Riga - the city
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| Riga - the city >> |
Riga dates from the 1200s and it became one of the most important trade centres of the Hanseatic League in the 14th Century. Riga’s strategic position at the mouth of the Daugava River meant that Latvia’s larger neighbours have always vied for control of the city. At various times Riga and Latvia were under the control of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Swedish and Russian Empires. Latvia first gained independence after the First World War and this lasted until the Second. It regained independence in 1991 and joined NATO and the EU in 2004.
During the years of Soviet control, Riga was transformed into a major industrial and business centre and its population more than tripled, with the majority of the new inhabitants coming from Russia. As a result, Latvians are now in a minority in the city.
There is much to see and do in Riga, from its medieval old town and Art Nouveaua buildings to its theatres, opera and regular concerts. With many pubs, clubs and restaurants to be discovered with your new friends; with cinemas, concerts and parks to be visited, you won’t find life here dull. Plenty of teachers stay here for several years, and we hope you’ll soon see why.
Outside Riga the delights of Jurmala, Cēsis, Sigulda and The Gauja National Park await you. It is very easy to visit Vilnius, Stockholm, Tallinn, Helsinki and St. Petersburg from Riga.
Here's hoping that you approach this fascinating and welcoming country with an open heart and mind, and that you'll enjoy it as much as we do!
For more information please visit these websites:
Riga in Your Pocket
Live Riga
