Riga

Riga Rīga
—  City  —
A mosaic of several views of Riga
Flag Seal
Riga
Coordinates: 56°56′56″N 24°6′23″E / 56.94889°N 24.10639°E / 56.94889; 24.10639Coordinates: 56°56′56″N 24°6′23″E / 56.94889°N 24.10639°E / 56.94889; 24.10639
Country	Latvia
Government[1]
- Type	City council
- Mayor	Nils Ušakovs
Area(2002) [2]
- City	307.17 km2 (118.6 sq mi)
- Water	48.50 km2 (18.7 sq mi)  15.8%
- Metro	10,132 km2 (3,912 sq mi)
Population (2010) [3]
- City	706,413
- Density	2,299.7/km2 (5,956.3/sq mi)
- Metro	1,098,523 (Riga Region)
- Metro density	108.3/km2 (280.5/sq mi)
- Demonym	Rīdzinieki
Ethnicity(2009) [4]
- Latvians	42.3 %
- Russians	41.0 %
- Belarusians	4.1 %
- Ukrainians	3.9 %
- Poles	2.0 %
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
- Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)
Calling codes	66 & 67
Website	www.riga.lv

Riga seen from Spot Satellite

Riga (Latvian: Rīga, pronounced [riːɡa]( listen)) is the capital and largest city of Latvia, a major industrial, commercial, cultural and financial centre of the Baltics, and an important seaport, situated on the mouth of the Daugava. With 706,413 inhabitants (2010)^[3] it is the largest city of the Baltic states and third-largest in the Baltic region, behind Saint Petersburg and Stockholm (counting residents within the city limits). Riga's territory covers 307.17 km² (118.60 sq mi) and lies between 1 and 10 metres (3.3 and 33 ft) above sea level,^[5] on a flat and sandy plain.^[5]

Riga's historical centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly notable for its extensive Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) architecture, which UNESCO considers to be unparalleled anywhere in the world.^[6]

[edit] Etymology

One theory for the origin of the name Riga is that it is a corrupted borrowing from the Liv ringa meaning loop, referring to the ancient natural harbour formed by the tributary loop of the Daugava.^[7][8] The other is that Riga owes its name to this already-established role in commerce between East and West,^[9] as a borrowing of the Latvian rija, for threshing barn, the "j" becoming a "g" in German — notably, Riga is called Rie by English geographer Richard Hakluyt (1589),^[10][11] and German historian Dionysius Fabricius (1610) confirms the origin of Riga from rija.^[10][12] Another theory could be that Riga was named after Riege, the German name for the River Rīdzene, a tributary of the Daugava.^[13]

[edit] History

The bank of the Daugava river

The Riga skyline in the mid-16th century, Cosmographia Universalis

[edit] Founding of Riga

The river Daugava has been a trade route since antiquity, part of the Vikings' Dvina-Dnieper navigation route to Byzantium.^[10] A sheltered natural harbour 15 km (9.3 mi) upriver from the mouth of the Daugava — the site of today's Riga — has been recorded, as Duna Urbs, as early as the 2nd century.^[10] It was settled by the Livs, an ancient Finnic tribe.^[7]

Riga began to develop as a centre of Viking trade during the early Middle Ages.^[10] Riga's inhabitants occupied themselves mainly with fishing, animal husbandry, and trading, later developing crafts (in bone, wood, amber, and iron).^[10]

The Chronicle of Henry of Livonia testifies to Riga having long been a trading centre by the 12th century, referring to it as portus antiquus (ancient port), and describes dwellings and warehouses used to store mostly corn, flax, and hides.^[10] German traders began visiting Riga, establishing a nearby outpost in 1158.

