Riga (capital of the Latvian SSR). Rest in riga, latvia
The Baltic coast, the sea, sand, wonderful architecture and friendly smiles of passers-by... All this is the capital of Latvia, the largest city in the country, its political, economic and cultural center. It is not surprising that tours to Riga are becoming more and more popular not only among Russians, but also among guests from far abroad. There is something to see, where to stay and something to be surprised. So let's start virtual tour, which can easily become real.
Architecture dominates
The city is “spread out” on both banks of the Daugava River and is located not far from its confluence with the Gulf of Riga. The combination of different styles of architecture distinguishes Riga from other Latvian cities. The spirit of the Middle Ages reigns in the Old Town, while in the rest of the area - Art Nouveau in its most striking manifestations. Residential buildings here are being built in European style, and majestic towers, as if descended from the pages of history books, churches with high domes and palaces with sharp spiers adjoin them.
Today Riga resembles European cities even more than when they made films about Stirlitz or Sherlock Holmes. At the same time, narrow streets have not gone away, where guests and residents of the city slowly make hiking. The big green parks, bright facades, cozy bars, Latvian beer, delicious nutritious food and, of course, the bridges spanning the Daugava are still pleasing.
Close to the sea and easy to get around the city
Before famous resort Jurmala, where you can enjoy the warm clear sea and visit the famous festivals, nothing at all - half an hour by train. Taxi is even faster. Many tourists go to the sea every day and deliberately purchase tours to Riga with accommodation in inexpensive hotels.
In Riga itself, the public transport infrastructure is very well developed: buses, trolleybuses, trams, fixed-route taxis- you will easily and, what is important, inexpensively get to a nightclub, restaurant, cinema, museum or the famous Riga market. Taxi fares are divided into daytime (up to 0.70 euros per 1 km and up to 2.10 euros per landing) and nighttime - 20% more expensive than daytime.
Visit the main symbols of the city
The beauty of Riga, first of all, is in its most famous symbols of architecture:
- the Dome Cathedral with its famous huge organ and a 140 m high tower;
- Peter's Church on Skarnu Street in the Old Town with its clock tower;
- Church of St. Jacob with a cockerel on the outbuilding;
- Powder tower with walls approximately 3 m thick;
- The House of the Blackheads is one of the most visited objects in Riga, where a museum and a concert hall function.
Who is in the clubs, and who is shopping!
Lots of nightclubs are open here for lovers of noisy rest - both pretentious, focused on the wealthy public, and more modest, but with the same groovy music and entertaining entertainment program.
Do you want to go shopping? Shopping for many is becoming an obligatory component of a tour to Riga, and here everything is at the highest level: travelers easily find shopping centers where they willingly spend money on insignificant souvenirs and essential purchases.
You can talk about Riga for a long time, but is it worth it? Only having visited it once, you can feel all the beauty of it. European city and catch yourself thinking that you definitely want to come back here again. And this will be the only proof that the rest was a success!
Useful information for tourists about Riga in Latvia - geographical position, tourism infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.
Riga is the capital of Latvia. It is the third most populated city in the Baltic Sea region. The first and second places are occupied by St. Petersburg and Stockholm. Riga is located on both banks of the Daugava River (Western Dvina), not far from its confluence with the Gulf of Riga. The official date of foundation of the city is 1201. Riga is divided into 6 administrative districts. The historical center of the city is located on the right bank of the Western Dvina River, about 10 km from the confluence with the Gulf of Riga.
Geographic location Rigi near the sea determines the climate of the city - moderately warm and humid. The summer months here are usually relatively cool and cloudy. Winters are relatively warm, with frequent thaws.
The history of Riga has more than 8 centuries. This is evidenced by archaeological excavations, which give reason to believe that a settlement existed here already in the 12th century. At the end of the 12th century, an event recorded in the annals took place here. This is where the Crusaders came in. During the battle near the Old Riga Mountain, their first leader, Bishop Berthold, died. This is what the chronicler tells about. The next bishop moved to Riga in 1201 and began building fortifications near Lake Riga. This year is considered to be the date of foundation of Riga.
