According to my own tradition, every August, when Riga celebrates its birthday, I do collect stats about Riga's population to see how well the city lives.
In my understanding, the population is the main factor of economic and cultural activity of the cities.
So, please check below the statistics for the recent 3 years and the most recent change:

Region	2013	2012	2011	Diff from 12 to 13
Riga City	696,618	699,203	706,413	-0.37%
Riga Metro	1,018,295	1,081,137	1,098,523	-5.81%
Latvia	2,041,763	2,217,053	2,245,357	-7.91%

As long as I publish those stats I see decrease in Riga's population and it seems that there are no plans or support by government to inverse that trend.

Photo of Fireworks at Riga Festival in 2013 by Andris Jenerts
Check also photos of Riga 2012, Riga Festival in 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008.

Labels: birthdays, daugava, events, fire, lights, night, people, records, riga, rivers, skyscrapers

Sad news, Riga became 1 year older and since today Riga is 811 years old officially.
Although this year City Festival was celebrating 730 years since Riga joined Hanseatic League.
Why this is sad news? 1 year ago I've been forecasting that Riga's population will go under 700,000 in a few years, but it happened earlier.
Here below are statistics and changes:

Region	2012	2011	Change
Riga	699,203	706,413	-1.02%
Riga Metro	1,081,137	1,098,523	-1.58%
Latvia	2,217,053	2,245,357	-1.26%

Check also photos of Riga Festival in 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008. Statistics of Riga in 2005.

Labels: birthdays, daugava, events, fire, lights, night, people, records, riga, rivers, skyscrapers

Terrace Riga is open since last summer and it is already included in all city guides for its perfect location on the Galleria Riga's roof

Labels: bars, cafes, restaurants, riga, sights

2 years passed since Latvian 1188 launched Riga Street View, before Google made snapshots of all Riga streets.
Photos are actually taken in August-September 2011 and covering all streets, including blocks' yards.
Start your Riga Streets trip here.

Labels: buildings, churches, companies, daugava, maps, riga, sights, streets, vecriga

City Border at place where one of the longest Riga streets Slokas iela runs out of town.

Labels: forest, imanta, riga, roads, signs, snow, trees, winter, writings

Last weekend Riga officially became 1 year older, and its technical age is 810 years!
A massive celebration was held around the city 3 days in a row. Many subevents, like medieval fights, air show and of course fireworks could be observed in Riga these days.

I would like to continue my tradition and provide here some numbers to describe Riga's "growth".
The city mayor is still Nil Ushakov, but according current tendency, soon there will be no city, but just a settlement.
During the last year Riga population went down from 709,145 to 706,413 residents (-2,732); simple calculation still proves that after a couple of years Riga will have less than 700,000 residents.

Riga region population (including other cities) is 1,098,523. No changes because of new expanded borders.

I really don't understand how, but the picture of Latvia population is getting better. The growth is +27,388 or +1,23% of people (from 2,217,969 to 2,245,357)

Labels: birthdays, boats, bridges, daugava, events, fire, holidays, lights, night, riga

It is not a photo, but technology constantly goes forward, so I have started to experiment with videos :)
Please check my first timelapse video taken last rainy monday on the way to Vilnius from Riga.

Labels: cars, kekava, latvia, lithuania, morning, movies, music, rain, riga, roads, videos, vilnius, weather

Today is the regular monthly theme day and the topic is Time. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.
Origo Tower Clock at Central railway station is the very first sight what can see city guests which are coming to Riga by train and certainly the last one when they are leaving...

I have to announce that I'm also leaving Riga in two weeks and most probably I will discontinue to publish new photos on daily basis very soon. Therefore I kindly ask you, my visitors, maybe somebody has willingness to take and publish pictures of Riga instead of me?
If so, please contact me.

Labels: blog, railway, riga, sights, stations, themes, towers, writings

فندق ريغا (Hotel Riga) is the name of the hotel in the oldest city of the world - Aleppo, Syria.
I wish it would be 5* :) And does anybody know what letter L means?
@Valeria, thank you for an interesting photo of Riga signs outside Latvia :)

Labels: arabic, buildings, hotels, outside latvia, riga, writings

Galleria Riga is the name of the newest Shopping center in Riga, which opened its doors just 2 days ago.
It seems that stakeholders and/or designers has very narrow imagination to name it like that, because Galeria is located in a very center of Riga, on Dzirnavu iela 67, which is between Terbatas and Brivibas streets.
Check also Terrace on Galleria's roof.

