Riga, Heart of Freedom

Owing to its clean natural environment and advantageous geographical location, Riga is the most important city beside the Baltic Sea. The 800 years old city has numerous buildings, all constructed in different style, and an abundance of culture. It is definitely worth visiting.

Release time : 2017-03-02 16:18:00

source : Lonely Planet

tourist in the Old City will try to look for the Black Cat and there is an interesting story about the cat. Getting into the Great Guild in Latvia in the 14th century was an incredibly huge honor. Similarly, getting snubbed from the Great Guild was a gigantic insult. One Riga local was so offended that he attached a black cat on top of his building so it would cast its evil glare upon the Guild for as long as the building would stand. With an arched back, the Black Cat of Riga seems ready to strike and clearly states the man’s displeasure at not getting admitted to the Guild. Obviously, the members of the guild hated the sculpture, and a fight between the man and the guild raged for months to come. Although an agreement was reached and the statue turned around, the Black Cat still sits on its perch in Old Town Riga.

If you are careful, you may find that there is a golden rooster on every roof in the Old City and that is another symbol of the city. Local residents believe roosters can counteract evil spirits. The rooster used to be golden on one side and black on the other side, so that wind direction can be gauged. At present, it is totally golden and maybe that is good wish for money. St. Peter's Church is one of the oldest church in Riga. A fantastic panoramic view awaits visitors at the top of the church tower. The viewing platform is at 72m above the city. At the top of the church spire is a golden rooster - the most famous of all the roosters in Riga. Just like the others, this also serves as a weathercock. The legend says that when the rooster sings his morning song, all the evil has to disappear. Doma Laukums, located hundreds of meters away, is the best place to view the Old City. There is a giant organ made in 1844 in the church and it is the treasure of the church.

Swedish Gate is part of the Old Town walls that went around Riga during the medieval times, serving the functions of a fortification wall, as well as an important border for