In the 13th century, the city flourished, trade grew here, and Riga became an important intermediary between west and east. During the Livonian War, in 1581, Riga fell under the rule of Poland. Later, during the war between Poland and Sweden, after a long struggle, Riga was captured by the Swedes in 1621.
During the Northern War, when the struggle for dominance in the Baltic Sea is going on between Russia and Sweden, after a long siege and a plague epidemic, Riga falls under the control of Russia. In the second half of the 18th century there was a rapid industrial and commercial development of the city. In the 19th century Riga turned into an important port and railway point. The territory of Riga and the population are increasing significantly. At the beginning of the 20th century, Riga turns into the second largest city in the western part of Russia. The first place is occupied by St. Petersburg.
The turning point in the development of the city was the first World War. Riga is becoming a city located practically on the front line. Then the city was evacuated great amount industrial workers. Toward the end of the war, it becomes possible to form an independent Republic of Latvia, which was proclaimed in 1918. Gradually, after the war, which caused considerable damage to the city, in the 20-30s. there is an industrial, commercial and cultural development of Riga.
During World War II, Soviet troops occupied Latvia in 1940. During the restoration of the sovereignty of the country, the capital of Latvia becomes the center of the Atmoda (Awakening) movement. In 1991, the inhabitants of Latvia gathered at the barricades in order to resist a possible invasion of the Soviet military forces.
One of the most beautiful landscaped gardens in Riga is Arcadia Park. In 1808, a private garden was planted here, later purchased by the Riga City Council. It was expanded, planted with new seedlings, bridges and new paths were built.
Many beautiful churches, houses from the Middle Ages, and castles have survived to this day in Riga. The oldest is the Riga Castle, which was founded in 1330. In 1642, when Riga was occupied by Sweden, a new wing was added, which has been preserved in its original form and has come down to our days. In 1938, the interior of the castle was changed to suit the needs of the Latvian government. Now the residence of the Latvian President is located in the Riga Castle. In addition, the castle houses several museums: foreign art, history of Latvia, literature, theater and music.
The House of Cats was built in 1910. According to legend, it was built by a rich merchant who was not wanted to be accepted into the Guild, and installed cats on it, which were turned back to the Guild. After lengthy proceedings, the merchant's case was settled, and the cats were turned to face the Guild.
The Dome Cathedral and the monastery began to be built in 1211. Construction continued for several centuries. The ninety-meter tower acquired its final form in 1766. At the end of the 19th century, an organ was built especially for the cathedral, which was one of the largest in the world. Modern look Domskaya Square acquired in 1935. Low-value buildings were demolished, the area became more spacious. Fairs, concerts and other various holidays and events are held here today.
The Swedish gates were cut into the Riga fortress wall in 1689. According to legend, the building where the gate is now located was the property of a merchant. He, in order not to pay duties on the import of goods, cut such a passage through his house. These are the only city gates in Riga that have survived in their original form.
Ethnographical museum under open sky established in 1924. Here are collected real buildings from different places that characterize the life and life of Latvians: peasant estates, public buildings. In the museum you can see a mill, several churches, a forge, a tavern. There is a souvenir shop where you can buy memorable gifts for yourself and your friends.
Riga has many opportunities for recreation and entertainment. Here at any time of the year you can go on an excursion or engage in outdoor activities. In order to get to know the city better, you should go for a walk around Riga on foot, or by bike, or by tourist bus. In addition, you can ride on boats that sail along the Daugava River and introduce you to the history of the city.
For those who like more mobile and extreme recreation, you should visit the adventure park, go canoeing. In winter, you can go skating or skiing on specially equipped tracks. And not far from Riga there are complexes winter holiday with slides for skiing and snowboarding.
A wonderful and beautiful city. It is Riga that is the largest city among all the Baltic countries. In addition, if we talk about the number of inhabitants in the entire Baltic Sea region, this city is in third place. The population of Riga is 703,581 inhabitants. Geographically, the city is located on two banks of the Daugava or Zapadnaya Dvina river, not far from the area where it flows into the Gulf of Riga.
Riga is not just beautiful city, its monuments are recognized by the world community. The historic center is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2014 the city will be included in the register cultural capitals Europe.
