About City
Riga, the capital of Latvia, was officially founded in 1201. Riga is divided into six administrative districts: Centra, Kurzeme, Ziemeļu, Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale districts. Riga is located along the Baltic Sea at the southern coast of the Gulf of Riga, on the Rigava coastal plain. The historical core of Riga is situated on the right bank of the Daugava River, about 10 kilometers from where the Daugava flows into the Gulf of Riga.
Climate in Riga is influenced by its proximity to the sea; therefore it is moderately warm and humid. Summers are comparatively cool and cloudy. Winters are comparatively warm with frequent thaws.
The Riga City history is more than eight hundred years long, and it has an abundance of dramatic events stored in countless volumes of works and monuments, legends, songs, memoirs and tales.
The archeological discoveries in the territory of Riga testify that a settlement existed there already in the 12th century. A broadening was formed in the place where the Rīdziņa River ran into the Daugava, which is the present region of Albert’s Square; this was called Riga Lake. This place was convenient for a harbor because settlements of local tribes – the Cours and the Livonians were formed in its vicinity.
At the end of the 12th century, crusaders came here as well when the German merchants tried to widen and strengthen their area of activities along the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. Their first leader Bishop Berthold in 1198 was killed in action near the Riga Old Mountain. When the chronicler Indriķis recorded the word “Riga”, it appeared for the first time in the written sources.
The history of Riga over more than 800 years testifies that the city has vast experience being proud and rich and knowing how to rise once again after war, starvation and disaster. And how to be proud again.
In the architecture of the historic centre of Riga examples of all architectural styles characteristic for the Northern Europe, from Gothic to Modernism, are found. The regular building of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries is characteristic for the planning of the historic centre, oriented towards the direction of main streets in the Old City, which emerged approximately in the 14th century. Dismantling of outdated defense systems (ramparts, dams, constructions) in 1857 – 1863 was an important impetus for the development of the city construction.
As a result, the picturesque Boulevard Circle was designed and in the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, with the rapid development of high-rise dwelling construction, unique Art Nouveau examples were created. In some districts of Riga, for various reasons, complex wooden constructions of that time have still been preserved, and that is an amazing phenomenon in the 21st century. In 1997 the historic center of Riga due to this valued architecture was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Origin: www.rigatourism.lv
| Population | Cinemas | Theaters |
| 747 000 | 5 | 7 |
Interesting Places
- Riga Cathedral - Protestant Cathedral located in the city, built near the Daugava River in 1211
- Riga Castle which serves as the official residence of the President of Latvia and also houses several significant museums
- Saint Peter's Church
- Mezaparks which is a neighborhood in Riga, known as ‘forest park’. Built in the 20th century, the park hosts the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in late July every year
- Powder Tower, which is the sole structure remaining from the original city walls
- Latvian Museum of War
- Ethnographic Open - Air Museum
- Domina Shopping Centre, which is the largest shopping centre in the Baltic States
Clubs recommended by Study4u
Alus Seta
Want to try some authentic Latvian cuisine? Well we've got to hand it to you kid, you've sure got guts. Here at Alus Seta you're at an immediate advantage because the food is served from behind a buffet and you can have a good look before you plump for anything. Pork ribs and shashlik are local faves, whilst a plethora of salads and side dishes will help fill any empty spaces on your plate. Once you've pointed at everything you want, take your dish to the counter and let the staff guestimate how much you've spent, according to weight.
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Club Essential
Modern house music on the dance-floor, R&B hits in the second floor and in the «special zone«. If you arrive at midnight and the club is deserted - no fear, it will be loaded in an hour. The tables are mostly "Reserved" fictionally, so that everyone would hang out in the main hall. The public is mostly 20-40 years old.
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Useful links