Along with German traders also arrived the monk Meinhard of Segeberg^[9] to convert the pagans to Christianity. (Catholic and Orthodox Christianity had already arrived in Latvia more than a century earlier, and many Latvians baptised)^[9][10] Meinhard settled among the Livs, building a castle and church at Ikšķile, upstream from Riga, and established his bishopric there.^[9] The Livs, however, continued to practice paganism and Meinhard died in Ikšķile in 1196, having failed his mission.^[14] In 1198 the Bishop Bertold arrived with a contingent of crusaders^[14] and commenced a campaign of forced Christianization.^[9][10] Bertold was shortly killed and his forces defeated.^[14]

The Church mobilised to avenge. Pope Innocent III issued a bull declaring a crusade against the Livonians.^[14] Bishop Albert was proclaimed Bishop of Livonia by his uncle Hartwig of Uthlede, Prince-Archbishop of Bremen and Hamburg in 1199. Albert landed in Riga in 1200^[10][14] with 23 ships^[15] and 500 Westphalian crusaders.^[16] In 1201 he transferred the seat of the Livonian bishopric from Ikšķile to Riga, extorting agreement to do so from the elders of Riga by force.^[10]

[edit] Under Bishop Albert

1201 also marked the first arrival of German merchants in Novgorod, via the Dvina.^[17] To defend territory^[18] and trade, Albert established the Order of Livonian Brothers of the Sword in 1202, open to nobles and merchants.^[17]

Christianization of the Livs continued. 1207 marked Albert's start on fortification of the town.^[17][19] Emperor Philip's invested Albert with Livonia as a fief^[20] and principality of the Holy Roman Empire.^[10] To promote a permanent military presence, territorial ownership was divided between the Church and the Order, with the Church taking Riga and two thirds of all lands conquered and granting the Order a third.^[21] Until then, it had been customary for crusaders to serve for a year and then return home.^[21]

Albert had ensured Riga's commercial future by obtaining papal bulls which decreed that all German merchants had to carry on their Baltic trade through Riga.^[21] In 1211, Riga minted its first coinage,^[10] and Albert laid the cornerstone for the Riga Dom.^[22] Riga was not yet secure as an alliance of tribes failed to take Riga.^[21] In 1212, Albert led a campaign to compel Polotsk to grant German merchants free river passage.^[17] Polotsk conceded Kukenois (Koknese) and Jersika to Albert, also ending the Livs' tribute to Polotsk.^[23]

Riga's merchant citizenry chafed and sought greater autonomy from the Church. In 1221 they acquired the right to independently self-administer Riga.^[18] and adopted a city constitution^[24]

That same year Albert was compelled to recognize Danish rule over lands they had conquered in Estonia and Livonia.^[25] Albert had sought the aid of King Valdemar of Denmark to protect Riga and Livonian lands against Liv insurrection when reinforcements could not reach Riga. The Danes landed in Livonia, built a fortress at Reval (Tallinn), and set about conquering Estonian and Livonian lands. The Germans attempted, but failed, to assassinate Valdemar.^[26] Albert was able to reach an accommodation a year later, however, and in 1222 Valdemar returned all Livonian lands and possessions to Albert's control.^[27]

Albert's difficulties with Riga's citizenry continued; with papal intervention, a settlement was reached in 1225 whereby they no longer had to pay tax to the Bishop of Riga,^[28] and Riga's citizens acquired the right to elect their magistrates and town councilors.^[28] In 1226, Albert consecrated the Dom Cathedral,^[10] built St. James's Church,^[10] and founding a parochial school at the Church of St. George.^[9]

In 1227, Albert conquered Oesel ^[29] and the city of Riga concluded a treaty with the Principality of Smolensk giving Polotsk to Riga.^[30]

Albert died in January, 1229.^[31] He failed his aspiration to be anointed archbishop^[20] but the German hegemony he established over the Baltics would last for seven centuries.^[21]

[edit] Hanseatic League

In 1282 Riga became a member of the Hanseatic League. The Hansa was instrumental in giving Riga economic and political stability, thus providing the city with a strong foundation which endured the political conflagrations that were to come, down to modern times.

Riga in 1650. The inscription reads: Prospect der Stadt Riga ums Jahr 1650 (View at the City of Riga in 1650). Drawing by Johann Christoph Brotze

[edit] Holy Roman Empire, Lithuania, the Swedish and Russian Empires

As the influence of the Hansa waned, Riga became the object of foreign military, political, religious and economic aspirations. Riga accepted the Reformation in 1522, ending the power of the archbishops. In 1524, a venerated statue of the Virgin Mary in the Cathedral was denounced as a witch, and given a trial by water in the Daugava River. The statue floated, so it was denounced as a witch and burnt at Kubsberg.^[32] With the demise of the Livonian Order during the Livonian War, Riga for twenty years had the status of a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire before it came under the influence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth by the Treaty of Drohiczyn, which ended the war for Riga in 1581. In 1621, during the Polish–Swedish War (1621–1625), Riga and the outlying fortress of Daugavgriva came under the rule of Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, who intervened in the Thirty Years' War not only for political and economic gain but also in favour of German Lutheran Protestantism. During the Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658), Riga withstood a siege by Russian forces.

