Old Town and Art Nouveau Walking Tour of Riga

Old town

Riga is a city of good coffee, jazz, full of small delicious pastries and stylish cafes. You may not be able to get enough of Old Town’s architecture, which is quite legendary. You will walk past the splendid House of Blackheads located next to the Town Hall Square, and past the walls of fortresses and towers go into St. Peter’s Church and the Dome Cathedral. Then you will continue walking to the famous clock “LAIMA” and through a lovely opera park, you will head to the magnificent Riga Opera House.

Art Nouveau

In order to preserve Old Riga, Riga’s wooden buildings and the art nouveau architecture, the historical centre of Riga has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Art nouveau (also known as Jugendstil in Germany, art nouveau in France, modernismo in Spain, Sezessionsstil in Austria, Stile Liberty or Stile Floreale in Italy) emerged in Europe at the turn of the twentieth century and continued its march of victory up until World War I.

It is an ornamental style based on curved lines, asymmetrical composition and rhythms of irregular contours. Its main motifs are nature, references to antiquity and mythology. Architecturally, art nouveau is characterised by the functional structure and a richly decorated façade, achieved by deploying all the possible means of expression in building, from the shape of window and door openings, bay windows, to reliefs, sculptures, ornamental lines or areas and stained glass. However, the main building facade is not the only essential element in Art Nouveau, but rather its overall image, therefore, “art nouveau architecture” also refers to interior design, the shape of tableware and even the inhabitants’ wardrobe.

Highlights:

1.Old City Riga (Vecriga)

2.Alberta Iela

3.Art Nouveau Museum (Tickets are not included in price)

4.Latvian National Opera

5.Riga Town Hall Square

6.House of Blackheads

7.St. Mary's Dome Cathedral

8.Jauniela

9.St. Peter's Church