"LATVIA" Top 5 Page for this destination Latvia by hopang

Latvia Travel Guide: 3,061 reviews and 7,260 photos

Republic of Latvia

Latvia is located in the Baltic regions in Northern Europe. It is bordering Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south and Belarus and Russia to the east. Sweden is located to the west of Latvia across the Baltic Sea.

Republic of Latvia is a member of European Union (EU) since 2004. It is also a member of NATO since 2004. The capital of Latvia is Riga which is also its largest city. The official language of Latvia is Latvian. It has a population of approximately 2.2 million people. Approximately 60% of the population are ethnic Latvians and approximately 28% are Russians. Latvia has a total area of approximately 65,000 square kilometres. Laima Clock (photo above) is one of the popular tourist attractions in Riga. The historic centre of Riga has been listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

The following are two of our favourite tourist attractions in Latvia:-

House of Blackheads, Riga

House of Blackheads

The House of Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) is located at the Town Hall Square right in the heart of the Old Town of Riga. It is a landmark of Riga and a very popular tourist attraction. It is one of the most beautiful architectural buildings in the Old Town of Riga.

The original House of Blackheads dates back to the 14th century. It was erected for the members of the Blackheads who were young unmarried merchants from several North European and Baltic countries such as Estonia and Latvia. The original Gothic style building was destroyed in the Second World War and the present reconstructed building was erected only in 1999.

The House of the Blackheads today is home to a museum, Riga's Tourist Information Office and a concert hall. The area around the Town Hall Square is a favourite meeting place for the locals.

Freedom Monument, Riga

Freedom Monument

The Freedom Monument (Brivibas Piemineklis) is located at Brivibas Street at Freedom Boulevard (Brivibas bulvaris) near the Laima Clock at the edge of the Old Town in Riga. It was erected in 1935 to dedicate to freedom and in honour of the soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence between 1918 and 1920. The monument was designed by famous Latvian sculptor Karlis Zale. It was constructed of copper and granite. The monument is the tallest of its kind in Europe! It is regarded as a landmark of the city of Riga.

The Freedom Monument is topped by a statue of liberty holding three stars in outstretched hands. The three star symbolise the three regions of Latvia, i.e. Kurzeme (Courland), Vidzeme (Livland) and Latgale (Lettgallen). The monument has survived four decades of Soviet's rule and many wonder why the Soviets did not demolish it! The area around the monument has also been used for public gatherings and demonstrations in the past! Don't miss the Freedom Monument when you are in Riga for your vacation!

Intro Updated May 9, 2009
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Reviews (18)

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Comments (18)

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Yaqui Nov 21, 2012 at 7:52 AM

St. Peters Church, Bridges, and the lovely monuments look fantastic! Thanks for sharing!
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  hopang Nov 22, 2012 at 12:01 PM
  
  Hi Dee, Thanks for your visit to our Latvia travel page. Riga is a wonderful capital city. It is just one night by ferry from Stockholm. ~ho & pang
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Aitana Apr 9, 2012 at 10:38 AM

Latvia is one of the places I want to explore. Thanks for your tips.
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xaver Aug 27, 2011 at 12:43 PM

I definitly need ti explore baltics! GReat ideas.
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olegl84 Mar 31, 2011 at 9:45 AM

Impressive article, but it was not sufficient for me, more information about traveling in latvia I found on http://inlatvia.com
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BruceDunning Oct 19, 2010 at 11:48 AM

You have done a very nice job of showing the sites in the city, especially the Freedom Monument and the architecture around it. The comments are very helpful to understand the sites.
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HORSCHECK Feb 16, 2010 at 2:22 PM

Ho & Pang, gorgeous page about the Latvian capital here. It looks like you had lovely weather during your visit. Your page brings back memories of my time in Riga back in summer 2002.
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scottishvisitor Feb 7, 2010 at 1:38 PM

Thanks Ho & Pang for the virtual tour of Latvia I know I would enjoy Riga!
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Nemorino Jan 5, 2010 at 3:36 AM

I've met some nice people from Riga, but have never been there yet. Maybe next year.
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toonsarah Oct 27, 2009 at 9:51 AM

We've often thought about visiting Riga and I can see from your page that we would like it there - some beautiful buildings, and the market sounds interesting too :-)
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LoriPori Sep 15, 2009 at 3:53 AM

Riga Latvia is definitely on my wish list. I also like that you can take a ferry to Sweden from there. The House of Blackheads is indeed beautiful and impressive. Nice page!