Riga remained the largest city in Sweden until 1710, a period during which the city retained a great deal of autonomous self-government. In that year, in the course of the Great Northern War, Russia under Tsar Peter the Great besieged Riga. Along with the other Livonian towns and gentry, Riga capitulated to Russia, but largely retained their privileges. Riga was made the capital of the Governorate of Riga (later: Livonia). Sweden's northern dominance had ended, and Russia's emergence as the strongest Northern power was formalised through the Treaty of Nystad in 1721. Peter the Great was a big fan of Riga. He married Latvian Martha Skavronskaya, after his death known as Empress Ekaterina I. Having received a palace as a gift from the municipality of Riga (although he insisted on paying), Peter used to visit Riga regularly. He helped to rebuild the tallest church in Riga (St.Peter's church) after it was burned down, and created a general plan for Riga's development, including planning many parks and boulevards, and planting some trees himself. Riga became an industrialised port city of the Russian empire, in which it remained until World War I. By 1900, Riga was the third largest city in Russia after Moscow and Saint Petersburg in terms of the number of industrial workers and number of theatres.^{[citation needed]}

German troops entering Riga during World War I.

During these many centuries of war and changes of power in the Baltic, and despite demographic changes, the Baltic Germans in Riga had maintained a dominant position. By 1867 Riga's population was 42.9% German.^[33] Riga employed German as its official language of administration until the installation of Russian in 1891 as the official language in the Baltic provinces, as part of the policy of Russification of the non-Russian speaking territories of the Russian Empire, including Congress Poland, Finland and the Baltics, undertaken by Tsar Alexander III. More and more Latvians started moving to the city during the mid-19th century. The rise of a Latvian bourgeoisie made Riga a centre of the Latvian National Awakening with the founding of the Riga Latvian Association in 1868 and the organisation of the first national song festival in 1873. The nationalist movement of the Young Latvians was followed by the socialist New Current during the city's rapid industrialisation, culminating in the 1905 Revolution led by the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party.

[edit] Interwar period

The 20th century brought World War I and the impact of the Russian Revolution of 1917 to Riga. The German army marched into Riga in 1917. On 3 March 1918 the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed, giving the Baltic countries to Germany. Because of the Armistice with Germany of November 11, 1918, Germany had to renounce that treaty, as did Russia, leaving Latvia and the other Baltic States in a position to claim independence. Latvia, with Riga as its capital city, thus declared its independence on November 18, 1918.

A view of Riga on a postcard. circa 1900.

Between World War I and World War II (1918–1940), Riga and Latvia shifted their focus from Russia to the countries of Western Europe. The United Kingdom and Germany replaced Russia as Latvia's major trade partners.

[edit] World War II and the Soviet Union

During World War II, Latvia was occupied first by the Soviet Union in June 1940 and then by Nazi Germany in 1941-1944. The Baltic Germans were forcibly repatriated to Germany. The city's Jewish community was forced into the Riga Ghetto and concentration camps were constructed in Kaiserwald and the city of Salaspils.

In October 1944 Latvia was once again occupied by the Red Army. As a result of the war Latvia lost approximately one-third of its population.^{[citation needed]} Industrialization and growth of infrastructure led to many people from other parts of Soviet Union moving to Riga, and most of those people were not of Latvian ethnicity. In effect, as a Latvian city it never really had a majority Latvian population other than a short 20 year long period between wars.

[edit] Restoration of independence and onwards

The policy of economic reform, introduced in 1986 as Perestroika, led to dissolution of the Soviet Union and restoration of independent Latvia in 1991. Latvia formally joined the United Nations as an independent country on September 17, 1991. In 2004 Latvia joined both NATO and the European Union.

In 2004, the arrival of low-cost airlines resulted in cheaper flights from other European cities such as London and Berlin and consequently a substantial increase in numbers of tourists.^[34]

[edit] Geography

Historic Centre of Riga*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii
Reference	852
Region**	Europe and North America
Inscription history
Inscription	1997  (21st Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO.