The origin of the word itself is not exactly known, several versions are put forward. One of them is that Riga is a Livonian word that means "populated place". According to another version, it came from the name of one of the sections of the outflow of the Dvina called Spekupe. He goes around the hill. This outflow was called Riga or Ridzina, Ridzene. The flood that formed was called the Riga Lake. There is also a third version, according to which Cuba (now the center of Riga) was located on the hill, where the settlement of the Wends lived - the Baltic Slavs. This hill, in turn, was located on Rigen or Rugen.
There is a beautiful legend about the origin of the city. In ancient times, a man named Big Kristaps built himself a house on the right bank of the Daugava. One night, on the other side, he heard the cry of a child. Big Kristaps carried him to him, and in the morning the child turned into a chest with money. After the death of the man, this money went to the construction of the city of Riga. And where his house was located, the first houses of the inhabitants of the capital of Latvia were built.
Despite the fact that this is a legend, today there is a glass booth on the embankment where the statue is located. huge man with a small child on his shoulder.
There are many monuments of architecture, history and culture in Riga. Also here are world-famous universities, museums, theaters. The infrastructure of the city is quite developed.
Officially, Riga is divided into six administrative districts, which include:
Central (area - three square kilometers, 27 thousand people);
Kurzeme (80 square kilometers, 130 thousand people);
Ziemelsky (Northern) (77 square kilometers, 80 thousand people);
Latgale suburb (50 square kilometers, 200 thousand people);
Vidzeme suburb (57 square kilometers, 170 thousand people);
Zemgale suburb (40 square kilometers, 100 thousand people).
In Riga, it is represented in a fairly wide segment from residential to commercial. Thus, the most typical price for the purchase of residential premises is the price from 1,300 to 1,500 euros/m2. As far as office space is concerned, this moment there is an increased interest in high-quality and small offices.
We also note that there is a city in Latvia (the largest resort city in Latvia and the Baltic countries), in which the international competition of young talents of the same name is held. It is famous for being visited by mega-stars of domestic and foreign show business - Alla, Ksenia Sobchak, and of course, creative evenings of Alexander Zatsepin, Raymond Pauls, and many other pop stars are held in Jurmala.
Riga (in Latvian: Rigas Fondu birza) is a stock exchange (another name is NASDAQ OMX Riga), which is located in Riga. The exchange is managed by the Swedish-Finnish company OMX. The company also manages and owns the Helsinki Stock Exchange and the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The exchange trades gold and other commodities. Also, stocks of over 3500 companies from all over the world and major world currencies (Russian ruble, dollar, Kazakh, Chinese, Ukrainian, Japanese yen) are listed on the stock exchange. Various investment companies operate in NASDAQ OMX Riga. Various brokers and investment companies also operate on the exchange.
In Riga there are embassies such as:,
Latvia is the central Baltic country (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). On the world map, Latvia is located in the northeast of Europe, on east coast the Baltic Sea. The landscape of the country is low-lying plains and hills. Most of the area is at an altitude of less than 100 meters above sea level. There are thousands of rivers and lakes on the territory of Latvia.
Latvia is a country with ancient history and traditions. There are tourist sites that will interest anyone. If you want to enjoy nature, there is the calm Gulf of Riga, the open Baltic Sea, and natural parks, and fast rivers, and lakes, on the banks of which extensive forests have been preserved. For a tourist who is fond of history, medieval castles and ancient Latvian culture are of interest. If you want to combine entertainment with gaining new knowledge, you can visit Old Riga, where you will find not only wonderful architectural monuments, but also a wide variety of clubs. There are beautiful churches - both ancient and modern. We offer a wide range of health and wellness options. active rest. And, of course, when going to Latvia, do not forget to ask about the events that are planned for this time! You can enjoy both traditional Latvian holidays and a wide variety of cultural and entertainment events that continue throughout the year.
Geography
The territory of Latvia is 64589 km2, including land - 62046 km2, inland waters - 2543 km2. The length of the territory from north to south is 210, from west to east - 450 km.
The length of the border is 1862 km, the length coastline- 494 km.
The average height of Latvia is 87 m above sea level. Below 100 m above sea level is 57%, from 100 to 200 m - 40.5% and above 200 - 2.5% of the country's territory.
