Eastern and Central Europe (Eyewitness Travel Guides)

(Ben Green) #1
RĪGA 77

Entrance to the 13th-century
St James’s Cathedral


St James’s


Cathedral^4
šv Jēkaba katedrāle


Jekaba iela 9. Map B3. Tel 6732




  1. Oct–May: 7am–6pm; May–


    Oct: 7am–7pm. 5 daily.




Sited outside the old city
walls, St James’s was built in
1225 to serve the surrounding
villages. The church was
renowned for having its bell
hanging from a cupola, which
is still visible on the southern
side, although the bell has
gone. It was rung to signal
that an exe cution was taking
place in the city, although
another story insists that it
was heard when unfaith ful
women passed by the church.
The structure has been
renovated several times and,
today it is the seat of Rīga’s
Catholic archbishop.


The Powder Tower, home to the
Latvian War Museum, Rīga

Swedish Gate^5
Zviedru vārti

Between Torņa iela & Aldaru iela.
Map C2.

The sole remnant of eight city
gates, the Swedish Gate was
built in 1698 during a period
of Swedish rule in Rīga. It
runs through the ground floor
of the house at Torņa 11, and
legend has it that the gate
was created illegally by a
wealthy mer chant to give him
direct access to his warehouse.
More likely, it was built for
the use of the soldiers sta-
tioned at St James’s Barracks.
Today, the gate provides
access between the popular
strip of shops and bars on
Torņa iela and the quieter, but
pleasant, Aldaru iela. Newly-
married couples include the
gate on their tour of the city,
as passing through it is said to
bring good luck.

Powder Tower^6
Pulvertornis

Smilšu iela 20. Map C3. Tel 6722



  1. May–Sep: 10am–6pm


    Wed–Sun; Oct–Apr: 10am–5pm
    Wed–Sun. & donations. 8
    http://www.karamuzejs.lv




The cylindrical Powder Tower
is all that remains from a total
of 18 towers that were once
part of the city’s defences. Its
14th-century foundations are
among the oldest in the city,
but the rest of the structure
dates from 1650, when it was
rebuilt after being destroyed
by the Swedish Army in 1621.
The 2.5-m (8-ft) thick walls
were intended to protect the
gunpowder stored inside, after
which the tower was named.
Nine Russian cannon balls
remain embedded in the walls
as proof of its strength.
The tower was bought by a
German student fraternity at
the end of the 19th century,
and in 1919, it housed a mili-
tary museum reflecting on the
then-recent fight for indepen-
dence as well as on World
War I. The annexe building
was constructed from 1937 to
1940, but the Soviet occu pa-
tion meant that it did not fulfil
its function until several

Swedish Gate, built through the
ground floor of an old house

decades later. From 1957, the
tower housed the Museum of
the Revolution in the Soviet
Republic of Latvia.
The tower and the annexe
are now home to the Latvian
War Museum (Latvigas kara
muzejs). While the oldest exhi-
bit – part of a can non discov-
ered during the 1930s – dates
from the 15th century, the
museum concen trates on
20th-century war fare. World
War I is covered with displays
of weapons, uni forms and pro-
paganda posters. Other rooms
examine the role of Latvians
in the Russian Revolution, the
Latvian War of Independence,
World War II and the Soviet
occupation. Recent additions
include a collection of 360
models of military machinery.

being the official residence
of Latvia’s presi dent, the
building now houses two
museums. Exhibits at the
Museum of Foreign Art
(Ārzemju mākslas muzejs)
begin with copies of Egyptian
and Greek statues, and conti-
nue with a collection of
paintings. Most visitors
will also enjoy a tour of the
History Museum of Latvia
(Latvijas vēstures muzejs).
The exhibits take in religious
sculpture, traditional regional
costumes and consumer
goods from the first period of
independence in 1920. There
are also rooms decor ated in
various styles including
Biedermeier and Art Nouveau.

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