TravelswithCharie

Green spaces Two things become apparent when you arrive in Riga. First, there are a lot of green spaces and parks in the city and more lovely woods as you travel around Latvia.  The Brotherhood of the Blackheads Guild House The second thing you’ll notice is the variety of architectural styles from medieval to Art Nouveau to Soviet era architecture and modern aesthetic. The Blacksheads Guild House (above) has been restored after it was destroyed by German bombing in 1941 and the Russians took down in 1948 whatever was left of the ruined buildings. Three Brothers The houses of the Three Brothers represent three different eras and styles of architecture. And for clarification purposes, none of the owners were brothers. The White House is the oldest masonry building in Riga (dating around the end of the 15th c and the beginning of the 16th c).  The middle house has 1646 marked on its façade which is when its current look originates. The green house from the 17th century is the youngest of

Architect: Paul Mandelstamm, 1903 Address: Kalēju iela 23, Riga This is one of the most colorful and attractive examples of Art Nouveau architecture found in the old town. It employs several elements defining Art Nouveau: the sun, flowers, leaves and lines. It certainly was a lovely surprise to see numerous examples of Art Nouveau architecture scattered throughout Riga. As it turns out, about a third of all buildings in the city were built in the Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) style, the popular architectural style at the turn of the 20th century. This coincided with the economic upturn that paved the way for growth and development in the construction industry. Architects: Heinrich Scheel and Friedrich Scheffel, 1902 Address: Škūnu iela 10/12 The main elements of Art Nouveau are flowers, leaves, vines, organic shapes, insects, asymmetrical lines and the sun. Notice the graceful flow of leaves on the building’s façade above. Architects: Alfred Aschenkampf, Max Scherwinsky, 1899 Address: Audēj