Art Nouveau Buildings

House of the Blackheads - Riga - Latvia

Nikon D750 - ISO 199 - Tamron SP15-30mm lens f11 - 20mm - f/13 1/50 sec

House of the Blackheads -Latvian: Melngalvju nams- is a building situated in the old town of Riga.

The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads. It was founded in the 13th century as a gentlemen’s club for wealthy single merchants and their journeymen. In 1477 they rented the Great Guild’s New Hall, which was housed in what is now the Blackheads House and in 1773, when the Great Guild moved premises, they bought it. The society’s members were mainly German, but there were also English, Scottish, Dutch, Swedish and Norwegian members.

The society’s not so politically correct name originated from one of their patron saints; St Maurice was supposedly a black African Christian Roman commander who died as martyr after refusing to kill fellow Christians. St Maurice’s head was depicted on the Blackheads coat of arms, thus giving them their name.

Unfortunately, during World War II, the building was destroyed, along with almost all of the Town Hall Square and nearby St Peter’s church tower. The remains were demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999 by Valērij Kargin the president of Parex Bank. The reconstruction was inspired by an engraving in the portal which read “Should you ever see me falling, raise me up, it’s your calling”.

The bear depicted on the photo is one of the “United Buddy Bears” who spent the summer of 2018 in Riga. They stand together “hand in hand”, symbolising the future vision of a peaceful world.

Did you know that the first documented use of a decorated tree during winter celebration was recorded in 1510 in Riga? Take a look to my story to see one of the first christmas tree decoration.

Riga's old town is perhaps not really a hidden gem, but it's very nice to walk around in none the less (so much artdeco!)

Livu square
Old Town of Riga, Latvia - June 2017

🏙️A View of the Old Town - Riga - Latvia🇱🇻

📷Nikon D7500 - ISO 320 - Nikkor 18-200mm lens f3.5-5.6 G - 29mm - f/11 1/50 sec

⚔️In the aftermath of the First World War, on November 18, 1918, Latvia’s independence🇱🇻 was declared in Riga, and the city became the republic’s capital. The Russian border was closed🚫 to eastern trade, so the port’s transit role declined⬇️, but its agricultural and timber exports became the core of the national economy💰. The University of Latvia🎓, the Art Academy of Latvia🎭, and the Latvian Conservatoire 🎶(now the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music) were established between 1919 and 1922, also domestic and international flights🛫 to Riga’s airport began in the 1920’s.

🇱🇻Latvia was occupied and annexed by the Soviets in 1940, and Riga lost thousand of people between 1940 and 1941 due to Soviet deportations⛓️ and executions💀. The Nazis occupied the city from 1941 to 1944 during World War II, making it the administrative capital of Ostland, a territory encompassing Estonia🇪🇪, Latvia🇱🇻, Lithuania🇱🇹 and Belarus🇧🇾. In Riga ghetto, more than 25,000 jews✡️ were imprisoned, shot in the Rumble forest and buried in mass graves on November 29-30 and December 8-9, 1941. In October 1944, the Soviets returned to Latvia🇱🇻, and the population vacuum created by war deaths, emigration and deportations was filled by Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians who settled the Baltic region as part of a Soviet internal immigration👨‍👨‍👧‍👦 policy that continued through the 1980s.

➡️Finally, in May 1990, Latvia🇱🇻 declared renewed independence, mobilising nonviolent resistance to achieve that goal in August 1991. Latvia🇱🇻 was admitted to the UN🇺🇳 in autumn 1991 and joined the EU🇪🇺 and the NATO in 2004.

❓Did you know that Riga is one of 14 capital cities that consists of only four letters? The others are Rome🇮🇹, Oslo🇳🇴, Lima🇵🇪, Baku🇦🇿, Bern🇨🇭, Kiev🇺🇦, Juba🇸🇸, Malé🇲🇻, Doha🇶🇦, Lomé🇹🇬, Suva🇫🇯, Dili🇹🇱 and Apia🇼🇸.

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