Riga is the capital of Latvia. This ancient city is full of beauty outside the time frame. Each epoch for eight centuries left its mark on it. The magnificent and diverse architecture of Old Riga is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And there are many interesting places to see in the city.
1. The Riga Castle on the banks of the Daugava is a symbol of power in Latvia, and since its construction in 1330, the rulers of the state have occupied it. Originally built for the leadership of the Livonian Order, the Riga Castle in the future constantly served as the residence of the Polish, Swedish and Russian administrations. Now it is the residence of the President of Latvia.
2. Riga Dome Cathedral — the Riga City Cathedral, is symbol of the city and one of the main attractions. The largest medieval temple of the Baltic countries.
3. House with black cats — a building in the central part of the Old Town of Riga, built in 1909 by the architect Friedrich Scheffel in the style of the late rational modern. One of the most «legendary» buildings in the Old Town. There is a legend that one prosperous Latvian merchant was not allowed into the guild. Without thinking twice, the merchant defiantly hoisted several cat figures on the roof of his house, turning them to the guild building with their backs. This gesture, as a merchant and assumed, was seen by the guild, which appealed to the court with a complaint against the «insolent». The court was helpless and the guild did not have anything else but to accept the Latvian with honors into their ranks, after which the merchant “nobly» turned the cats towards the guild building.
4. Dome Square — the Old Town Square in Riga, located at the intersection of Zirgu, Pils, Jekaba and Shkyuni streets. Throughout the year, there are a lot of fairs, festivals with markets are taking place here. For example, Christmas shopping days, when Christmas mood reigns on Christmas Eve, when crowds of people scurry about in a hurry for shopping.
5. Ethnographic open-air museum. On an area of 87 hectares on the outskirts of Riga, on the shore of Lake Jugla, a unique collection of old buildings is collected. This museum even has a functioning church with a bell that can be heard every Sunday at 8 am during the service. Here are regularly held craft fairs, which sell handicrafts.
6. Akvalande Water Park in Riga is a water complex located within the city limits on the left bank of the Daugava River, just three stops from Old Riga.
7. Restaurant-mental hospital Hospitalis. This is one of the few thematic medical institutions in the world, and the only one in which the medical attributes of the hospital of the Soviet period were restored, where the visitor can be dressed in a straitjacket or placed in a room with soft walls. Here you will be able to implement the strangest ideas: drink cocktails from test tubes, dine in the dental office, and instead of cutlery for the dishes from the «crazy» menu you will be served with surgical instruments.
8. Riga car museum. The largest collection of antique and rare cars in Eastern Europe is kept here. Along with historical Latvian and Soviet cars, the exhibition includes exclusive models of Rolls
Royce and Mercedes, sports and fire cars, armored limousines of Stalin and Brezhnev, the first Latvian bicycles, motorcycles and buses.
9. VIP casino SL Casino Riga. This is one of the few gambling establishments that really works on a high level and strives to become the best casino in Riga. This casino is an excellent choice to arrange a memorable evening for yourself. The unit of the famous network, Shangri La by Michael Boettcher, is located in the unique Grand Hotel Kempinski complex. You can get inside through a separate entrance. In the casino you will find the atmosphere of an elite club, all the popular games, friendly staff and royal comfort, said Darren Keane, Shangri La managing director.
10. Bar Skyline, located on the 23rd floor of the Radisson Blue Hotel Latvia. From there, you can enjoy a magnificent view of Riga.