The highest point in Latvia - Gaizinkalns - 311.6 m a.s.l.
The longest river in the country - Gauja - 452 km.
The largest river flowing through the territory of Latvia: Daugava. The total length of the Daugava is 1005 km, and on the territory of the country - 352 km. There are only about 750 rivers in Latvia that are longer than 10 km.
The largest lake in terms of area is Lubanas - 80 km2.
Most deep lake- Dridzis - 65.1 m. There are only about 3,000 lakes in Latvia, the area of which exceeds 1 ha.
National parks - national park Gauja, Kemeri National Park. Reserves - Moritssala, Slitere, Grini, Krustkalni and Teichi.
Administrative-territorial division: 7 cities of republican significance, 65 cities of district significance, 26 districts, 11 territories, 467 volosts.
Cultural-historical division: 4 regions - Vidzeme, Latgale, Kurzeme and Zemgale.
Population
Latvians have inhabited this land for two thousand years. The Latvian people was formed by the merger of the ancient Baltic tribes of Latgals, Semigallians, villages and Curonians with the Baltic Finnish peoples - Estonians and Livs. At the beginning of the 21st century approx. 1.39 million Latvians 664,092 Russians, 88,998 Belarusians, 59,403 Ukrainians, 56,798 Poles, 31,840 Lithuanians, 9,820 Jews, 8,403 Gypsies, 3,696 Germans, 2,970 Tatars, 2,670 Armenians, 2,530 Estonians and representatives of 136 other nationalities . Despite the multicultural influence, Latvians have managed to preserve their national identity, culture and language.
The official language of the Republic of Latvia is Latvian, but Russian, English and German languages. The Latvian language belongs to the group of Baltic languages of the Indo-European language family. It was formed from the languages of the ancient Baltic tribes of Latgalians, Semigallians, Sels and Curonians, under the strong influence of the Liv language, which belongs to the Baltic-Finnish languages. Its only linguistic relative is the Lithuanian language, which is considered one of the oldest and least changed among the modern Indo-European languages. It is estimated that 1.5 million people around the world have Latvian as their mother tongue.
Climate
Latvia has a temperate maritime climate with mild summers, mild winters and often high levels of humidity and precipitation.
. Summer: June - August
. Winter: December - February
. average temperature
. Summer: 15.8°C (in the capital - 16.1°C)
. winter: -4.5°C (in the capital - -3.8°C)
. Warmest month: July
. Coldest month: January
. Average rainfall: summer: 195 mm, winter: 116 mm.
Nature
44 percent of the territory of Latvia is covered with forests, the country has a wide network of free-flowing rivers and thousands of lakes, which makes Latvia a harbor where wildlife is better preserved than in other European countries. More than 27 thousand species of flora and fauna live in natural conditions, still almost untouched by man. The mixed forests, marshes and meadows of Latvia are home to many rare animal species, such as the black stork and the lesser spotted eagle. The country is rich in otters, beavers, lynxes and wolves, as well as a large number of deer, elk, foxes and wild boars. Large areas of Latvia have preserved species and biotopes that are rare or even almost extinct in other European countries. Coastal wetlands, wet forests, large and undisturbed marshes, and natural and semi-natural grasslands are considered natural treasures of national and international importance.
National symbols of Latvia
Red-white-red flag of Latvia- one of the oldest in the world. Its history dates back to the time of the battle with the Estonian tribes near the Latvian city of Cēsis in the 13th century. According to one of the legends, the basis of the flag was a white canvas, in which the mortally wounded leader of the Latvian tribe was carried out from the battlefield.
The soldiers raised the blood-soaked canvas at both ends like a banner, and it led them to victory. In the 60s of the 19th century, the Latvian student Jekabs Lautenbachs-Jusmins discovered a written evidence of the flag in the “Rhymed Chronicle” of the 13th century, popular among the knights of the Livonian Order.
Half a century later, in May 1917, the artist Ansis Cīrulis, based on historical information, created the design of the current flag, which was approved as the national flag.
by a decision of Parliament on June 15, 1921.
