfull eagle's-eye view of Riga.
Open: Tue-Sun -10:00-17:00, Closed on Mon
Entrance: 3 Euro
Market Place.
The Baltic's largest open outdoor market place has occupied these converted Zeppelin hangars since its inaugural year in 1930, and still retains the lively feel of a traditional trade emporium. Each of the five hangars, or 'pavilions', has a different speciality - such as meat, fish, groceries and dairy products, whilst a number of stalls and canopies around the hangars sell everything from fresh produce to cheap socks and dodgy DVDs.
It is located in the centre of Riga, just next to Riga old town, couple minutes walk from central bus and train stations.
Open Hours: Tue-Sat - 8:00-18:00; Sun-Mon –-8:00-17:00
Occupation Museum
Open:11-17; closed Mon. History in Latvia, as in the other Baltics, can be a can of worms. This museum makes a good attempt at shedding light on the tragic, sometimes complicated history of Latvia in the 20th century. There's nothing frivolous about this museum: this is a place to ponder the horrors of mass deportations and murder during the German and Soviet occupations. Ironically, this museum-dedicated in large part to debunking the myth of the Soviet workers' paradise-sits just behind a monument to the Latvian Riflemen, the revolutionaries who played a central role in ushering the whole Soviet era in. Among the exhibits here is a replica of a barracks in a Stalinist prison camp and objects confiscated from Latvian Jews before their execution. The exhibitions here are sometimes disturbing. But knowing this history is certainly a key to understanding Latvia.
Open Hours:Tue-Sun - 11:00-17:00; closed Mon
Entrance: free
Ethonographic Open Air Museum
Founded in 1924, this open-air museum is one of the oldest in Europe. The idea was to recreate 18th and 19th century life in Latvia. On display is traditional, full-scale village architecture. Smiths, potters and beekeepers practice their ancient trades before your eyes. On the shore of Lake Jugla, the museum spans some 100 hectares.
Open Hours: Mon-Sun - 10:00-17:00.
Entrance: 2 Euro
