10 Best Sights in Latvia

In the Dome Square, the nerve center of the Old Town, the stately 1211 cathedral dominates. Reconstructed over the years with Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Art Nouveau elements, this place of worship is astounding as much for its architecture as for its size. The massive 6,768-pipe organ is among the largest in Europe, and it is played nearly every day. Check at the cathedral or its website for schedules and tickets.

Riga’s Freedom Monument, built in 1935, is 42.7 meters high; the upheld stars represent the unity of Latvia’s historic regions: Kurzeme, Vidzeme, and Latgale. During the Soviet occupation, any gathering here was strictly forbidden. After Latvia regained its independence in 1991, the honor guard was re-established at the foot of the monument.

The headquarters of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads, built in 1344 as a gathering place for merchants and shipowners, was named after the guild for unmarried merchants. Partially destroyed during World War II and further damaged by the Soviets, the extravagant, ornate building was fully renovated and reopened in 2000 for Riga's 800th anniversary. Its facade features a unique mix of various architectural styles and periods, including Baroque, Gothic, and Renaissance.

Over the years, many international stars have performed at Latvia's beautiful, restored, 19th-century National Opera and Ballet House. In addition to its repertoire of opera and ballet, guided tours in small groups are offered of the building and backstage areas.

The ethnographic museum is well worth the 10-km (6-mile) trek from downtown. This countryside living museum displays historic buildings, farmsteads, and villages from 17th- to early 20th-century Latvia, and costumed workers engage in traditional activities (pottery, weaving, woodwork, smithing, and so on).

The museum holds 15,000 architectural documents from Riga that range from original outlines and sketches to drawings. It is housed in the Three Brothers—a trio of houses on Maza Pils iela that show what the city looked like before the 18th century. The three oldest stone houses in the capital (No. 17 is the oldest, dating from the 15th century) span several styles, from the medieval to the Baroque. The building at No. 19 is the city's architecture museum. The third is at No. 21.

The museum has five branches, including the main branch of the Latvian National Museum of Art, the Art Museum RIGA BOURSE, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, ARSENĀLS Exhibition Hall, and the Museum of Romans Suta and Aleksandra Beļcova. The main museum has a gorgeous interior, featuring several imposing marble staircases, several large halls of 19th- and 20th-century Latvian paintings, as well as a loft-style story with a glass floor and exposed wooden beams.

Come here if you want to learn the story of what happened to Latvia at the hands of the Nazis and Soviets during the 20th century, until the country's declaration of independence in August 1991. The museum's permanent exhibition has temporarily relocated to provisional premises at Raina bulvaris 7 while the original museum building is being renovated.

The impressive St. Peter's Church originally dates from 1209 and had a long history of annihilation and conflagration, before being destroyed most recently in 1941. It was systematically rebuilt after World War II and now has an observation deck on the 400-foot spire, which gives a beautiful 360-degree view of the city, the river, and its surroundings. There is also a new art exhibit on display every month.

About one hour east of the capital, Gauja National Park is populated by friendly people and a helpful forestry staff. Latvia's deepest river valley, at 280 feet, is little more than a dip, but the gently flowing Gauja and the 13th-century ruins of Turaidas Pils (Turaida Castle), built by the Knights of the Sword, near Sigulda provide amusement, ancient graffiti, and a bobsled track.