Pavilions of Central Market is remarkable sight of Riga since the market grand opening in 1930.
The famous urban legend says that these pavilions were used as hangars for dirigibles before.
In fact they were built using reinforcing steel, which were only designed for hangars, but never used so.
Nowadays Riga Market is the biggest in Europe and has been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the picture are 2 of 5 market's hangars - vegetable and fish pavilion.

Labels: buildings, eclecticism, legends, markets, night, roofs, shopping, sights, towers, trains, winter

Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten (The Bremen Town Musicians) is the name of bronze statue next to St. Peters Church.
It is a gift from German city Bremen, the sister city of Riga. The statue depicting donkey, dog, cat, and rooster.
Note the mouths that have become shiny. Touching the mouth is said to make wishes come true.

Labels: animals, art, cats, cities, german, legends, monuments, music, sights, statues, vecriga

I guess Black Cats House is one the few Riga sights, which still have not been presented on Riga Daily Photo.
The urban legend says that initially Black Cats were installed like they were sh*tting on the Great Guild, the building which is just across the street. Then the guild elders forced owner of this yellow building to turn the cats.
Also, here is a famous place called Melnais Kakis.

Dear Anonymous, I have been coming to this house many times during the past month in order to catch better picture and better light, but this is maximum, what I could take with my camera.

Labels: animals, buildings, cats, houses, legends, roofs, sights, vecriga, yellow

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

Sometimes underground parkings are like automobile show, especially in Riga.
Walking through them you could see such rarities like Honda Legend :)

Labels: buildings, cars, legends, underground

St. Valentine's Day is being celebrated in Riga just for the last 10-15 years, since Latvia became Western-influenced country.
A lot of lovers express their feeling by gifting flowers or some other other gifts like those Plush toys photographed in Olympia.
I was told a legend, that this holiday was invented by French flower traders especially to increase their sales :)
See also Valentine's Day in 2009.

Labels: flowers, holidays, legends, love, red, shopping, toys