National emblem of Latvia became a symbol of the state after the independence of the Republic of Latvia was declared in 1918. The coat of arms combines the traditional heraldic symbols of national identity with the symbols of historical territorial regions. The sun is one of the central symbols of Latvian culture, especially in songs, poetry and painting. It symbolizes national statehood. Even before the declaration of independence, the stylized sun was depicted on the uniform of the Latvian riflemen who served in the army of tsarist Russia during the First World War. The 17 rays of the rising sun symbolized the 17 districts of the tsarist empire inhabited by Latvians.
Three stars above the coat of arms symbolize three historical regions(Vidzeme, Latgale and Kurzeme-Zemgale), which were part of Latvia. These regions, which are of great cultural importance, are also displayed in historical heraldic images of the beginning of the 17th century. Kurzeme and Zemgale, the western and southwestern parts of Latvia, are depicted as a red lion - a symbol that appeared on the coat of arms of the Duchy of Courland as early as 1569. Vidzeme and Latgale, northern and southeastern regions of Latvia are depicted as a silver griffin. The winged mythical creature with the head of an eagle first appeared in 1566, when this part of Latvia came under the rule of the Polish-Lithuanian state. The national coat of arms of Latvia was created by the Latvian artist Rihards Zariņš.
Capital
The political, economic and cultural center of Latvia is Riga, where more than a third of the population of Latvia (717 thousand) lives and works. The capital is located at the confluence of the Daugava into the Gulf of Riga on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
The Baltic tribes have long lived in these lands, when the monk Meinard appeared and built a monastery in the Liv village around 1190. In 1158, German merchants organized a community. In 1201, Bishop Albert of Lower Saxony founded Riga as a city and created the Livonian Order of the Crusaders in it. It was a German religious-military formation whose mission was to spread Christianity in the Baltic region.
The city, which became an archbishopric in 1254 and became a member of the Hanseatic League in 1282, developed as a significant center of trade and crafts. Its strategically advantageous geographical position made the city an intermediary in trade between Russia and Western Europe. Although the city belonged to the German Livonian Order, it maintained a partially independent status under the control of archbishops and German merchants and controlled a large part of Livonia.
In 1522 Riga joined the Reformation and this ended the power of the archbishops in the city. After the Livonian Order of the Crusaders collapsed, Riga became independent for a while, and then in 1582 Poland took it under its control despite the efforts of the Russian Tsar Ivan IV to seize it into his power. Poles' attempts to restore Catholicism led the Protestants to side with King Gustav II of Sweden when he conquered Riga in 1621. The Swedes established self-government in the city.
During the Northern War, the Russian Tsar Peter I conquered Riga in 1710, and also seized the rest of Swedish Livonia under his rule in accordance with the Nishtat Peace Agreement of 1721. Although the importance of Riga decreased in the 17th century, it recovered in the 18th century and especially increased in the 19th century, when the railway line to Riga was established. Riga has become the second largest city after St. Petersburg and the European Timber Trade Centre.
From the second half of XIX century, Riga became the leading industrial center of Russia, and around 1890 it took the third place in terms of the number of employees after Moscow and St. Petersburg. The city was the headquarters of the Russian Social Democratic Party and played a prominent role in the 1905 revolution. The German army occupied Riga in 1917. After World War I, Latvia's independence was proclaimed in Riga, and it became the capital of the new state.
After the conclusion of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact on the division of spheres of influence between Germany and the Soviet Union, Riga was included in the USSR in 1940 and became the capital of the Latvian SSR. During World War II, the city was again occupied by the Germans (1941), and then (1944) it was recaptured by the Soviet army. The Soviet Union facilitated the migration of non-Latvians to Riga, and thus already in 1975 less than 40% of the inhabitants of Riga were ethnic Latvians. Riga again became the capital of the independent state of Latvia in 1991.
At present, Riga is a significant Baltic seaport, a crossroads of land and railway routes, as well as an industrial and cultural center. Among the main areas of industry in Riga, one can mention metalworking, shipbuilding and diesel and repair, automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, woodworking, food processing, textile and electrical products. Riga is not only a serious pillar of the Latvian economy, but also the largest educational and scientific center. This is confirmed by a large number of various cultural events, scientific conferences and seminars that take place annually in Riga.
The architecture of the historical center of Riga presents samples of all Western Europe architectural styles - from Gothic to Art Nouveau.
