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

6419. 
      

      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

8147. 
      

      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.