As the capital and largest city of Latvia, Riga has a considerable presence in the Baltic region. Only Saint Petersburg and Stockholm have a population greater than Riga’s more than eight hundred thousand inhabitants and, being strategically located on the Daugava River, the city is easily among the most important of the Baltic States in terms of economy, industry, trade and culture. . Riga’s beautiful “Old Town” skyline, filled with German Art Nouveau structures, makes it one of the most unique cities in the world and the UNESCO organization has aptly labeled Riga a “World Heritage Site”.
Riga’s prestige among the surrounding Baltic area is not much of a surprise considering that there are few if any areas in Latvia that come close to the city in terms of scale and breadth. Still, Riga could hold its own against many of the world’s largest cities in terms of tourism. The Lutheran Cathedral, for example, is one of the most incredible buildings in all of Latvia. This imposing building dates back to the year 1200 and is easily the largest church in the entire Baltic area. Many tourists in Riga also stop to see the equally majestic Riga Castle. This giant structure is home to the president of Latvia, as well as two of the most important museums in all of Latvia: the Museum of Foreign Art and the Museum of Latvian History. The third tallest tower in all of Europe, the Riga Radio and Television Tower is another big draw, as is the beautiful Vermanes Garden, one of the oldest public gardens in the world.
Riga, despite having such incredible treasures on display on every street in the city, was not always such a popular tourist city. Part of this has to do with the fact that Riga is adversely located in a climate where rain, fog and snow are all too frequent. Even the hot summer months do not usually exceed seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Lately, however, with the arrival of the famous Riga International Airport, Riga’s tourist economy has seen an unprecedented boom. The growth of the city has also been aided by the many economically important buildings that are constantly being built. The Bank of Latvia, for example, is located in Riga and is arguably the most important economic house in all the Baltic states. The port of Riga is also an indispensable hub for shipping and receiving cargo and without it much of Europe would be in dire financial straits. Now that many states of Russia and China are doing business in this port, the GDP of Latvia and Riga is expected to grow even more and become more formidable. While Riga’s general weather is still a bit cool and snowy, people are finding that all the exquisite sites and landmarks Riga has to offer are worth daring to enjoy. In the coming years it will be exciting to see how much growth comes to Latvia’s resplendent coastal city.