[edit] Administrative divisions

• Central District (3 km²)
• Kurzeme District (79 km²)
• Zemgale Suburb (41 km²)
• Northern District (77 km²)
• Vidzeme Suburb (57 km²)
• Latgale Suburb (50 km²)

Riga administrative divisions consists of six administrative entities: Central, Kurzeme and Northern Districts and the Latgale, Vidzeme and Zemgale Suburbs. Three entities were established 1 September 1941, and other three were established October 1969.^[35] There are no official lower level administrative units, but the Riga City Council Development Agency is working on a plan, which officially confirmed makes Riga consist of 58 neighbourhoods.^[36] The current names were confirmed 28 December 1990.^[37]

Panorama over Riga from Latvian Academy of Sciences

[edit] Climate

The climate of Riga is humid continental (Koppen Dfb). The coldest months are January and February, when the average temperature is −5 °C (23 °F) but temperatures as low as −20 °C (−4 °F) to −25 °C (−13 °F) can be observed almost every year on the coldest days. The proximity of the sea causes frequent autumn rains and fogs. Continuous snow cover may last eighty days. The summers in Riga are warm and humid with the average temperature of 18 °C (64 °F), while the temperature on the hottest days can exceed 30 °C (86 °F).

[edit] Economy

The logo for the city of Riga, designed for its 800th anniversary.

Business and leisure travel to Riga have increased significantly in recent years because of improved infrastructure. Most tourists travel to Riga by air via Riga International Airport, the largest airport in the Baltic states, which was renovated and modernised in 2001 on the occasion of Riga's 800th anniversary. In the near future, the face of Riga will undergo notable changes. The construction of a new landmark—the Latvian National Library building—began in the autumn of 2007 and was due to be complete by 2010. There have been some delays and work still continues.^[39] Currently discussions are underway in Riga council about the development of the central areas on the left bank of the Daugava. The major dispute surrounds plans to build skyscrapers in Ķīpsala, which UNESCO warned "could seriously endanger the status of the Historic Centre of Riga as a World Heritage Site."^[40] The construction of 3 buildings in Ķīpsala has already started — the Da Vinci complex (25 floors) and two high-rises called Z-Towers (30 floors).^[41][42] Almost all important Latvian financial institutions are located in Riga, including the Bank of Latvia, which is Latvia's central bank. Foreign commercial trade through Riga has been on the increase in recent years and received new impetus on May 1, 2004 when Latvia became a member of the European Union. Riga accounts for about half of the total industrial output of Latvia, focusing on the financial sector, public utilities, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, wood processing, printing and publishing, textiles and furniture, and communications equipment manufacturing. More than 50% of Latvian companies are registered in Riga region.^[43] The port of Riga is an important cargo shipping centre. It is the main all-weather port in the Baltic and is expected to grow in the next few years because of increased trade with other ex-Soviet states and the People's Republic of China.^[44]

AirBaltic, the national airline of Latvia, has its head office on the grounds of Riga International Airport in Riga.^[45] RAF-Avia has its head office in Riga.^[46]

[edit] Infrastructure

Latvian Academy of Sciences

Riga, with its central geographic position and concentration of population, has always been the infrastructural hub of Latvia. Several national roads begin in Riga, and European route E22 crosses Riga from the east and west, while the Via Baltica crosses Riga from the south and north.

As a city situated by a river, Riga also has several bridges. The oldest standing bridge is the Railway Bridge, which is also the only railroad carrying bridge in Riga. The Stone Bridge connects Old Riga and Pārdaugava; the Island Bridge connects Maskavas Forštate and Pārdaugava via Zaķusala; and the Shroud Bridge connects Old Riga and Pārdaugava via Ķīpsala. In 2008, the first stage of the new Southern Bridge route across the Daugava was completed, and was opened to traffic on November 17.^[36] The Southern Bridge is currently the biggest construction project in the Baltic states in 20 years, and it is to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre.^[47][48] Another major construction project is the planned Riga Northern Transport Corridor,^[49] which is scheduled to commence in 2010.

The Freeport of Riga facilitates cargo and passenger traffic by sea. Sea ferries currently connect Riga to Stockholm and Lübeck, operated respectively by Tallink and DFDS Tor Line.^[50][51] The Latvian-flagged ferries MS Romantika and MS Silja Festival are located in the Riga Passenger Terminal.

