Riga Castle

Riga Castle is a building in the heart of Riga, with a rich and complex history that began in the XIV century. It is now the residence of the President of Latvia.

During its centuries-old history, the castle was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt, survived more than one siege and was the administrative center of the rulers of several states. From the moment of construction - from the middle of the XIV to the middle of the XVI - the castle belonged to the Livonian Order. After the Order ceased to exist, Riga Castle at different times became the residence of Polish, Swedish and Russian viceroys.

Initially, the architecture of the castle was quite simple, as the building was military in nature: it was a closed rectangle with an inner courtyard and two round corner towers. In the following centuries, the castle was completed. In the XVII and XVIII centuries, the castle significantly changed its appearance due to the fact that the representative function began to dominate the original defensive function: a new wing was added in front of the castle, a castle square appeared nearby, and at the beginning of the XIX century a garden was equipped in the northern part of the complex. The final modern appearance of the Riga Castle complex acquired in the late 30s of the XX century.

Currently, the castle houses the Museum of Foreign Art, the Museum of History of Latvia, as well as the Museum of Literature and Art History named after Rainis.