Where is Riga?

Riga is the capital of Latvia and the largest city in the Baltics. It is situated on the picturesque Daugava River, which divides the city into two parts. If you look at a map of Riga, you'll notice that the Old Town (the historical center) is on the right bank. A prominent legend of Riga is linked to this river, where it's said that the city was founded by a giant boatman named Kristaps (Christopher).

Legend has it that Kristaps used to ferry the ancient citizens of Riga across the Daugava because there were no bridges at the time. One night, Christopher heard a baby crying, went in search of it, and found a small child. The giant took the child home, put him to bed, and by morning, discovered a bag of gold in place of the baby. It's said that Riga was built with this treasure.

Located just 10 kilometers from the city, the Daugava River flows into the Gulf of Riga. Due to its proximity to the sea, Riga enjoys a humid and warm climate. More than half of Riga's population consists of ethnic Latvians (41%), followed closely by Russians (39%), which explains the presence of many Russian-speaking tourists in Riga and the absence of language barriers.

Riga was founded by the Bremen bishop Albert Buxhoeveden in 1201. During that era, Germans were actively colonizing the Baltic lands, establishing new colonies, and Riga became one of them. One of the city's prominent landmarks, the Dome Cathedral, dates back to this period.

Throughout its history, Riga was part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and later the Russian Empire. This rich historical diversity has left a lasting impact on the architectural character of Riga. Visitors can admire medieval stained-glass windows, Art Nouveau buildings (referred to as Art Nouveau style here), and even the familiar Khrushchev-era buildings. Riga could be considered a working textbook of art history. Notably, in 2014, Riga was designated as one of the European Capitals of Culture.