RIGA MONUMENTS

In the first photo, it's a picture from a building.
In the second photo, it's the Dome Cathedral ("Doma Balzica"). The foundation stone of the Dome was laid in 1211, when Bishop Albert had a great plan of building a church, a monastery, some more buildings to present the power of Catholic church in Riga.

Its present appearance is a result of impact of numerous architectural styles during centuries. The oldest part, built in the manner of Romanesque, is the Altar. Gothic style has left its influence on the development of Basilica, Baroque has changed the Dome Spire to present state, by the way, the height of the spire is 90 m, as well as the Easter Pediment. The pseudo-gothic Western Entrance was built in the second part of the 19th cent. (architect J.Felsko). Then stained-glass panels were placed in the windows also.

The Dome Cathedral is famous for its organ, constructed by a German company "E.F.Walker & Co" in 1884. The reconstruction of it was carried out by the Dutch company "Flentrop-Orgelbow B.V.-Zaandam".

Now the services are held in the Dome Cathedral, as well as you can enjoy the organ concerts there.

In the third photo, it's the French Ambassy. It's beautiful, don't u think??

In the fourth photo, it's a brass about Captain Brisson (French, that's why I took the photo, lol), he saved Latvia in 1919.

In the last photo, it's the House of blackHeads. Unfortunately, one of the most beautiful buildings in Riga was destroyed during the II World War, because the building of the Blackheads' Organization was one of the most impressive architectural monuments in the city. This building, first mentioned in 1344, built in Gothic style, was a seat of single merchants belonging to the Merchants' Guild. Their patron was St.Mauricius, therefore it gained the name of Blackheads' Organization.

It was rebuilt in 2001 with careful attention to its original structure and exterior ornamentation to commemorate the city's 800th anniversary. Originally owned by a merchant guild, in its current reincarnation the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall.