Where do creative people live in Riga? Their shelters can be found accidentally in absolutely unexpected places.

Labels: art, ilguciems, interior, spilve

A water tower located between Ilguciems and Imanta neighborhoods has fertile land on the roof.
Have you ever seen trees growing on tower's roof? :)

Labels: ilguciems, imanta, industrial, roofs, towers, trees, walls, water

Ēku celtniecības kombināts (House-Building Combine) was built in 80s in the place of old shipyard in Ilgucimes.
Typical Soviet architecture style of this office building is very similar to another Soviet masterpiece Press House.

Labels: buildings, ilguciems, industrial, offices, soviet, spilve

A kvass street vendor still can be found in Ilguciems at Daugavgrivas street.
BTW, what model of Mercedes Benz is parked next to the kvas trailer tank?

Labels: cars, food, ilguciems, streets, transport

Behind these golden trees is Mārtiņa Nams (Martin's Building). It is another failed real estate project in Riga.
Failed because of crisis, bad promoting, worse location. Picture is taken in one of the most backward areas.
P.S. this is the last picture of Gold Autumn this year. Riga is turning to gray for 6 months...

Labels: autumn, buildings, dzirciems, ilguciems, projects, trees

Antonov An-2 or Kukuruznik (Кукурузник) is the most popular airplane in the former USSR countries and beyond.
This one is parked at neglected Spilve airfield. Price of such aircraft is less than 100,000 USD.
See also photo of Rumbula airfield fleet.

Labels: airplanes, airports, ilguciems, prices, soviet, spilve

Tank is being sculpted in Ilguciems, most probably, will be devoted to Latvian war of Independence (5 December 1918 - 11 August 1920).
Did you know that Latvia had produced their first tanks during the First World War already? At that time it was absolutely new product, which still was not available in the most of the world states.

Labels: buildings, first, ilguciems, independence, military, monuments, projects, wars

Terminal of Old Riga Airport located between Ilguciems and Bolderaja neighborhoods in area called Spilve.
Nowadays the airfield is still being used as Skydivers base.
Beige Car is Soviet car Volga. See also front view of Spilve airport.

Labels: airports, buildings, cars, ilguciems, riga, soviet, spilve

Greenhouse in Riga Botanic garden. Tropic palms, cactuses and other plants, including noxious, are growing inside.
Did you know that in Latvian and Russian greenhouse is oranžērija and оранжерея, respectively. These words literally mean Orange House :) Different cultures and therefore different meaning what color should be plants in such facility :)

Labels: buildings, green, ilguciems, nature

Sometimes in Riga, there is little or no good sledding during the winter, but not this year!
Today is again giant snowfall, as many times during last several months.

See another shot of tobogganing in Riga.

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

Winter panorama spreading from the highest natural point in Riga - Dzegužkalns hill.

Labels: hills, ilguciems, industrial, panoramas, pardaugava, parks, snow, winter

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

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

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

Dzirciema iela is the main street in Ilguciems neighbourhood.
The name could be translated as Mill Village street.
Before Second World War, at this place was no road at all, just private houses and quite curved small path between them, called as Lielas muižas iela (Grand estate street).
After private houses demoliton, new broad road was built with a new name - Dzirciema iela.

Labels: ilguciems, nature, panoramas, pardaugava, roofs, streets

Daugavgrīvas šoseja (Daugavgrivas Highway) is a narrow but busy road, which connects North-West areas (Bolderaja and Daugavgriva) to Ilguciems and further to Riga Center.
This road is one of the most dangerous in Riga. Many traffic accidents in the past led to overtaking ban on this road.

Labels: bolderaja, daugavgriva, ilguciems, nature, night, roads, streets, sunset, trees

Actually Zunda is the same river as Daugava, just Kipsala island is located between them.
Zunda's length is about 2km. Right bank (Kipsala) is mostly green, but left bank (Ilguciems) is full of industrial facilities, like docks, factories and other works which industrial waste flows into the river.
Despite water pollution Zunda is home for many beavers, ducks, swans and other animals.

See also Azene river, the another part of Zunda.

Labels: daugava, ilguciems, industrial, islands, kipsala, rivers, sunset

Spilves lidosta (Spilve Airport) also given as Rīga Central Airport compare to Riga West Airport.
Spilve airfield start to be used during First World War. And after 15 years, in 1930s Spilve became as Riga International Airport, serving direct flights to Tallinn, Vilnius and Kaunas, which connected Riga to big cities as Helsinki, Berlin, Moscow and Warsaw. Flights were operated by Nazi Lufthansa and Soviet Aeroflot.
After Second World War airport has been rebuilt and became the hub of Aeroflot.
Since late 1980s Spilve Airprot serving training flights and small private airplanes due it closeness to Riga Center, which is just 5km. (Basically between Ilguciems and Bolderaja)
Airport building reminds imposing soviet epoch, and is worth to be seen.
See also photo of Airport Terminal made from another side.

Labels: airports, bolderaja, buildings, history, ilguciems, soviet, spilve

One of the oldest living areas situated on Riga West Side is Iļģuciems
Iļģuciems takes its name from the Old German Hilgen geest have (Farmstead of the Holy Spirit)
That was the name of the local village and surroundings since 15 century.
Iļģuciems was joined to Riga in 1785, after big Riga expanding towards the West.
The major street is Daugavgrivas street and Dzirciema street, which run parallel across the whole Iļģuciems.
This photo was taken from small airplane over Lilijas iela (Lily street)

Author is unknown.

Labels: aerial, ilguciems, nature, neighbourhoods, panoramas, pardaugava, streets, suburbs

These four twelfe-storey apartament houses located on Jurmalas gatve (Jurmala highway), in Ilguciems area.
Interesting fact that the same project houses built up in the same way you can find in many different parts of Riga.

Labels: buildings, houses, ilguciems, soviet