Alberta iela
Twelve buildings by M. Eisenstein, 1901–1908 — an open-air textbook of decorative Art Nouveau.
Latvia · Baltic coast · founded 1201
Rīga
Where Hanseatic cobblestones meet
the largest collection of Art Nouveau in Europe
Vecrīga
The old town behind the city wall
Riga's medieval core has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Narrow streets, paved back in Hanseatic times, run from the Riga Cathedral to the House of Blackheads and St. Peter's Church, whose spire has guided ships on the Daugava for centuries.
- Riga CathedralOne of the largest churches in the Baltics, founded in 1211
- Three BrothersThe city's oldest residential complex, built between the 15th and 17th centuries
- House of BlackheadsA Gothic guild hall, rebuilt after 1945
Rīgas jūgendstils
Europe's Art Nouveau capital
About a third of central Riga's buildings were built in the Art Nouveau style — the highest concentration on the continent. Alberta iela stands out in particular, lined with buildings designed by architect Mikhail Eisenstein: masks, peacocks, and sphinxes have watched over passers-by from its facades for more than a century.
Elizabetes iela
More restrained, geometric facades — the shift from decorative Art Nouveau toward National Romanticism.
Art Nouveau Museum
An authentic early-20th-century apartment at Alberta iela 12 — original interior, furniture, and stained glass.
Daugava
The river that holds the city together
The Daugava splits Riga into a left and right bank and reaches the Gulf of Riga just 15 km downstream. Along the embankment, the skyline of the Old Town faces the National Library, whose glass slopes locals call the "Castle of Light."
Rīgas Centrāltirgus
A market inside zeppelin hangars
Riga Central Market opened in 1930 in five repurposed zeppelin hangars — the largest market in Europe at the time. Today it's also a UNESCO site and one of the city's liveliest places.
Good to know
1201year founded
1997UNESCO listing
EET+1timezone, UTC+2/+3
EURcurrency
LV / RU / ENlanguages spoken
May–Sepbest season to visit