80 NORTH EASTERN EUROPE

For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp92–3

House of

Blackheads^8
Melngalvju nams

Rātslaukums 6. Map C4.
Tel 6704 4300. n Schwab House.

11am–5pm Tue–Sun. & 8

• =

The House of Blackheads was
originally built in 1334 for the
city’s guilds, after the Livonian
Order seized the existing guild
buildings. Over time, a guild
of unmarried foreign mer-
chants, the Blackheads,
became the sole occupants.
Their name derives from their
patron, St Maurice, and they
were known for their riotous
parties. The building was dev-
astated by bombing in 1941
and the Soviet autho rities
demolished the rem nants
seven years later; the current

Museum of

Decorative Arts

and Design^0

Dekoratīvās mākslas

un dizaina muzejs

Skārņu iela 10/20. Map C3.

Tel 6722 7833. # 11am–5pm

Tue–Sun. & 8 =

http://www.dlmm.lv

This museum is housed in the

former St George’s Church,

Rīga’s oldest surviving stone

building. It was constructed

as the chapel for Rīga’s original

Livonian Order castle in 1208,

and became a separate church

after the castle was destroyed

in 1297. After the Reformation

it was used as a warehouse.

The museum gives an

overview of decorative arts

from the 1890s to the present

day. The ground floor hosts

temporary exhibitions, while

the first floor, covering the

1890s to the 1960s, is the

most interesting part of the

main collection. Highlights

include a vast selection of

painted ceramics and carpet

designs by local graphic artist

Jūlijs Madernieks (1870–1955).

Museum of the

Occupation of

Latvia^7
Latvijas okupācijas muzejs

Strēlnieku laukums 1. Map C4.
Tel 6721 2715. # May–Sep:
11am–6pm daily; Oct–Apr:
11am–5pm Tue–Sun. & donations.
8 = http://www.occupationmuseum.lv

This Soviet-era structure was
built to house a museum in
honour of the Latvian
Riflemen, but since 1993 it
has provided an account of
the suffering of Latvians at the
hands of Nazi Germany in
World War II and under the
Soviets. The collection includes
eye witness accounts and
photo graphs of deportations
and political represssion.

Stone figure outside the entrance

of St Peter’s Church

St Peter’s Church^9

Pēterbaznīca

Skārņu iela 19. Map C4. Tel 6722

9426. 
      

      10am–6pm Tue–Sun.

      
      

      & tower only. 7 except tower.
      http://www.peterbaznica.lv

      
      

First mentioned in 1209,

St Peter’s Church was largely

built by the Livs, Finnic people

who settled along the Gulf of

Rīga some 5,000 years ago.

None of the original wooden

church remains, although parts

of the walls date from the 13th

cen tury. The church, which

had become Lutheran in 1523,

was damaged by fire in 1721,

when Peter the Great is said to

have headed the failed efforts

to rescue it. The church’s

steeple has been rebuilt many

times. Reaching a height of

123 m (403 ft), it provides

excel lent views across the city.

Museum of Jews

in Latvia q

Muzejs Ebreji Latvijā

Skolas iela 6. Map D1. Tel 6728

3484. 
      

      noon–5pm Mon–Thu, Sun.

      
      

      & donations.

      
      

Housed inside a Jewish

cultural centre, this museum

is based around the collec-

tions of two Holocaust sur-

vivors, Zalman Elelson and

Marğers Vestermanis, which

tell the story of the Jewish

community in Latvia.

Beginning with the first

records of Jews in the 16th

century, it progresses to

photographs of early 20th-

century family life. The focus,

however, is on the horrific

years of Nazi occupation. The

museum has images of the

Holocaust, including footage

of the massacre of Jews on

Liepāja Beach. A guidebook

to Rīga’s Jewish sites is

available which lists the places

from where the once-vibrant

community was erased.

structure dates from 1999.

Rooms that are open to the

public include the Grand Hall

and a concert hall.

Textile artwork on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design