Riga: Part 3 - Day 2 Afternoon: Old Town Riga, Central Market, Freedom Monument

Day 2
Here is a summary of what is spent on Day 2 Afternoon.

19/4 Day 2 Afternoon: Old Town Riga -- Central Market -- The Freedom Monument

Must-Incur Costs
None

Optional Costs

(1) Lunch - Grilled chicken EUR10.90, Ginger ale drink EUR3.50
(2) Central market - 1.1kg strawberries EUR3, Cranberry juice EUR3, Lingonberry juice EUR3

(3) Entrance fee to House of Blackhead EUR6

The Story

19042019 Afternoon: After checking-in to our AirBnb, we left for Old Town Riga. This was the only place we visited. We had only a day to explore and I think seeing the Old Town was sufficient. And oh, I paid a visit to the Central Market. I always try to find local markets to see what they have in store. Along the walk to Old Town, we passed by KFC and according to my friend, KFC here is cheap. EUR5.50 for a bucket. I have not had KFC for a very long time so I am not sure what is the price now. Come to think of it, I have not seen a KFC in Stockholm. I just googled and found out that there is one in Bromma which was opened in November 2018. That is very recent!

You know you are in Old Town when the pavement and roads are different. Cobbled streets as how all old towns are.

We paid a visit to a grill and bar restaurant for lunch. My friend was craving for grilled food. Yes, she is pregnant. We waited for 1.5 hour for our food to arrive. It was a long wait and I tried not to drink all my ginger ale in one go. One of my friends was restless and the other one said that good food takes time to be prepared. It was sunny but windy at the same time. So, it was slightly chilly for me.

This is my friend's grilled lamb steak.

Mine is the chicken kebab.

Can you spot the amusing thing in this picture? Behind St Peter's church is a nightclub. 

We went inside St Peter's Church but it was closed 10 minutes prior to its closing time at 3pm. Talk about efficiency!

We saw the famous House of Blackheads - this is a common sight in most blogs and websites of Old Town Riga. There is one in Old Town Tallinn too. I went in alone and my friends and I departed ways from here. There is an entrance fee of EUR6. The only space that was in most of its original form is the basement or the cellar. 

House of the Blackheads is a building situated in the old town of Riga, Latvia. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners, and foreigners in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornamentations. The sculptures were made by the workshop of August Volz. The building was bombed to a ruin by the Germans on June 28, 1941 and the remains were demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999 by Valērijs Kargins, the president of Parex Bank. Source from Wikipedia.

Towards the end of the 14th century, the guilds uniting Riga’s merchants and craftsmen were joined by a brotherhood of banquet caterers to upper classes which quite significantly called themselves Blackheads. Its members included young and unmarried merchants of foreign, mostly German, descent. When traveling and supplying exotic goods from overseas, they managed to protect their ships and caravans from pirates and robbers. The Blackheads chose St. Maurice as their patron saint, who traditionally was depicted as a black soldier in knight’s armor. After obtaining their tenant’s rights and entering holy wedlock, members of the brotherhood become part of Riga’s patrician elite, serving as councilors, members of the Great Guild and respected members of the city’s community. The 17th century merchant organization, the Brotherhood of the Blackheads, became the sole tenant of the House of the Blackheads. Source from Latvia Travel.

The house functioned also as a warehouse where travelling merchants stored their goods there. Drinks like mead, ale and wine were stored in barrels. A barrel was one of Riga's measurements - one measured coal, herrings, apples and etc in barrels. Source from the sign in the house.

The upper floors which were reconstructed. They look very grand now.

Just to prove that I was here, I took a tourist photo. Plus, that would make my photo unique from all the other photos that one can find on the Internet. Haha!

I went to look for the '3 Brothers'. Read about the houses' description that are built from right to left.

The Three Brothers is a building complex consisting of three houses, situated in Riga, Latvia. The houses together form the oldest complex of dwelling houses in Riga. Each house represents various periods of development of dwelling house construction.

The building in 17 Maza Pils Street is the oldest, dating from the late 15th century. The exterior of the building is characterised by crow-stepped gables, Gothic decorations and a few early Renaissance details. Originally the building consisted internally of one large room and an attic in use as a storage. The house was restored in 1955–57 by architect P. Saulitis. The neighbouring house, 19 Maza Pils Street, has an exterior dating from 1646, with a stone portal added in 1746. The style of the building shows influences from Dutch Mannerism. The last house of the three, located in 21 Maza Pils Street, is a narrow Baroque building which gained its present look probably during the late 17th century. Source from Wikipedia.

I stumbled across the most romantic cafe in Riga, as stated on a signboard. 

The Cathedral. I did not enter.

This is the border of Old Town. You can see its oblong structures on the road to prevent vehicles from entering.

Then, I made my way to Central Market. It is a huge market. I did not go inside in the hangars. I wished I did because I just found out that it is a UNESCO site! 

Riga Central Market is Europe's largest market and bazaar in Riga, Latvia. It is one of the most notable structures from 20th century in Latvia and has been included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list together with Old Riga in 1998. It was planned from 1922 and built from 1924 to 1930. The main structures of the market are five pavilions constructed by reusing old German Zeppelin hangars and incorporating Neoclassicism and Art Deco styles. The market is 72,300 square metres (778,000 sq ft) wide with more than 3,000 trade stands. Source from Wikipedia.

They sold humongous and cheap strawberries! They are way cheaper than the ones in Sweden. For EUR3, I got 1.1kg. They were priced at EUR2.50 per kg. This is so impossible to get in Sweden. For EUR3, I can only get 1/3 of the portion (with strawberries halved in size) in Stockholm.

The only product that I could see which resembles Easter.

As cranberries are abundant in Latvia, they produced bottled juices here. They are concentrated cranberry juices. 

Finally, the last sightseeing of the day is Freedom Monument. 

The Freedom Monument is a memorial located in Riga, Latvia, honouring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920). It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia.[1] Unveiled in 1935, the 42-metre (138 ft) high monument of granite, travertine, and copper often serves as the focal point of public gatherings and official ceremonies in Riga. Source from Wikipedia.

I got back to the AirBnb and I saw that my friends bought ingredients for dinner. We had pasta and meatballs, fried eggs, and pak choy (Chinese cabbage) for dinner. With KFC too.