The next stop on our Baltic trip was Riga, where we luckily stayed in an excellent location. Our accommodation was very close to both the bus station and the city center, but what we enjoyed the most was the proximity to the huge central market hall. This place almost evoked the atmosphere of a Mediterranean mercado with its incredible selection of food. Here we had the opportunity to taste several different types of pelmeni.
The old downtown part of the city is particularly beautiful and cozy, although we noticed that it was slightly inferior to the neighboring capitals in terms of cleanliness. We really liked the headquarters of the Latvian Academy of Sciences, which we went up to, as the observation deck offered a fantastic view of the entire city. Unfortunately, we had to leave from there the next day, as we only had a week to visit these great Baltic cities.
Latvian tribes had settled along the Baltic coast for millennia, but the country’s organized history took a decisive turn at the end of the 12th century. This was when the German Crusaders arrived, spreading Christianity with fire and iron and conquering the area. For most of the Middle Ages, present-day Latvia was under the rule of the Knights of the Sword and the Archbishopric of Riga, while the cities became thriving trading centers through the Hanseatic League.
After the dissolution of the Knights in the 16th century, the area became a scene of great power conflicts. Northern Latvia came under Swedish rule, while the southern parts remained under the influence of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In the early 18th century, as a result of the Great Northern War, the entire country was gradually absorbed by the Russian Empire, which brought significant social and economic changes to the population.
National consciousness really took hold in the 19th century, leading to the proclamation of the independent Republic of Latvia in 1918 in the chaos following World War I. However, this freedom did not last long, as during World War II the country was occupied first by the Soviet Union and then by Nazi Germany. After the war, Latvia became a member republic of the Soviet Union for decades, which entailed a huge demographic and political transformation.
The regaining of independence began in the late 1980s with the Singing Revolution and the Baltic Chain, where hundreds of thousands joined hands for freedom. Latvia regained sovereignty in 1991 and has been committed to Western integration ever since. It joined the European Union and NATO in 2004 and is now a modern, digitally advanced country that proudly preserves its unique Baltic identity.
Riga was officially founded in 1201 by Bishop Albert and quickly became the most important commercial and religious centre in the Baltic region. As a member of the Hanseatic League, the city acquired enormous wealth, which allowed the construction of the magnificent medieval churches and town houses that can still be seen today. The German bourgeoisie determined the city’s leadership and culture for centuries, even when political power was in the hands of other nations.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Riga experienced extremely rapid industrial development, thanks to which it became one of the most important ports of the Russian Empire. During this period, the world-famous Art Nouveau quarter was built, which is today one of the city’s greatest pride and a World Heritage Site. At this time, Riga became a truly cosmopolitan metropolis, where, in addition to Latvians, Germans, Russians and Jews lived together, enriching the city’s intellectual life.
The Soviet era left a deep mark on the city’s skyline, with monumental public buildings and vast housing estates built around the city center. After independence, Riga regained its former glory and today attracts tourists as the largest city in the Baltics. The historic Old Town and modern neighborhoods create an exciting mix, while the city continues to develop to maintain its leading role in the economic and cultural life of the region.
