Boulevard Ring
In 1856, the Russian government lifted the defense designation of Inner Riga allowing the demolition of the remaining defense ramparts which were hampering city development. The ramparts were demolished between 1857 and 1863 and resulted in an undeveloped open space. The landscaping was planned by J. Felsko and O. Dietze . Its incorporated a 300 m wide green belt and canal. This area was later enlarged with the expansion of Vermanes darzs (Vermanes garden), originally created in 1817, and the panting of lindens along the boulevard. The addition of culturally significant buildings completed the creation of the boulevard ring.
National Theatre
The history surrounding the National Opera is more
than 250 years long. During the period of time from 1837 to 1839 Richard Wagner
was the chapel-master of Riga, and was involved in opera life. The current
theatre was built as a national theatre
in 1863, on the site of an old German theatre. After a fire in 1882, the
theatre was rebuilt to its current state. The theatre become the National Opera
House in 1919.
Latvian Freedom Monument
The monument, unveiled in 1935, is 42 metres
high and sculpted of grey and red granite, travertine, reinforced concrete and
copper.The sculptures and bas-reliefs of the monument, arranged in thirteen groups, depict Latvian culture and history. The core of the monument is composed of massive tetragonal shapes on top of each other, decreasing in size towards the top, completed by a 19-metre high travertine column bearing the copper figure of Liberty – a young woman lifting three gilded stars.
The concept for the monument to commemorate the Latvian War of Independence first emerged in the early 1920s when the Latvian Prime Minister Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics ordered rules to be drawn up for the design contest to build a "memorial column". After several contests the design "Shine like a star!" submitted by Latvian sculptor Kārlis Zāle was approved. Construction began in 1931 and was financed by private donations.
After the World War II, Latvia was annexed by the USSR and the Freedom Monument was considered for dismantling. Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina, a pupil of Kārlis Zāle, is credited with rescuing the monument: she recognised the artistic value of the monument the demolition of which might hurt the most sacred feelings of the Latvian people. Although the monument was not dismantled, its symbolism was reinterpreted to better fit with Communist ideology. Nevertheless, the Freedom Monument remained a symbol of national independence to the general public.
During the Soviet
occupation gatherings of people and laying flowers at the monument were
forbidden.
With the national
awakening, despite possible repressions rallies started taking place at the
monument, people gathered to commemorate the most significant events for the
Latvian nation - proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, struggle for freedom,
occupation and repressions. Members of Helsinki-86, the human rights advocacy
group, were the first who did it openly on 14 June 1987. After Latvia regained
its independence, the guard of honour was resumed at the monument.
The 42 m high monument is capped by a bronze
cast statue of Freedom – an allegoric symbol of liberty with the three historic
regions – Kurzeme, Latgale, Vidzeme – as stars representing statehood and
unity.
The sculptures and reliefs of the monument depict scenes from Latvian history. Among the sculptural groups are Freedom, Mother Latvia, Lāčplēsis (mythical hero), The Breakers of Chains, The Priest, Work, Cultural Figures, Fight with Bermontians, The Song Festival Procession etc.
The sculptures and reliefs of the monument depict scenes from Latvian history. Among the sculptural groups are Freedom, Mother Latvia, Lāčplēsis (mythical hero), The Breakers of Chains, The Priest, Work, Cultural Figures, Fight with Bermontians, The Song Festival Procession etc.
The Latvian National Theatre (Latvijas Nacionālais teātris)
The theatre was built between 1899-1902 by the design of architect Augusts Reinbergs, becoming Riga's second (Russian) theatre. It closed during the First World War; on 18 November 1918, Latvia's independence was declared in the theatre building. In 1917 the first shows in Latvian were held in the theatre.
The Latvian National Theatre was founded 30 November 1919, just over a year after independence. The creative program was authored by Jānis Akurāters, a Latvian writer, then head of the Art department of the Ministry of Education. The current managing director of the theatre is Viesturs Rieksts and the artistic director is Edmunds Freibergs.
