Rīgas pils

Riga Castle in the Latvian capital is now the official seat of the President of Latvia and an important historic landmark of the city. Its history goes back to the 13th century, when a house of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword first stood on this site. After destruction and political conflicts between the citizens and the Order, a new fortress was built starting in 1330. The complex took shape as a four-towered structure in the convent-house style at the northwest corner of the city center, separated from the town by a deep moat. Over the centuries, the building's functions and owners changed several times, from the residence of the Master of the Order to use as a Palace of Pioneers in the Soviet era and, finally, to its present role as a seat of state representation.

Inside the castle, you can experience the spatial layout of the late Middle Ages, especially in the chapel and the refectory, which have largely retained their original form. Other areas were converted into offices over time. An important part of the complex is the Latvian History Museum, which was founded in 1991 and holds a collection of more than one million objects. After the severe fire in 2013, which badly damaged the building, extensive restoration work was carried out. Although the flames spared the museum wing, it had to be temporarily relocated during the renovation. The museum is scheduled to reopen in the historic part of the castle in spring 2026, once again offering a central insight into the nation's history.