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LATVIA
Vacations and Sightseeing

Basic information
Official languageLatvian
CapitalRiga
Area64.600 kmĀ²
Population1,850,943  (2021)
Currencyeuro  (EUR)
Web.lv
Code.LVA
Tel.+371

Cities in LATVIA

Riga

Vactions and Sightseeing

Riga is the capital of Latvia. The city is over 800 years old and is full of interesting sights. Especially the historical city centre is famous and even belongs to the UNESCO world heritage list. Especially those who love art nouveau and art nouveau can enjoy themselves in Riga. On the north side of the historic centre of Riga lies the 'Silent Centre'. Here you can find many buildings designed by the art nouveau architect Mikhail Eisenstein. Here you can also find many traditional Latvian wooden houses. Riga Castle is a real must-see in Riga. The oldest parts of the castle date from 1330, but the castle was rebuilt many times. The building had to radiate Riga's power, so they wanted to change it all the time. Today, the President of Latvia lives in a part of the castle. Read more on the Riga page.

Turaida Castle is a beautiful medieval castle. It lies on the banks of the river Gauja. Turaida was built in the 13th century for the archbishop of Riga, on the site of the former wooden castle of Liv. The castle was an important fortress in the Middle Ages, and it has been Swedish, Polish and Russian property. After reconstruction in the 20th century, Turaida has become one of the most popular sights in Latvia. It is part of the Turaida museum complex, along with a number of other attractions in the area, such as the oldest wooden church in Latvia.


Sources

Baister, S. / Latvia
Bradt Publications

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania : country studies
Federal Research Division, Library of Congress,

Williams, N. / Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania
Lonely Planet

CIA - World Factbook

BBC - Country Profiles

Last updated February 2024
Copyright: Team The World of Info