Riga, Latvia

Today, in spite of the rain showers, we all enjoyed our walking tour into the "old city" of Riga, Latvia.  Riga owes its roots to trade, bring located on the Daugava River.  A town began to grow up along this trade route and Riga claims to have been established in 1201.  The most important influence in the first several hundred years was German.  Language, trade , architecture and culture  were German.  It was a very prosperous trading center for hundreds of years and today the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  A World Heritage site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.  

The Germans brought the first trade guilds to Riga. The first two guilds were trade and artisans. Riga prospered as a port and trading center for centuries under the German sphere of influence.  In the 17th century, the city fell under the influence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden (a period of tolerance and prosperity) which lasted until the czar, Peter the Great besieged Riga.  Riga then became a part of the Russian empire -- pleased to have an important port added to their country.  Under the Russian Empire, Riga became heavily industrialized and was the third largest city in the empire, behind Moscow and St Petersburg.  Unfortunately, WWI started and in 1917 the Germans marched into Riga and began German occupation once again.  Hitler himself appeared in the town.  This time the occupation lasted one year until the Treaty of Brest Litovsk was signed giving Latvia and Lithuanian to Germany.  1918, Germany had to renounce that treaty, as did Russia, leaving Latvia and the other Baltic States in a position to claim independence.  During the period after WWI until WWII, Latvia turned its attention to more Western Europe and began a parliamentary form of government.  This was a brief period of peacefulness until, once again, 1940 had the Russians once again conquering Latvia.  Real Soviet domination took place after 1945.  Many Latvians were deported to Siberia.  Many of German descent were repatriated to Hitler's Germany.  The country remained under  Soviet rule until the dissolution of the Soviet Union 

Trying desperately to remember what she tells us.

Cobblestone streets throughout the old city.

Oldest church.  It was shut down during Soviet Occupation and became a dance club.  It was restored to a church with Latvia declared their independence.

The "three brothers" are 17th century architecture.

They're actually taking a "selfie" using Gene's iPhone with a wide angle lens attached.  It does a great job!

A gentleman who was denied access to the merchants guild because he wasn't German, built his house directly across the street from the guild.  He placed the cat atop the steeple on his house and it appeared that the cat was, how shall I say, defacating?, on the guild!  He apparently got the last laugh!

A monument to the Bremen Town Musicians.

Traditional  Latvian costume..

The residence of the country's President.

We took a lazy river cruise on the Daugava.   

Since we were a little "damp" from the earlier rain showers, it got a bit chilly when the wind blew as the cruise began.  We were grateful for the stack of blankets!

Our "home away from home"!