Riga has one active airport that serves commercial airlines — the Riga International Airport (RIX), built in 1973. Renovation and modernization of the airport was completed in 2001, coinciding with the 800th anniversary of the city. In 2006, a new terminal extension was opened. Work on an extension of the runway was completed in October 2008, and the airport is now able to accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A340, Boeing 747, 757, 767 and 777. The annual number of passengers has grown from 310,000 in 1993 to over 4 million in 2009. It has now become the largest airport in the Baltic States, and there are plans to construct a new terminal to cope with increasing passenger numbers.

Riga was also home to an air base during the Cold War — Rumbula Air Base. Another airport, the Spilve Airport, is a former civilian and military airport in Riga located 5 km (3.11 mi) from Riga city centre, with active aircraft operating as early as the First World War. It became the first international airport of Riga in the 1930s, which, from 1937 linked the capital city with Helsinki via Tallinn, Warsaw via Vilnius, Berlin and Moscow via Kaunas. After World War II and the Soviet occupation, it was rebuilt into a 1950s-era airport, the hub of Aeroflot. A new ring taxiway and restored surface was added. The airport was closed for regular flights in the late 1980s. The terminal building still remains as a notable example of Stalin's neoclassical architecture.

Public transportation in the city is provided by Rīgas Satiksme which operates a large nuber of trams, buses and trolleybuses on an extensive network of routes across the city. In addition, many private owners operate minibus services. Riga is connected to the rest of Latvia by trains operated by the national railway company Passenger Train, whose headquarters are in Riga. There are also international rail links to Russia and Estonia. Riga International Coach Terminal provides domestic and international connections by coach. Current plans envisage a trans-European rail link from Tallinn to Warsaw via Riga ^[52] financed by the European Union, with the first phase to be completed by 2013.^[53]

[edit] Demographics

With 713,016 inhabitants in 2009, Riga is the largest city in the Baltic States, though its population has decreased from just under 1 million in 1991.^[3] Notable causes include emigration and low birth rates. Some have estimated that the population may fall by as much as 50% by 2050.^[54] According to the 2008 data, ethnic Latvians make up 42.3% of the population of Riga, with the percentage of ethnic Russians at 41.7%, Belarusians at 4.3%, Ukrainians at 3.9%, Poles at 2.0%, and others ethnicities at 5.8%. By comparison, 59.4% of Latvia's total population are ethnic Latvians, 27.6% are Russians, 3.6% are Belarusians, 2.5% are Ukrainians, 2.3% are Polish, 1.3% are Lithuanians and the remaining 3.3% are accounted for by other ethnicities (2010).^[2]

Historically, Riga has always been a melting pot of different ethnicities, including the Germans, Russians, Jews and Latvians, peacefully coexisting and creating a base for a flourishing economy. Upon the restoration of Latvia's independence in 1991, Soviet era immigrants (and any of their offspring born before 1991) were not automatically granted Latvian citizenship because they had migrated to the territory of Latvia during the years of the Soviet occupation. The proportion of ethnic Latvians in Riga has increased from 36.5% in 1989 to 42.3% in 2007. In contrast the percentage of Russians has fallen from 47.3% to 42.1% in the same time period. Latvians overtook Russians as the largest ethnic group in 2006.^[4]

In 2005, 16.2% of the population were living under the poverty line, and the most vulnerable groups were children, young adults and senior citizens.^[55]

[edit] Buildings

The radio and TV tower of Riga is the tallest structure in Latvia and the Baltic States, and one of the tallest in the European Union. It is the 13th tallest TV tower in the world, reaching 368.5 m (1,209 ft). The tallest office/apartment buildings in Latvia are the main office building of Swedbank (known as Saules akmens — the Sun Stone) and the Panorama Plaza tower complex.

