- Address: Central District, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia;
- Open: in 1515;
- Architect: Eižens Laube;
- Site: president.lv;
- Phone: +371 67 092 106.
One of the main historical sights of Riga is rightly considered the Riga Castle. This medieval fortress, which has an eventful past, is currently the residence of the President of Latvia . And only in some rooms are museums that store their centuries-old history.
general information
Riga Castle is one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings in Riga . Its history begins in 1330. In the years that followed, the castle was destroyed and restored, rebuilt and modified many times. And only by 1515 he restored his fortification again. After 1710, the castle lost its defensive function and from 1938 became the residence of the President of Latvia.
Very interesting is the structure of the castle. Its original form is a closed quadrangular block with a courtyard. In each corner was a tower. In due course, they completed and built more walls and 2 towers. On the diagonal of the quadrangle are two main towers (1515): the tower of the Holy Spirit, from which observations were made of passing ships, and the Lead Tower is the most powerful. The thickness of the walls in some places reaches 3 m.
We advise you to pay attention to the famous sculpture located in the courtyard of the castle: in the niche of one of the walls there is a relief image of the Holy Virgin Mary (patron of the Order) and Plettenberg (Master of the Order). It was established in 1515 and is the original. This image of the Holy Virgin Mary is considered the most expressive sculptural work of all existing in Riga at that time.
What is located on the floors of the castle?
- On the 1st floor of the castle there are working rooms for the president and his entourage. The walls are decorated with old canvases and engravings;
- on the 2 nd floor is located the so-called Armorial Hall, intended mainly for meetings with heads of other states. On this floor there is also the Golden Hall, where receptions of especially important guests are held. On the whole floor there is a historical decoration;
- on the third floor there is the Blue Foyer, the ambassadors accreditation hall and the White Hall. The latter serves for lavish receptions. It also preserves the historical decor. At the moment, full restoration is being carried out on the floor;
- on the 4th floor is the Hall of Public Holidays. Like many rooms in the castle, this floor completely needs restoration.
Inside the Riga Castle, in the southern part of it, the following museums are located: the National Museum of Latvian History , the Museum of Foreign Art , the Museum of Literature and Art History. Rainis . During the reconstruction, these museums move to the building at Pils Laukums, 3 (Pils Laukums, 3). The only drawback of museums is that all expositions are described in Latvian, and only small comments (general information) in other languages are written on the sheets placed at the entrance to each room.
Useful information for tourists
The mode of work of museums: daily from 10:00 to 17:00, Monday - a day off.
Ticket price: for adults - € 3, for schoolchildren and pensioners - € 1.5. Guide services - from € 7,11 to € 14,23.
How to get there?
To find the Riga lock is not at all difficult. It is located on the banks of the Daugava River , at the very edge of the Old Town . The lock does not have the exact address. In general, it is located on the street Novembra Krastmala, 11. Thanks to its location on the waterfront, the castle is visible from the side of the river literally from everywhere. The nearest bus stop is the National Theater (Nacionālais teātris), from which you need to walk down a little to the waterfront.