Writer: Helena Bergström
If you want to discover the most beautiful things in Riga, you have to look up at the facades of the buildings. The Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, Latvia, are imaginatively decorated with columns, ornaments and stucco work.
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ShareIn fact, there is no other area around the Baltic Sea that can compare to Riga when it comes to Art Nouveau architecture! We found this impressive, and Riga delivers and impresses. Come along and see the Art Nouveau buildings in Riga, Latvia.
Table of contents
Youth styles
Jugend (meaning 'youth' in German) or Art Nouveau ('new art' in French) is a style of architecture and design that was fashionable between 1890 and 1920. The style can be recognised by the winding plant shapes and nature depictions on furniture and facades, elongated female figures holding lamps (or similar) and rounded bay windows on buildings.
A common feature of Art Nouveau architecture was a reaction against classical compositional principles, and the use of naturalistic decorations in the form of flowers and plants.
Youth centres in Riga, Latvia
So why are there so many Jugendhus in Riga? Well, in the late 19th century the city was booming, doubling its population in a 12-year period. The new inhabitants naturally needed a place to live, and new houses were built in the then modern Jugend style.
You can see the ornate facades all over the city, but a particularly good place to check them out is on Alberta Street, where they're lined up in a row. Not far from here is also the Riga Youth Museum. We didn't have time for the museum, but we walked around for a long time and looked at the facades, which we think are beautiful. What do you like about this style?
What if?
Imagine if someone organised a party here on the street and dressed up in the same style as back in the day, well, we'd be there!
English (UK) 
Svenska
Steve says:
Amazingly beautiful and magnificent buildings and so wonderful that they are maintained and preserved.
01 December 2015 - 9:07
Marina says:
Certainly it is delicious with such ornate facades. The "worst" is then when you realise (at least I do) that after walking along such beautiful houses there are so many pictures!!! Fun that it is so close. I must admit that I have not been to either Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania even though I have heard a lot of good things about them all. It will be eventually. It would not have to be so difficult to get there ...
01 December 2015 - 10:10
Inga M says:
Absolutely marvellous!
01 December 2015 - 10:20
Lennart says:
Riga is a really nice city with good food and lots to see!
Goodbye!
01 December 2015 - 11:20
admin says:
Steve, it seems that they are well maintained! Most of the houses look well-maintained, and in others you can see renovation work going on.
Marina, yes, it is easy that there are many pictures!!! We try to sift hard when we are going to show them, so we do not tire everyone out 😉 Going to Riga (or other countries in the Baltics) is actually not difficult at all, there are both boats and flights almost all the time 🙂.
No M, can only agree!
Lennart, we can only agree! We have already had a lot of good food, and we will tell you more about it soon!
01 December 2015 - 11:24
Henny says:
We were also impressed by the houses in Riga when we travelled around "old Sweden" i.e. around the Gulf of Bothnia and the Baltic Sea by motorhome. There were many exciting and interesting things to experience in all the countries we travelled through. A trip that I can really recommend other nomads to do. The Mediterranean in all honour - but why not try more nearby destinations.
01 December 2015 - 11:25
nils-åke hansson says:
We really liked Riga a nice city.
01 December 2015 - 11:28
admin says:
Henny, fun that you drove here with a motorhome! Sometimes you choose the Mediterranean for the sake of the climate, but I agree, there is an incredible amount to see and experience at a closer distance!
Nils-Åke, glad you liked Riga! We have also had a very positive experience so far, and then we still have a lot to experience!
01 December 2015 - 11:44
Ama de casa says:
There are amazingly beautiful houses in Riga! Almost to the point of beating the high-rise scrapers... 😉.
01 December 2015 - 11:46
Bara brittiskt /Charlotta says:
Yes, they are probably well maintained as many international institutions are in the neighbourhood. I know an economist with offices there, for example. Incredibly beautiful buildings, I think.
01 December 2015 - 12:09
BP says:
Magnificent and so good that the buildings are maintained in a superb way. On many of the buildings there are even small "symbols" on the roofs that have their own story.
01 December 2015 - 13:47
BP says:
Answer: It is the Lido restaurants that are built as blog houses. They brew your own beer which must be cloudy. Both the food and the beer can be recommended.
http://www.rigalatvia.net/lido/
01 December 2015 - 13:53
BP says:
Me again. Blog house - hahaha! Blockhouse it should be;-)
01 December 2015 - 13:54
Ditte says:
Riga is really a cosy city and I am very fond of these old houses. Each one has its own story to tell.
It is also good that after the big country in the east left the country, the houses have been able to renovate many of these houses and now they feel so nice.
Thank you for your report! Some new things to learn today too.
01 December 2015 - 16:16
admin says:
Ama de casa, a bit nicer than Hötorgsskraporna 😉.
Charlotta, is that so? Then they probably want to show off well-kept facades for all the tourists too. You can get maps at the tourist office that show which roads to go to look at the Jugendhusen, I think.
BP, there is certainly a lot of history about each house! 😉 Thanks for the link to Lido and fun to hear about! We will not be able to try the food and beer this time though. We are here on a press trip with a packed schedule and 2 booked 3-course meals per day 😉 "Blog house" was very fun 🙂 by the way.
Ditte, the whole of Riga feels like an incredibly nice city! I was here over 20 years ago, then it was more exotic and with a little Soviet feeling. Now the city feels both modern and charming at the same time!
01 December 2015 - 19:01
Deciree says:
We also like to stroll around and look at all the nice houses...when we are on the road. Looks absolutely fantastic where you are:)
01 December 2015 - 20:49
Matts Torebring says:
We celebrated a weekend in Riga and stayed in a hotel with these house shapes. I couldn't stop studying the roofs of the hotel and restaurant.
Less fancy was the taxi journey to our hotel. We were dropped off kilometres from our address. Its except ten times too high price. This is a common behaviour, when they see lost tourists.
01 December 2015 - 21:08
admin says:
Deciree, we can highly recommend Riga! Nice city to stroll around in! 🙂
Matts Torebring, great that you stayed in such a beautiful hotel! Less fun with the taxi ride, that can really ruin part of the travel experience.
01 December 2015 - 23:00
Maria says:
These buildings are really magnificent and beautiful! 🙂
03 December 2015 - 10:03