Jēkaba kazarmas (Jacob's Barracks) is one of the most popular sights in Riga. It is always included in all tourist hands books and advertising pamphlets.
Basically it is one of the longest building in Riga. It is about 200 meters long.
See also side wall of Barracks.

Labels: buildings, houses, medieval, sights, vecriga

One of the less popular areas for living in Riga is Maskachka neighborhood.
The name delivers from Maskavas iela (Moscow street), which goes through the whole hood.
One more popular nickname for this district is ghetto, because it was the only area in Riga where Jews were allowed to live during Second World War, when Riga was occupied by German Nazis.
See also the beginning of the same Moscow street.

Labels: criminal, maskachka, night, poverty, streets, tramways

Another picture of Aspazijas Bulvaris, one of the streets, which borders Old town.
This wide boulevard is named after Aspazija.
Former names were:
Teātra bulvāris / Theaterboulevard / Театральный бульвар (Theater boulevard)
Padomju bulvāris / Бульвар Падомью (Soviet boulevard)

Labels: lights, night, streets, traffic, vecriga, winter

This picture is not special at all, but it is interesting to to depict Riga as it is today.
Maybe after 20 years such photo of Tramway Salon could be put on exhibition under name..
What could be the good name for such simple photo? :)

See also similar photo Interior of Riga bus.

Labels: design, interior, tramways, transport

Heavy sky covered Riga before sun went down. Iron blanket could be the name for this photo as well :)
This dramatic picture is a good antonym for clean sky photo.

Guest photo maker is Stokijs.

Labels: buildings, panoramas, roofs, skyscrapers, sunset

Vecpilsētas iela (Old Town street). Apparently it could be the oldest street in the town :)
Moscow building can be found at the background.

Labels: buildings, medieval, streets, vecriga

A perfect example of winter night in city and its colors, like blue and violet.
Indigo is a color, placed exactly in the middle of blue and violet on the electromagnetic spectrum.
TV Tower and TV Center are high spots of this picture.

Guest photographer: Vlad

Labels: ads, bridges, daugava, lights, night, panoramas, rivers, towers, tv, winter, zakusala

German architecture is world famous for half-timbered houses building technique.
As Riga was German province for many centuries, some Fachwerkhaus masterpieces still can be found in Old Town.

Labels: buildings, culture, german, houses, roofs, vecriga

Lauksaimniecības mašīnu rūpnīca (Agricultural Machinery Factory) had being closed down since Soviet Union collapse.
Now is being demolished part by part, building by building.

Labels: abandoned, buildings, ilguciems, industrial, poverty, soviet, winter

Blackheads' House together with St. Peters church is one of notable views of Riga
Actually I have took this photo in year 2007, but I don't want to leave this picture unpublished at all.
I promise that it is the last picture of Christmas this year :)

Labels: buildings, christmas, churches, medieval, snow, squares, towers, vecriga, winter

Last week Riga Stock Exchange has been renamed to NASDAQ OMX Riga, therefore became more reliable part of NASDAQ.
Warm advertisement welcomed Riga all day long at Times Square in my favorite city New York.
Author of this picture is unknown.

Labels: ads, american, banks, buildings, cities, companies, outside latvia, squares, streets

Since a long time I wanted to publish advertisement of Latvijas Krājbanka on the shorter side of Jekaba Kazarmas.
The Advertisement depicts bank's presence in each Latvian region, showing coat of arms of all Latvian cities and towns.
Please see also Riga escutcheon (part of Riga Coat of Arms)

Labels: ads, banks, buildings, country, latvian, medieval, symbols, towns

The mobile prepayment card Zelta Zivtiņa has very good and nice promotion policy.
Books on the shelves, loud speakers, curtains, soft chairs and other interior elements can be found in tramway designed as living flat.
See another way of sponsoring Zelta Zivtina tunnel
If you like this photo, then check also Bus Interior photo.

Labels: ads, candid, design, interior, life, people, tramways

Maybe it looks like result of pogrom, but it's not. Quite the contrary this is a making up activity.
The reconstruction of Рижский русский театр or Rīgas Krievu teātris (The Russian Theater of Riga)
Updated: in 2010 theater reconstruction was finished. See Russian Theatre.