The layout of the historical center has a regular building characteristic of the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, oriented towards the main streets of the old town built around the 16th century. A significant stimulus for the development of urban construction was the demolition of the outdated defensive system (walls, dams and structures) in 1857-1863.
As a result, the picturesque Ring of Boulevards appeared, and at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, with the rapid development of the construction of multi-storey tenement houses, unique Art Nouveau buildings arose. At the same time, in some areas of Riga, for various reasons, wooden building complexes of those times were preserved, which, for starters, XXI century is a unique phenomenon. Thanks to these architectural values, in 1997 the historical center of Riga was included in the list of world cultural and natural heritage UNESCO.
Politics
Latvia is a democratic parliamentary republic. Legislative power is in the hands of a unicameral parliament - the Seimas (Saeima), consisting of 100 deputies. Parliamentary elections are held once every 4 years. The head of state is the president, who is elected by parliament for a 4-year term. The president signs laws, chooses the prime minister (who leads the government) and performs representative functions. Electoral System Latvia uses proportional representation based on party lists and a 5% voting barrier. Latvia has universal suffrage for citizens of Latvia who have reached the age of 18.
Cultural heritage
The diverse cultural heritage of Latvia includes both archaeological evidence of history and buildings of various historical periods - sacral, military and other historical monuments, as well as the work of many artists, musicians, writers and scientists.
In the spectrum of European cultural heritage, Latvia is distinguished by rural farm-type buildings, aesthetically attractive rural and seaside cultural and historical landscape, a large proportion of wooden buildings in cities and rural areas, as well as a large proportion of national romanticism and pre-war modernist architecture. The uniqueness of Latvia is also in the extensive and varied range of evidence of the presence of an ancient culture. Largest cities Latvia are a crossroads of cultural and trade routes. The cultural heritage of Latvia consists of 3364 architectural monuments, 2495 archaeological monuments, 2414 art monuments, 44 territorial and urban planning monuments, as well as 111 historical monuments. They form a collection of the Latvian heritage of architecture, archeology (including underwater), monumental, sacral and applied art, science and technology. The list of cultural monuments of national importance in Latvia includes 1248 architectural monuments, 1481 archaeological monuments, 2243 art monuments, 39 territorial and town planning monuments and 109 historical monuments. Including - 474 ancient settlements, 1233 ancient burial grounds, 76 medieval castles or their ruins, 136 buildings of landlord estates, 134 Lutheran churches, 48 Catholic churches, 33 Orthodox church and 29 places of life of prominent people. The list of world cultural and natural heritage includes the historical center of Riga and the buffer zone.
History
The area now known as Latvia has been inhabited since the ninth millennium BC. In the first half of the second millennium BC, the proto-Balts or the first Baltic peoples appeared. They were the ancestors of the Latvian people.
9000 BC - The appearance of the first settlers on Latvian soil after the glaciers melted.
Early 2000 BC - Proto-Balts (ancestors of modern Latvians) populate the territory of Latvia.
900 AD - early 1200 AD - Separate Baltic tribal groups (Cursh, Latgalians, villages, Semigallians) begin to form tribal unions.
Second half of the 12th century - 13th century - Appearance of German merchants, crusader missionaries in Latvia. Territories inhabited by tribes fall under the rule of the Germans. Livonia is formed.
1201 - The city of Riga was founded.
16th century - Livonian War (1558-1583). The territory of Latvia is under Polish-Lithuanian rule. The duchy of Courland-Semigallia and Polish Livonia (Inflyantia) was formed.
17th century - Polish-Swedish war (1600-1629). Vidzeme (Lifland) and Riga under the rule of the Swedes. Riga is the largest Swedish city. The Duchy of Courland is experiencing an economic boom.
18th century - Great Northern War (1700-1721). Vidzeme and Riga fall under the rule of the Russian Empire. Latgale (Latgale) and the Duchy of Courland are included in Russia.
1850 - 1870s - Awakening of the national identity of the Latvian people. The movement of the Young Latvians (jaunlatvieši) is created.
1905-1907 - Latvian Revolution. November 18, 1918 Declaration of Independence of Latvia.