Labels: center, interior, lights, people, riga, shopping

Rīgas svētki (Riga Festival) is always being held in the end of August each year. Tens of locations, hundreds of events and thousands of people are taking part in this huge celebration of Riga birthday.
In order to continue my own tradition, here below are some figures to describe Riga's growth.
During the last year Riga population went down from 713,016 to 709,145 people (-3,871); simple calculation proves that after 3 years Riga will have less than 700,000 residents :(
Riga district population (including cities inside) has decreased from 942,002 to 937,864 (-4,138)
And the picture of Latvia population is even worse. The huge drop is -43,325 or -1,92% of people (from 2,261,294 to 2,217,969)

Check also fireworks photos of Riga Festival 2008 and 2009.

As usually, good night photo is provided by F64.

Labels: birthdays, churches, events, fire, holidays, lights, night, riga, trees, water

Heavy shower flooded Riga today; the storm torn branches off the trees, so many streets, roads became blocked.
Thankfully it was very short rain, hence the traffic was limited just for some hours.
The picture was taken this Sunday afternoon on the exit from Riga Airport.

Labels: airports, buses, cars, incidents, nature, rain, riga, roads, taxi, weather

Рижский вокзал (Riga Railway Terminal) is one of 9 railway stations in Moscow.
It is terminal station of Train Riga - Moscow, and hence it is directly connected with Riga Central Station :)
There are not too many objects outside of Latvia, which contain word Riga in its name, so I guess I have good chances to cover them all in this blog as well :)

Labels: cars, outside latvia, railway, riga, russian, stations, streets

Enjoy the Symphony of Riga for 87 EUR.
I love airBaltic, because it is nearly the only thing that reminds of Riga outside of Latvia.
I found this ad in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Labels: ads, airplanes, airports, music, outside latvia, people, prices, riga, writings

Just few Rigans know that word Riga stands not only for the capital of Latvia, but it is also name for some cities, towns and other places around the world.
Today it is exactly 201 year since Riga town was formed in the state of New York in United States of America. Nowadays Riga, NY is a small town with population of 6,000 people.
I hope one day I will take a plane to New York and take these pictures by myself, but for now I am sending big thanks for photos to Art and Jim from Riga, NY

Labels: american, birthdays, cities, outside latvia, riga, towns, writings

Scheme of Riga Map, on the wall next to Microbus' terminal, is painted since I remember myself.

Labels: ads, maps, neighbourhoods, riga, roads, traffic, transport

Mārupe (Mara's river) is one of the Riga's satellite towns, located at the south-west border, next to Airport.
Town was founded in 1925 and named after river of almost the same name
Nowadays Marupe has reputation as an area for families with mid-high income. Total population is 5,500 people.
Also it is one of the most fast growing towns in Latvia, total population has been increased more than in 3 times for the last 10 years.

Labels: bierini, marupe, riga, roads, streets, towns, winter, writings

5 years passed since monsieur Eric Tenin started his Paris Daily Photo, the very first City Daily Photo blog.
In fact I was inspired not only by Paris, but also by Brain's New York, which was started on 17 March 2006.
Today's Photo is a tribute to celebrate 5 years anniversary and the theme is the Tenin Technique.
Eric's photo I love PDP inspired me to use the Tenin's Technique. Do not forget to view all participants.

Labels: birthdays, blog, cars, cities, riga, roofs, snow, themes, winter, writings

Fridge magnet is a popular souvenir from any destination of the world, including Riga, Latvia
I collect fridge magnets as well, just because they are good elements to create the unique vision of the world or kind of geographical atlas in the most visible place at home.
So, if are coming to Riga, I kindly ask you to bring some nice magnet for me. In exchange for magnet, I can show you Riga around in the most interesting way.
I mean a city tour in real, not just photos :)

Thanks for souvenirs to Lynne Jordan from Chicago :)

Labels: latvija, riga, shopping, sights, traditions

Staro Rīga (Riga shines) is a city wide light festival in Riga started today, on 14th November.
More than fifty objects are shining and making Riga lighter during these long and dark evenings.
I am going to publish more photos next days of this splendid event, but for now you are welcomed to check previous festival's photos of Strūklaka, Bibliotēka, Vecrīga, Akmens tilts, Radisson, Cable Bridge.

Labels: ads, culture, entertainment, events, lights, night, people, riga, staro