Riga TV and radio tower

The Sun Stone

[edit] Culture

The Art Academy of Latvia

[edit] Theatres

• The Latvian National Opera was founded in 1918. The repertoire of the theatre embraces all opera masterpieces. The Latvian National Opera is famous not only for its operas, but for its ballet troupe as well.^[56]
• The Latvian National Theatre was founded in 1919. This theatre is situated in one of the most beautiful buildings in Riga. The Latvian National Theatre preserves the traditions of Latvian drama school. It is one of the biggest theatres in Latvia.[1]
• The Riga Russian Theatre is the oldest professional drama theatre in Latvia, established in 1883. The repertoire of the theatre includes classical plays and experimental performances of Russian and other foreign playwrights.[2]
• The Daile Theatre was opened for the first time in 1920. It is one of the most successful theatres in Latvia. This theatre is distinguished by its frequent productions of modern foreign plays.^[57]
• Latvian State Puppet Theatre was founded in 1944. This theatre presents shows for children and adults.[3]
• The New Riga Theatre was opened in 1992. It has an intelligent and attractive repertoire of high quality that focused on a modern, educated and socially active audience. [4]

[edit] Sports

Arena Riga

[edit] Sports clubs

• Basketball
  • Barons LMT — a men's basketball team, two-time Latvian champion, as well as the 2008 FIBA EuroCup winner.
  • TTT Riga — a women's basketball team, which throughout 1960 and 1982 won eighteen FIBA EuroLeague Women titles.
  • VEF Riga
• Ice hockey
  • Dinamo Riga — an ice hockey club established in 2008. It plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. Dinamo was established as a successor to the former hockey team with the same name, which was founded in 1946 but ceased to exist in 1995.
• Football
  • Skonto FC — a football club established in 1991. The club won fourteen successive Latvian Higher League titles. For a long time it provided the core of the Latvian national football team.
  • FK Jaunība
  • JFK Olimps/RFS

[edit] Sports facilities

Skonto Stadium

• Arena Riga — a multi-purpose arena built in 2006 as the main venue for the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. It can hold up to 14,500 people and has hosted ice hockey, basketball and volleyball events, as well as Red Bull X-Fighters.
• Skonto Stadium — a football stadium, built in 2000. It is the main stadium used for games of the Latvian national football team.
• Daugava Stadium — a stadium built in 1958, used for both football and athletics.
• Latvijas Universitates Stadions

[edit] Sports events

• Eurobasket 1937
• EuroBasket Women 2009
• 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
• Riga Marathon

[edit] Universities

• University of Latvia (LU)
• Riga Technical University (RTU)
• Riga Graduate School of Law (RGSL)
• Stockholm School of Economics in Riga (SSE Riga)
• BA School of Business and Finance (BA)
• Transport and Telecommunication Institute (TTI)

[edit] International relations

The clock presented to Riga by its sister city Kobe. It shows time in both cities

[edit] Twin towns — Sister cities

Riga maintains sister city relationships with the following cities:^[58]

Aalborg, Denmark[59]	Almaty, Kazakhstan	Amsterdam, Netherlands	Astana, Kazakhstan
Beijing, China[60]	Bordeaux, France	Bremen, Germany	Cairns, Australia
Calais, France	Dallas, Texas, United States	Florence, Italy	Kiev, Ukraine
Kobe, Japan [61]	Minsk, Belarus	Moscow, Russia	Norrköping, Sweden
Pori, Finland	Providence, Rhode Island, United States[62]	Rostock, Germany	Saint Petersburg, Russia:[63]
Santiago, Chile	Slough, United Kingdom[64]	Stockholm, Sweden	Suzhou, China
Taipei, Taiwan[65]	Tallinn, Estonia	Taskent, Uzbekistan	Tartu, Estonia
Tbilisi, Georgia	Vilnius, Lithuania	Warsaw, Poland [66]

[edit] See also

• Archbishops of Riga
• Riga City Council
• Riga Central Market
• Riga International Airport
• Riga Marathon
• Riga Region
• Rīgas Satiksme
• Riga Salsa Festival
• Riga Zoo

