Every city has distinctive concepts linked to it: Vienna and Imperial times, Stockholm and Ikea, Berlin and the Wall. But what makes Riga special? Intellectuals are racking their brains in vain. You'll just have to visit the city and find out yourself.
Visiting Riga, you will realize that it is very different from what you imagined. It is an enchanting and unique city. Architecture mixes the styles of the German middle ages and Russian monuments, building a rare and extraordinary cityscape. The many stories behind the impressive architecture are just as extraordinary: Opposite a guildhall there is the house of a man whose membership in the guild was rejected. Being furious about that, the man put a figure of a cat up on his roof that points at the guildhall with its bottom. Near the Town Musicians of Bremen, cobbled streets and gingerbread houses, there are gigantic Soviet monuments on the one hand and abundant Art Noveau buildings on the other. The city's slightly crazy and bizarre appearance is reflected in the personalities of its inhabitants. They know how to party - harder than many other cosmopolitan people, they do not refrain from singing on the top of their voice wherever they walk or stand, and they celebrate pre-Christian rituals in a jolly fashion. Those who do not consume an excessive amount of alcohol will pick an unusual profession like puppet carver, tapestry weaver or postage stamp wholesaler. Many cities claim they are extraordinary, but Riga is one of those that actually deserve this description.
