While it is not the largest monument in Riga (the Soviet Victory Monument takes that honour, by a long shot), the modernist Freedom Monument, dominating the view as you head east along Brivibas iela from the Old City, is certainly the peoples’ favourite. Continue reading “Freedom Monument”
The imposing Soviet Victory Monument or to give it its full name, the “Monument to the Liberators of Soviet Latvia and Riga from the German Fascist Invaders” is a late, though still fairly classic, example of Soviet Brutalist architecture, located in Victory Park on the left side of the Daugava River. Continue reading “Soviet Victory Monument”
It would be pretty difficult to visit any part of Riga south of the Old City and not notice this massive building to the south/south-east of the Central Market. Buildings do not get any more Soviet than this one and, architecturally, I found it very much to my liking. Continue reading “Latvian Academy of Sciences Building”
Dear Ladies, and Gentlemen as appropriate, Riga’s Powder Tower is not a fashionable place to powder your nose. Rather, it part of the Latvian War Museum but more on that later. Continue reading “Powder Tower”
On 4 May, 1990 Latvia announced its independence from the USSR. This was not recognised by the USSR. Agitation for independence had begun in 1987, spurred on by the Soviet policy of perestroika, introduced by President, Michael Gorbachev. Continue reading “Barricades Monument”
In 1991 Latvia shook off the shackles of the Soviet Union, ending 51 years of forced occupation and rule of the country by Nazi Germany (1941-44) and the Soviet Union (1940-41 and 1944 -1991).
In 2003 the people of Latvia (or 73% of them) turned out at polling stations to take part in a referendum on joining the European Union. Opponents of membership argued that Latvia should not give up the sovereignty it had so recently gained from the Soviet Union while supporters, among other arguments, put forward to view that membership would actually protect Latvia from any future Russian pressure. Continue reading “From Soviet Union to European Union”
In the Brothers Grimm fairytale, The Bremen Town Musicians, the musicians, a donkey, a dog, a cat and a cockerel, all past their prime and rejected by their owners, set out to make a new life for themselves as musicians in Bremen, Germany. They never made it to Bremen. Continue reading “The Bremen Town Musicians”
Ever since my first (and indeed only) visit to the former Soviet Union about 30 years ago I have had a fascination and liking for the brutalist style monuments and sculptures found there and in other countries of generally socialist leaning. Sadly – with one significant exception, that being North Korea – this style of art is no longer produced, and that which was produced is often decaying, has been moved to monument graveyards or has be deliberately destroyed because of the political nature there-of. My liking for the art form is purely related to its grand and bold scale, its gravitas as it were, rather than the brash and perfunctory political statements it so often makes. Continue reading “Latvian Riflemen Monument”
Thankfully most of us have not lived in situations where we have been oppressed for most of our lives. We have not had our freedom taken away by tyrannical regimes, been incarcerated or exiled for crimes we did not commit, lost our loved ones without trace, been persecuted for our religious convictions or lost everything with no recompense. Continue reading “Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (1940 -1991)”
The Old City of Riga has a collection of small squares, each worthy a visit in its own right.
One of, if not, the oldest of these squares is the cobbled Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums). This has been the administrative/local government centre of the city since it was founded in 1201. Since then markets, festivals and all manner of events have occupied or taken place in this square. For those into it, this used to be the place to go for an afternoon’s merriment at a public execution or two. Continue reading “Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums)”
The Rambling Wombat 