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Riga

• Riga Municipality portal
• Other riga - The home page about Riga
• Riga travel guide from Wikitravel
• Map of Greater Riga
• Riga—entry (article and engraving) from The National Encyclopedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge, circa 1900
• "Riga/Рига" photo album, circa 1910
• "Foreign Corn Ports-Riga"—The Illustrated London News
• Riga Daily Photos and Webcams
• Virtual Map of Riga City
• "Riga"—pictures from Riga

v · d · e Neighbourhoods in Riga Kurzeme District Bolderāja | Daugavgrīva | Dzirciems | Iļģuciems | Imanta | Kleisti | Ķīpsala | Rītabuļļi | Spilve | Voleri | Zasulauks Zemgale Suburb Āgenskalns | Atgāzene | Beberbeķi | Bieriņi | Bišumuiža | Katlakalns | Mūkupurvs | Pleskodāle | Salas | Šampēteris | Torņakalns | Ziepniekkalns | Zolitūde Northern District Čiekurkalns | Jaunciems | Kundziņsala | Mangaļsala | Mežaparks | Mīlgrāvis | Pētersala-Andrejsala | Sarkandaugava | Trīsciems | Vecāķi | Vecdaugava | Vecmīlgrāvis Vidzeme Suburb Berģi | Brasa | Brekši | Bukulti | Dreiliņi | Jugla | Mežciems | Purvciems | Skanste | Suži | Teika Central District Centrs | Vecrīga Latgale Suburb Avoti | Dārzciems | Dārziņi | Grīziņkalns | Ķengarags | Maskavas Forštate | Pļavnieki | Rumbula | Šķirotava

v · d · eRiga cityscape Buildings Castle • Cat House • Convent Yard • Daugavgrīva • House of the Blackheads • Large Guild • Latvian Academy of Sciences • National Library of Latvia • Powder Tower • Small Guild • Swedish Gate • Three Brothers Hotels Grand Palace • Radisson Blu Daugava Monuments & memorials Brothers' Cemetery • Freedom Monument • Great Cemetery • Pokrov Cemetery • Victory Memorial to Soviet Army Parks & gardens Vērmanes Garden Places of worship Nativity Cathedral • Cathedral • St. Peter's Church • St. James's Cathedral Structures Island Bridge • Radio and TV Tower • Railway Bridge • Southern Bridge • Stone Bridge • Vanšu Bridge Tourist attractions Central Market • Zoo Waterways Daugava River

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v · d · eMembers of the Hanseatic League by circle Chief cities are highlighted; Free Imperial Cities of the Holy Roman Empire are shown in italics. Wendish Circle Lübeck Greifswald · Hamburg · Kiel · Lüneburg · Rostock · Stade · Stargard · Stettin · Stralsund · Wismar Saxony, Thuringia, Brandenburg Circle Magdeburg Berlin · Brandenburg · Bremen · Brunswick · Erfurt · Frankfurt (Oder) · Goslar · Halle · Halberstadt · Quedlinburg Prussia, Livonia, Sweden Circle Thorn (Toruń) Breslau (Wrocław) · Danzig (Gdańsk) · Dorpat (Tartu) · Fellin (Viljandi) · Elbing (Elbląg) · Königsberg (Kaliningrad) · Kraków · Pernau (Pärnu) · Reval (Tallinn) · Riga · Stockholm · Visby Rhine, Westphalia, Netherlands Circle Dortmund Bochum · Breckerfeld · Cologne · Deventer · Duisburg · Groningen · Haltern · Hamm · Harderwijk · Hattem · Hasselt · Kampen · Münster · Nijmegen · Oldenzaal · Osnabrück · Recklinghausen · Roermond · Soest · Tiel · Unna · Werl · Zutphen · Zwolle Principal Kontore Bryggen (Bergen) · Hanzekantoor (Bruges) · Steelyard (London) · Peterhof (Novgorod) Subsidiary Kontore Antwerp · Berwick · Boston · Damme · Leith · Hull · Ipswich · Kaunas · King's Lynn · Newcastle · Polotsk · Pskov Republic · Yarmouth · York Other cities Aberdeen · Åbo (Turku) · Anklam · Arnhem · Bolsward · Doesburg · Göttingen · Goldingen (Kuldīga) · Hafnarfjörður · Harlingen · Herford · Hindeloopen · Kalmar · Kulm (Chełmo) · Lemgo · Naples · Narwa (Narva) · Oldenzaal · Paderborn · Schaldewage (Scalloway) · Smolensk · Stolp (Słupsk) · Tver · Wenden (Cēsid) · Wesel · Wiburg (Vyborg) · Windau (Ventspils) · Wolmar (Valmiera)

v · d · eWorld Heritage Sites in Latvia Historic Centre of Riga · Struve Geodetic Arc (with nine other countries)