“Thirty three years, Lativa has been independent, the most ever,” Our guide explains the history of occupations by the Swedes, Nazis and Russia. Layered upon that is the religion of Protestants and Catholics. In 1989, the Baltic Way created a human chain of 600km and got the Baltic States on their path to freedom. In March 1991, Lativa declared independence.
On August 23, 1989, a momentous event unfolded that would leave its mark on history. “The Baltic Way” when approximately 2 million people joined hands, creating an unbroken human chain that spanned over 600 kilometres, linking the capital cities of Vilnius in Lithuania, Tallinn in Estonia, and Riga in Latvia.
Over the centuries the Baltics has been important region to trade. Riga is named after a river that flows into the Daugava and how this river eventually connects to the Black Sea. The Baltic sea area dominated with the Hanseatic League was a medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. The League began as a collection of loosely associated groups of German traders and towns aiming to expand their commercial interests, including protection against robbery. He told the history of Latvia through centuries
House of the Black Heads built in 1334. The Black Heads, an association of young, unmarried merchants, goldsmiths, and ship captains became the tenants of the building at the end of the 15th C. Destroyed in WWII, rebuilt in 1999.
Riga Dome Cathedral (1211) in what now is Dome Square after old buildings were demolished in the 1930s. The cathedral combines Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Art Nouveau features. Also noted for the organ built in 1884.
The Cat House. An interesting "tail" about the position of the black cats. As a revenge of not being admitted into the guild, Lugvig bought the property across from the guild, and on the building places the cats with it's butt facing the guild, until he was admitted and turned the cats around.
The statue (picture below) in Riga has a political message to it, however, The statue was dedicated one year before Latvia received freedom from the USSR. The artist of the sculpture has the four friends peering through the Iron Curtain instead of looking through a window like the original story states. The Iron Curtain is depicted by the metal shield surrounding the friends. They are trying to see what life is like on the other side of the communist "wall." Read about the statue
A gift from Riga's twin city Bremen in 1990 (a replica is also in Bremen). The statue represents the 4 animals in Brothers Grimm and represents the Town Musicians of Bremen.
After the Central Market, we walk to find the Russian Embassy and The Three Brothers houses that wasn't included on the tour. We also returned to the Cat House and had some nice Belgium Beer.
The Three Brothers. A group of historical residential buildings, similar to the Three Sisters of Tallinn, former warehouse buildings. This is the oldest residential building complex, each constructed in a different century. The "Oldest" built in 1490.
On the way back we pass the Powder Tower that we didn't see on the walking tour. The tower history dates back to 1330 is the only preserved tower out of 28 towers that once formed the fortification wall of Riga.