University of Latvia
The University of Latvia began as the Riga Polytechnic Institute, a building that added greatly to the architectural city scape. The building with its graceful, yet monumental form was designed in the Romatic and Byzantium style by the Faculty of Architecture’s first dean, Gustav Hilbig (1822-1883). The first section of the building was built between 1866 and 1869.Latvian National Museum or Art
Latvian National Museum of Art is the nation’s largest art repository with over 52 000 works reflecting the development of Baltic and Latvian art from the 18th century to present day. The museum holds a substantial Russian art collection in the Baltics. The main building of the Latvian National Museum of Art in Krišjāņa Valdemāra Street is one of the most impressive in the Park and Boulevard Circle area of Riga. It was designed by the museum’s first director, the Baltic German architect and art historian Wilhelm Neumann and built in 1905. The structure, as well as the parameters of the exhibition rooms, corresponded to the level of required standard for an art museum in the Europe of at the previous turn of the centuries. The majestic facade is designed in the baroque and classicist styles; the sculptural group of the central front was created by the sculptor August Volz. The interior of the building – in the lobby and the ornaments of the staircase banister – feature elements of Art Nouveau. The top-floor lobby is adorned by with six decorative semi-circle circular paintings by the great Latvian painter Vilhelms Purvītis and the a master of Estonian classical art Gerhard von Rosen.The Art Academy
The area behind the defence ramparts, the Esplanade, was once a training area for locally stationed soldiers. Ot was here that the Art Academy was built in the beginning of the 20th century.The building originally housed the Stock Exchange Business school and was designed by W.Bockslaff. It is characterised by its brick construction in pseudo-Gothic style.
Esplanade and The Orthodox Cathedral of the Birth of Christ
To the north-east of Old Riga, between Brīvības and O.Kalpaka Boulevards, and Elizabetes and K.Valdemāra ielas there is the former Esplanade Square
The Esplanade was a 280 m wide exposed area around the fortifications of Riga that had no buildings on it. After the levelling of the Kubes Hill, a barren, uneven, sandy plain remained there. After the great fire in 1812, the present day territory of the esplanade was “surrounded by a low fence and given to the army for military training”.
Russian Orthodoxy was the state religion in Russia. At the of the 19th century, with the help of laws and funds provided by government, it attempted to win converts among the Lutherans and Roman Catholics in Baltics. Many Orthodox churches were built in the Baltic countries. The Orphodox Cathedral of Birth of Christ was the most important one of these. It turned out beautiful and impressive. The height of the dome to crosses is 43 meters and there is a wall with three rows of icons, all of them painted by professors of the Imperial Academy of Arts. The walls and ceiling were decorated by classical Russian painters Shamshin and Vershchagin.
In 1964 the crosses were taken down from cathedral and the building was transformed into the House of Knowledge “to popularize social, political, technical and scientific knowledge among the masses of the working people”. The crosses that are there now were donated in 1990 by a Latvian living in Germany, Voldemars Feldmanis.
In 1901, Riga was thrilled to celebrate its 700th anniversary and used a lot of money and imagination to demonstrate the variety of goods manufactured here. There were shipyards, factories producing railway cars for the Italians, electric power stations, bicycles, tricycles, motorcycles and two factories producing cars. As a part of the celebration an extensive exhibition of manufactured goods and crafts was arranged in the Esplanade, with many buildings and pavilions. After the exhibition the tsar’s generals ceded to the civilian demands and retained only a small area behind the Cathedral for military parades.
Pfab (Benjamina) House
K.Barona iela 12, 1876
This is the most notable residence in the boulevard ring. It was designed in the Renaissance style by Berlin architects H. Ende and V. Bechman. The sculptural flourishes are the work of a Foltz. He arrived from Germany to work on this building and ended up spending the remainder of his working career in Riga. The building was purchased by socialites Emilija and Antons Benjamins in 1928. During Soviet occupation, the building was a newspaper office and home to the Writer’s Union. The building was renovated in 2006 and is an upscale hotel now.