August 11, 1920 - Soviet Russia (later - the USSR) and the Republic of Latvia sign a peace treaty. Russia recognizes the independence of Latvia and forever renounces claims to the territory of Latvia.
August 23, 1939 - Non-aggression pact between the USSR and Germany (the so-called "Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact"): two totalitarian states are divided among themselves Eastern Europe. According to a secret protocol, Latvia and Estonia, and later Lithuania, fall into the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union.
October 5, 1939 - Under the threat of a military invasion, the USSR forces the government of Latvia to sign an agreement on the deployment of Soviet military bases on the territory of Latvia (officially called the 'mutual assistance treaty').
June 16, 1940 - Having violated all agreements and treaties between the two countries, as well as the principles of international law, the USSR presents an ultimatum to Latvia. He demands the formation of a new pro-Soviet government and announces the deployment of Soviet armed forces in the country.
June 17, 1940 - Latvia is occupied by Soviet troops.
June 23, 1940 - The US Department of Foreign Affairs declares that the occupation of the Baltic States is illegal and the US does not recognize their annexation to the USSR.
June 14, 1941 - 15,424 Latvians are deported from Latvia to Siberia: Latvia's political and business elite are considered hostile to the occupation regime. Among the deported are about 100 infants under the age of 1 year and more than 3,000 children under 16 years of age.
1941 - 1945 - Latvia is occupied by the German Third Reich.
March 1943 - Germany begins forced recruitment of the civilian population of Latvia into the occupying army.
1941 - 1944 - The German occupation regime destroyed 90,000 of the population of Latvia, mostly Jews.
May 8, 1945 - End of World War II The German occupying army capitulates and the Soviet occupying power is again restored in the territory of Latvia.
1945 - 1956 - Long liberation armed struggle of the Latvian partisans against the second Soviet occupation of the country.
March 25, 1949 - More than 43,000 innocent people are declared enemies of the newly established Soviet government and deported to Siberia.
June 14 and August 23, 1987 - The first major demonstrations against the Soviet regime and the occupation regime in Riga.
May 4, 1990 - Adoption of a declaration on the restoration of independence and the beginning of a transitional period.
August 21, 1991 - Complete restoration of the independence of Latvia.
August 31, 1994 - The last units of the Russian army (the occupying army of the former USSR) leave Latvia.
April - May 2004 - Latvia joins NATO and the European Union.
Entry to Latvia
The following documents are required to enter the Republic of Latvia:
- passport or identity card (ID card is recognized as a travel document for citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area and Switzerland);
- visa or residence permit (except for cases when a foreigner can enter and stay in the Republic of Latvia without a visa);
- health and life insurance policy (not needed for travelers with a diplomatic or service passport/visa, members of foreign delegations, for persons who have received a permanent residence permit in the Republic of Latvia, for foreign military personnel, foreign sailors who are decommissioned from the ship and sent to their place of residence, as well as for those who, in international agreements binding on the Republic of Lithuania, provide for a different procedure for the mutual provision of health care services).
To obtain a Latvian visa, you need to submit an application to a consular or diplomatic representation of the Republic of Latvia. Individual Latvian Honorary Consuls in foreign countries are also authorized to accept documents on visa requests.
Customs
The personal luggage of persons entering Latvia from non-EU countries is exempt from import customs duty, provided that the importation of such goods is non-commercial.
Non-commercial intent is evidenced by the random nature of the importation of goods, as well as the fact that the goods are intended only for the traveler's personal use, family use, or gifts, and their type and quantity do not indicate commercial intent.
A private person over 17 years of age without paying customs tax can import:
Tobacco products:
200 cigarettes
100 cigarillos (cigars that weigh no more than 3 grams each)
50 cigars
250 grams of smoking tobacco
Alcohol and alcoholic drinks:
1 liter of a drink in which the alcohol concentration by volume exceeds 22% or undenatured ethyl alcohol with an alcohol concentration of 80% or more by volume,
2 liters of a drink in which the concentration of alcohol by volume does not exceed 22% (wine or spirit based aperitifs, sake, taffia or similar drinks),
2 liters of sparkling, still, dessert wines,
50 grams of perfume and 0.25 liters of toilet water,
medical supplies necessary for the personal needs of the traveler, which are intended for a course of treatment lasting up to three months, if this is proved by the relevant documents, for example, a copy of the prescription.