Labels: buildings, culture, projects, russian, theaters, vecriga

The main entrance to Viesnīca Rīga (Hotel Riga), the symbolic hotel of early Soviet period in Latvia.
The hotel was built in 1956 in the place of former Hotel Roma, which was destroyed during Second World War during air strike.
By a legend it was Soviet pilot, who was given an order to bomb Library monument, but as soon he saw the Milda statue, he decided to drop the bomb on the building standing next by.

Labels: buildings, history, hotels, legends, riga, soviet, vecriga

Varnish and paint plant (Laku krāsu rūpnīca) is located in Ilguciems area on the road called Daugavgrivas.
This factory is one of the few industrial objects in Riga, which is still operating after Soviet Union collapse.

Labels: buildings, ilguciems, industrial, roads, streets, winter

This morning snow was falling in Riga again. I could say this year is the most snowy one for the past several years :)
When I see double-decker bus in Riga, I always remember London.

Labels: bridges, buses, cars, snow, transport, weather, winter

This children playground by sea is empty because of cold weather, not because of Crisis in Latvia :)
By the way, happy Russian New Year :)

Labels: beaches, children, empty, jurmala, sea, winter

Crisis in Latvia triggered people to go out on the streets of Old Town in Riga.
The beginning was quite okay, most of people asked to create a new parliament, change economical policy in country.
Then protest turned into typical vandalism riot.
P.S. "Nothing Special" is the recent answer of Finance Minister to journalist about what is happened to Latvian economy.

Labels: cars, criminal, incidents, latvian, people, police, politics, russian, shame, vecriga

Real Ice Hockey on frozen Agenskalna firth's ice in front of Swedbank and Cable Bridge.
Actually I've took this picture 3 years ago, when I used to play ice hockey with my friends.
We played even during evenings, luckily there was enough of light coming from Da Vinci skyscraper building, which is stopped at the moment.
Check another Daily photo of Ice hockey.

Labels: bridges, buildings, daugava, hobby, ice hockey, nature, night, pardaugava, people, rivers, skyscrapers, sports, winter

A small bridge over Mārupīte river in the Park of Victory.
This is place at Slokas street is favourited by ticket controllers.

Labels: bridges, nature, pardaugava, parks, rivers, snow, trees, weather, winter

Frosty early morning in Riga International Airport.
Due very cold weather every airplane movement is delayed for some time.

Labels: airplanes, airports, towers, weather, winter

This is the next slide of more than one-year-long slideshow of building of LNB.
Watch live webcam of Library building

Labels: buildings, future, libraries, lnb, lnb building, mukusala

A road sign showing distance till the highest point in Latvia - Gaiziņkalns.
Another 13 kilometers and you are king of the hill ;)

Labels: country, hills, madona, nature, records, roads, snow, trees, winter

Big snowfall this morning has almost paralized all traffic in Riga city.
See also another fighter against snow.

Labels: industrial, pardaugava, snow, streets, tramways, transport, weather, winter

This is the cause of trains fire in Ventspils.
Head-on collision of two trains consists was the reason of huge fire.

Labels: fire, incidents, railway, trains, ventspils

Evaņģēliski Luteriskā Mārtiņa baznīca (Evangelic Lutheran Martin's Church) is located in Parduagava, just next to Martin's Cemetery.
Lutheranism was much stronger before Latvian became Soviet country. Before it was major confession, but since then Lutheranism has massively declined.
On the contrary Roman Catholicism has strengthened its position.

Labels: churches, lutheran, pardaugava, religious, towers, trees, winter

Last days snowfall brought a lot of joy to children and their parents :)
Kukushka (Dzeguzkalns) is the most famous tobogganing hill in Riga as it is the highest natural point above sea level.

Labels: children, entertainment, forest, hills, holidays, ilguciems, nature, parks, people, snow, trees, winter

Skolas iela (School street) in Riga center. Interesting fact is that before street renaming reform there were about a dozen Skolas streets in Riga :)
In fact there is only one school located on this street - Deutsche Schule.

Labels: cars, center, schools, snow, streets, winter

Happy New Year 2009, folks.
View is taken from top of Hotel Latvia and it reflects the New Year fireworks over Riga skies.

Labels: center, events, fire, night, traditions, winter

It is difficult to choose the best photo of the year 2008.
I choose one of the shots I made at Moonlight party, because this picture is so colorful and warm. I feel it especially now, during the cold and grey winter.
Click here to view the best photos of other people
Also, my best photo of 2007.

Labels: american, beaches, events, fashion, girls, nightlife, parties, people, saulkrasti, sea, starred, themes