Konventa sēta (Convent Yard) aka Konventhof is a quiet area in the middle of Old Town. Formerly it was a fortified area and the residence of the Sword Brothers Brotherhood. On the picture is the wall of the building, which has written chronicles of Konventa seta and Riga
One of long-term projects within this blog is watching of the Latvian National Library construction site. Check the timeline of LNB photos I took from the same position for the last 3 years. Still 2 years to go...
Kremlin Wall is quite narrow-famous sight in Riga and is located in Purvciems neighbourhood. This apartment building was built in 1980s for Soviet politicians, which used to work in Latvian Communist Party. The house itself is similar to red-brick wall and towers of Kremlin, which is located in Moscow and is the main government building of Russia during its whole history.
Riga used to have a fortification wall as almost any other European medieval city. This renovated fragment is located on Tornu iela. Check also other photos of Riga fortifications: oldest piece of the Riga wall, Swedish Gate, another gate, Pulverturm and the Wall street, where the wall used to stay.
Dobroe Utro Katja (Good Morning Katja) is a very old graffiti in Maskachka neighborhood. It is written in Russian using Latin letters. Such way of writing Cyrillic letters is sometimes called Crazy Russian. Interesting is that in every country Cyrillic letters are mapped to different Latin letters or numbers, for example letter Ш could be written as sch, sh, s, 6 or w
Рижский женский монастырь Св. Сергия or Rīgas Sv. Trijādības Sergija sieviešu klosteris (Riga St. Trinity Sergius Women's Orthodox Monastery) was opened in 1894. Despite it is located in the very center of Riga, on Kr Barona street, only few know that it does exist. Monastery is hidden behind the thick trees and modest wooden fence next to Holy Trinity Cathedral. I guess it is very calm and sacred place protected by the most tallest walls in the center. It is hard to believe that in the middle of vainglorious and lascivious city some people can keep a vow.
Piektdiena ir pirts diena (Friday is the Sauna day) I like that favourite expression of my physics teacher Jānis Lapers, because by saying this phrase, he used to let us go on Fridays earlier than any other day :) On the photo - Russian Bath in Bolderaja neighbourhood.
Triangula Bastions (Triangular Bastion) is a shopping center on 11. Novembra mainly occupied by Maxima. The name is delivered from a bastion, which had protected the city walls and obstructing the enemy access to Riga from Daugava river. Medieval bastion ruins still can be observed in the basement of this building made of glass.
Today on 11th of November is Lāčplēša diena. Many people on this day come to Castle walls to put a candle in order to honour heroes of war for Liberation of Latvia from German army in 1919.
P.S. Unfortunately I haven't such a good camera, so the picture was taken from some news website :)
Gate to medieval city was built in wall which was sometimes up to 2 meters wide. The medieval version of Riga's Coat of Arms can be found on top of the gate. See also Riga Scutcheon, which remained almost untouched till now.
Riga had town wall almost since it was founded. Nowadays only two pieces of that wall are still remained. One of them is located between Marstalu and Minsterejas streets, just next to November 11 embankment. The building of town wall was the business of every Riga citizen. Each person living in medieval Riga had to help built the wall. It was like a hut tax.
Православная церковь всех святых or Visu svēto pareizticīgo baznīca (All Saints Orthodox Church) This church was built after great fire in 1812. In the beginning the building was built from wood, but after it was rebuilt piecemeal into brick building. The initial wooden building was moved 500 meters away and named after St. John The Baptist Church. Today the Orthodox church celebrates Pascha (Easter), the last day of 49 days long fasting season. Христос воскресе! (Happy Easter!)
I guess that nobody in Riga think that residence of American Embassy on Raina boulevard is a nice building, which adorns city. Despite its very center location (it is next nearest building to French Embassy) it looks like a fortified warehouse. For openers the building has 24*7 strong security, 2 fences and the window guards.
On 11 of November people fire candles and put them on the front wall of Riga Castle, from the side of 11th November str. This tradition is to remember people died to liberate Riga in 1919.
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