Fuel that is in the standard fuel tank of a personal motor vehicle or motorcycle, or in a portable fuel canister with a capacity not exceeding 10 litres. Other goods, the value of which does not exceed 175 euros.
Goods that exceed the established privileges for the carriage of goods or customs tax are allowed to be imported after paying customs duties.
Food products that are part of the traveler's personal luggage and are intended for personal consumption can be imported no more than 10 kilograms.
Special economic zones:
Ventspils Freeport, Freeport of Riga, Liepaja Special Economic Zone, Rezekne Special Economic Zone. In special economic zones, incentives such as a low tax regime and a free customs regime are used.
Riga is the capital of Latvia, ancient capital Eastern Baltic - the capital of the Livonian Order. The capital of Latvia, Riga, is located on the banks of the Daugava River (Western Dvina), at its confluence with the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea.
Riga is the capital of the Livonian Order. Trading settlements on the territory of Riga already existed in the 10th - 11th centuries. In written sources, Riga was first mentioned in 1198, as a city - from 1201. In the 13th - 16th centuries. Riga, a major center of transit trade and crafts, was first the capital of the Archbishopric of Riga (a Catholic principality in Livonia), then, until 1561, the Livonian Order, a Catholic and military-political organization of the Knights of the Teutonic Order in the Eastern Baltic 
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During this period, the city of Riga was German in terms of population. In the narrow medieval streets of the Old Town, the historical center of Riga, monuments of those times have been preserved. In 13 st. the Romano-Gothic Dome Church and the Church of Ekab (rebuilding of the 14th and 18th centuries), the Gothic Church of Peter (13th - early 14th centuries, rebuilt in the 14th, 15th, 17th centuries), the Church of Yan (rebuilt in the 15th, 16th centuries .). The castle of the Livonian Order was erected in 1330 (it was rebuilt in the 15th - 19th centuries, now it is the residence of the president). Fragments of city fortifications of the 13th-15th centuries have also been preserved.
Riga as part of the Commonwealth and Sweden. Freed from the power of the Livonian Order in 1561, Riga already in 1581 came under the rule of the Commonwealth, in 1621 it was conquered by the Swedes. This period in the history of the city is reminiscent of residential buildings of the 15th - 17th centuries, including the so-called Reitern House (1684 - 1688, architect R. Bindenshu), Dannenstern House (1694 - 1698).
Riga as a part Russian Empire.
In 1710 Latvia and Riga were conquered by the Russians. In the 18th - 19th centuries. the city of Riga was one of the major ports and shopping centers Russian Empire with a multinational population (about 500 thousand people in 1905). 
During this period, buildings in the style of classicism appeared in Riga - the Peter-Pavila Church (1780 - 1786, architect S. Zege, K. Haberland), the arsenal warehouse (1828 - 1832, architect I. Lukini (?), J. Shpatsir) and others. At the turn of the 19th - 20th centuries. 5-6-storey tenement houses and front public buildings were built in the spirit of eclecticism, modernity, neoclassicism.
Interesting fact. The legend of the House of Cats in Riga, a building built in 1910 by a wealthy local merchant who was not wanted to be accepted into the Guild, where the Germans ruled, is noteworthy. The merchant ordered to install statues of cats on the house, facing the Guild building with their backs. The cats took a more proper position only after the affairs of the disgruntled merchant were settled.
Riga - the capital of the Republic of Latvia in 1918 - 1940. At this time, the Statue of Liberty appeared in the city (1935, sculptor K. Zale). Freedom is symbolized by a woman holding three stars in her hands - the provinces of Latvia - Kurzeme (Courland), Vidzeme (Livland), Latgale (Latgale).
Riga - the capital of Soviet Latvia in 1940-1991(with the exception of 1941 - 1944 - the period of occupation by the Nazi troops). In the post-war years, restoration work was carried out, the construction of new residential areas, squares, bridges and highways was launched. The 21-storey building of the Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR in the spirit of Stalinist classicism (1950-1957, architects V. Apsitis, O. Tilmanis and others) has become a symbol of the times.
