Have said earlier that I am busy with TOTAL photographing of Riga. Every building which has some architectonic, visual, historical value. Have started activities in Old Riga as well. Have not managed that much – only the western part with four walks, making some 300 pictures. In total I would need in Old Riga some 1000 – 1500 pictures. But this is small fraction of pictures needed for whole Riga.
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/9004/rigacentrs8zg.jpg
Here I post some 35 pictures from two walks – on last day of 2004 and today – 8th February 2005. I am trying to post something a bit less known... but there would be common views as well.
Some buildings on Daugava promenade – 11. novembra krastmala
http://img89.exs.cx/img89/4672/11novkrastm931dec042pc.jpg
http://img238.exs.cx/img238/8584/11novkrastm1923jun043ch.jpg
Cat on Miesnieku Street (imagine how many pictures are needed to memorize all cats in Old Riga!!!)
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/9071/kakjismiesniekuiela8feb059eh.jpg
Lielais Kristaps – wooden sculpture. Old one, from 18th century is located in museum – this is new one, from 2001. He is looking over Daugava to Kipsala.
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/1706/lielaiskristaps231dec048ya.jpg
One of the buildings for the Bank of Latvia (now it is already in scaffolding) – symbolics of Russian Empire. Pigeons just s..it on that eagle, absolutely no respect.
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/685/latvbankadet31dec047hr.jpg
Riga castle
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/8716/rigaspilstornis331dec042ro.jpg
and guards of the castle
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/1716/rigaspilssargi31dec042gz.jpg
Some catholic institution next to castle:
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/9523/pilslaukums5otr31dec046xn.jpg
Another side of their building with some part of castle:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/7129/jumtipiepils31dec047au.jpg
Castle square (Pils laukums):
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/3592/pilslaukums31dec047ou.jpg
From Pils laukums starts Pils Street:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/9472/pilsieladet31dec042ix.jpg
Look from Pils laukums to Maza Pils Street and Klostera Street. In the middle – crooked catholic cloister. This still has to be investigated... there starts my most beloved part of Old Riga. Some other time.
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/2523/mpils231dec046ep.jpg
Anglikanu Street... it is damn hard to photograph that church:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/1214/anglikanuiela31dec046bb.jpg
Naive frescoe in Anglikanu Street 3 – should be part of Art Nouveau heritage:
http://img89.exs.cx/img89/5770/anglikanu3fresk231dec048un.jpg
Stock Exchange down the Pils Street, on Doma square. I have devoted some 25 pictures to that building so far.
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/8647/birzadet31dec042zw.jpg
Detail of Pils iela 23:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/345/pils238feb056jh.jpg
Not so successful picture of Dom cathedral – just to show what is it.
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/7627/doms8feb050mw.jpg
And... diving into gothic details of this cathedral:
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/4448/domsgotika8feb051jl.jpg
Note that the doorhandle seems to be low. But it is not... simply the door is high
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/7731/domssanuieeja8feb054is.jpg
Old Riga has some 100 medieval goods storage buildings. It is hard to adjust them to the needs of modern times while maintaining all the heritage value. Many still stand and wait for investor...
Miesnieku Str 11 has bank inside:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/9444/miesnieku11augs8feb052bo.jpg
But its neighbour on Miesnieku 13 stands empty for at least 30 years if not more:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/9146/miesnieku13augs8feb059rp.jpg
Miesnieku 11:
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/830/miesnieku15aus8feb057yl.jpg
Muku 8 – printing house
http://img133.exs.cx/img133/2471/muku88feb053ti.jpg
Detail of Muku 8:
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/8497/muku831dec048yn.jpg
Muku 3 – hotel:
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/5132/muku331dec040zg.jpg
Other part of this hotel – in the building from 19th century:
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/9288/gutenbergs8feb059su.jpg
Biskapa gate 10 – just a lantern:
http://img238.exs.cx/img238/3793/biskapagate10lat8feb059cd.jpg
This guy is guarding the entrance in the house of trader. It is nice to collect pictures of these maskarons from the times of Maneurism. Biskapa gate 6.
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/4035/biskapagate6mask8feb053ie.jpg
Maneurism or the later Barocco? Am not sure. Pils Street 9
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/941/pils9rota31dec045jf.jpg
End of 19th century, advertisement. Riga was quite cosmopolitan – English was used quite a lot as well.
http://img139.exs.cx/img139/9895/biskapagate8uzr8feb051pf.jpg

That’s it. Hope to come back with more as soon as possible ;)

Wow, Gati, those buildings are awesome and photos are really good too :okay:

:eek2: those pics confirm my opinion about Riga, its the most beautiful city across Balts

Riga is the greatest of all

Nice work m8! Do you really want to make a collection of Riga buildings? And have you considered to maybe publish it?

Who will publish 10 000 pictures? ;) No, I am making my own homepage. You may look my old ones:
http://ww1.lu.lv/jauna/strukt/daba/index.htm
http://mapx.map.vgd.gov.lv/geo3/Ukr/index.htm

But the new one (have made some 1000 pages so far) should be something better.

they look nice! keep up the good work with the picture collecting! Must be hard work remembering something of everyone :D

:banana: yay! I missed your photos! great photos. Riga is magnificent and definately one of the most beautiful cities of Europe.

Really, did you consider publishing a Riga monography? Those books can be very expensive especially when they are covering whole city (at least in here they are). Restaurated buildings are now seriously taking great part of old town.

edit:I see the answer. though you could earn a lot. Such books cost at least 200euros.

Paldies, Gati
I want to visit Riga again

Really nice details! I remember you said once that some buildings here looked exactly like some buildings in Riga. Well, this looks very much like Oslo!!!:D
http://img89.exs.cx/img89/4672/11novkrastm931dec042pc.jpg

http://img238.exs.cx/img238/8584/11novkrastm1923jun043ch.jpg

:applause: great work Gatis
Riga rocks :)

I was in Riga recently and I agree that it's one of the most beautifull cities in region! I like this town,the old town mostly :yes:

Riga is a Diamond in Europe's crown! I juu-uust love it! :love:

O my! :eek: THANK YOU, Gati! :)

This is another one of your lusciously wonderful photo threads! :applause: :banana:

I can well imagine that you can't just simply take one shot per building. The Stock Exchange, for instance, is so elaborate & intricate that you'd be doing it an injustice.

What glories Riga has to offer! :cool:

talk about Stock Exchange, i just stepped into it today, buying 14 Hansabank stocks! :bowtie:, so if Hansabank builds a scraper in Vilnius, thank me :D

Thanks, Gatis, Riga is beautiful. My company is opening an affiliate office in Riga, so i hope to spend some time there periodicaly :)

Well done, Gatis. Riga is a good place for this kind of photography (closeups of architectural details). :okay:

Gati, what kind of digital cam do u have?

Many thanks for nice replies! @Laurij - I have got Sony DSC F717

This photo is fabulous!
http://img89.exs.cx/img89/4672/11novkrastm931dec042pc.jpg

I enjoyed it very much, the fact that you are obviously not new to photography helped this photo coverage to be even more appealing :) Riga is fascinating. I definitely plan to visit it one day.

I wish your, shall I say, project, good luck! I've had similar ideas/plans but whenever I start something like this, I very quickly lose interest, I hope it's not the case with you :okay: