Hanseatic city of Riga

Riga

At first sight, Riga with its tastes and scents will captivate you with the dynamism of a thriving regional metropolis and the charm of a small historic city with postcard-worthy sights on every corner. The city's ever-changing kaleidoscope comes together every day in a new and exciting combination.

Although geographically Riga can be considered a Nordic city, its multinational character, developed over the centuries, makes it welcoming, adventurous, open and passionate. And thanks to its relative compactness, Riga is also cosy, with many places within walking distance: especially the city's lively and green recreational areas. You can indulge in both the bustle of the big city and the romance of a rural idyll.

Today, Riga is a cradle of innovative start-ups and boasts great music, a vast contemporary art scene and a vibrant gastronomic scene to complement it.

Riga's connection with the Hanseatic League dates back to the city's foundation in 1201, when merchants from German lands came here to establish trade relations with Slavic Tribes. North German merchants and craftsmen began to settle in Riga at the beginning of the 13th century. The new townspeople cultivated the same lifestyle, traditions and legal norms as in the German lands.

Riga was increasingly developing into a Western European city, and as early as the 13th century the city of Lübeck supported Riga as one of its long-distance trading ports in the Baltic Sea region. During the Hanseatic period, Riga became a bridge between Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Riga's economic prosperity at that time was based on the profits it made as a trade intermediary. Thanks to its favourable geographical position as a transit city, Riga became an important and prosperous port city in Eastern Europe in the 13th century.

The Hanseatic League played an important role in shaping Riga's identity. It became a typical western city in terms of its appearance, architecture, urban planning and administrative system. Even today, the name of the Hanseatic League still characterises the city's culture.

Facts & Figures

Founded

Year 1201

Location

56.94939 latitude and 24.10518 longitude

Population

610780

UNESCO World Heritage

Riga historic center (1997)

What is the city known for?

Roosters of Riga towers
If asked to name the main symbol of Riga, many locals would immediately mention the roosters in the towers of Riga's churches. Roosters made of wood and metal have adorned the roofs of Riga's buildings since the end of the 13th century. The St Peter's Church cockerel stands taller than any of its brethren. From a height of 123 metres, it has a clear view of what is happening in the city centre and its surroundings. Its predecessor was placed on the spire as far back as 1491. The Roosters are known as the Golden Guardians of Riga.

Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau is a style of art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The development of Art Nouveau in Riga coincided with a period of unprecedented prosperity in the city's history, but today the Latvian capital is rightly considered an Art Nouveau mecca. Art Nouveau architecture is predominantly concentrated in a quarter of the city known as the "Quiet Centre", about a 10-minute walk from the Old Town, and is a glorious feature of Riga's history.