Riga, Latvia
We reached Riga, the capital city of Latvia, during lunch and berthed the National Geographic Endeavour near the mouth of the Daugava River just downstream from the very impressive single tower suspension Vanšu Bridge. The Latvian nation had its origins in the 9th century with Baltic tribes settling on the banks of a small river named Riga, which has since dried up. Typical for cities in the Baltic, Riga has had a very complicated and violent history. Germans conquered Riga in the late 12th century and linked it to the Hanseatic League. It was conquered by the Poles in the 16th century, by the Swedes in the 17th century, and by Russia under Peter the Great during the Great Northern War in the early 18th century. Peter quickly expanded it into a major Baltic seaport, second only to Petrograd (St. Petersburg).
Our visit started with an orientation tour by coach around Vecriga, the island that contains the city center. In addition to the many beautiful centuries-old buildings we have come to expect in an ancient Hanseatic town, Riga also contains much in the way of spectacular Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture from the early 20th century. It is no wonder Riga is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of our guided tour of Riga was conducted on foot through the narrow streets of medieval Old Town itself. The city was once surrounded by protective brick wall measuring ten and fifteen meters high with twenty gates and twenty towers and a moat around its perimeter. It was built by the Germans in the 13th century. Although only one small restored portion of the wall remains today, the moat, however, has been incorporated as a scenic canal that runs through a beautiful, tree-shaded city park.
The Germans brought Christianity to Latvia very early, so it is not surprising to find many churches scattered throughout the city. We learned of a macabre habit which monks willingly sacrificed themselves by being bricked up alive within a wall of a church building in order to insure the longevity of that particular church. A small cross-shaped opening allowed food to be passed in to them from the outside for the remainder of their lives. The two most important churches are St. Peter’s Church, started in 1209 and the Dome Cathedral, started in 1211. Although they both began their days as Catholic institutions, by the time of completion they were both Lutheran - as evidenced by a rooster perched at the top of the steeple, Martin Luther’s symbol for the Reformation. The Dome Cathedral contains one of the world’s biggest and best organs. It was built in 1884 and consists of 6,715 pipes, which at the moment are braced with a wooden structure. Our private organ concert here in the Dome Cathedral, which included J.S. Bach’s classic Toccata and Fugue in D-minor, was definitely a highlight of the day.
Another highlight of the tour was a wonderful performance by The Dzintarins, a troupe of talented young dancers demonstrating traditional dances, dressed in traditional costumes. The children were very professional, bright, and talented. The locale of the performance in the opulent Guild House added even more to the enjoyment.
On top of all this, we even had time to wander on our own, shop for amber jewelry and other interesting Latvian handicrafts, bar hop, and enjoy some of the local cuisine before returning to the ship in time to sail at midnight.
We reached Riga, the capital city of Latvia, during lunch and berthed the National Geographic Endeavour near the mouth of the Daugava River just downstream from the very impressive single tower suspension Vanšu Bridge. The Latvian nation had its origins in the 9th century with Baltic tribes settling on the banks of a small river named Riga, which has since dried up. Typical for cities in the Baltic, Riga has had a very complicated and violent history. Germans conquered Riga in the late 12th century and linked it to the Hanseatic League. It was conquered by the Poles in the 16th century, by the Swedes in the 17th century, and by Russia under Peter the Great during the Great Northern War in the early 18th century. Peter quickly expanded it into a major Baltic seaport, second only to Petrograd (St. Petersburg).
Our visit started with an orientation tour by coach around Vecriga, the island that contains the city center. In addition to the many beautiful centuries-old buildings we have come to expect in an ancient Hanseatic town, Riga also contains much in the way of spectacular Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture from the early 20th century. It is no wonder Riga is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most of our guided tour of Riga was conducted on foot through the narrow streets of medieval Old Town itself. The city was once surrounded by protective brick wall measuring ten and fifteen meters high with twenty gates and twenty towers and a moat around its perimeter. It was built by the Germans in the 13th century. Although only one small restored portion of the wall remains today, the moat, however, has been incorporated as a scenic canal that runs through a beautiful, tree-shaded city park.
The Germans brought Christianity to Latvia very early, so it is not surprising to find many churches scattered throughout the city. We learned of a macabre habit which monks willingly sacrificed themselves by being bricked up alive within a wall of a church building in order to insure the longevity of that particular church. A small cross-shaped opening allowed food to be passed in to them from the outside for the remainder of their lives. The two most important churches are St. Peter’s Church, started in 1209 and the Dome Cathedral, started in 1211. Although they both began their days as Catholic institutions, by the time of completion they were both Lutheran - as evidenced by a rooster perched at the top of the steeple, Martin Luther’s symbol for the Reformation. The Dome Cathedral contains one of the world’s biggest and best organs. It was built in 1884 and consists of 6,715 pipes, which at the moment are braced with a wooden structure. Our private organ concert here in the Dome Cathedral, which included J.S. Bach’s classic Toccata and Fugue in D-minor, was definitely a highlight of the day.
Another highlight of the tour was a wonderful performance by The Dzintarins, a troupe of talented young dancers demonstrating traditional dances, dressed in traditional costumes. The children were very professional, bright, and talented. The locale of the performance in the opulent Guild House added even more to the enjoyment.
On top of all this, we even had time to wander on our own, shop for amber jewelry and other interesting Latvian handicrafts, bar hop, and enjoy some of the local cuisine before returning to the ship in time to sail at midnight.
