Short guide to Latvian Culture

2. Sigulda and Turaida and a flag bridge

These two places are a must on a traveller to Latvia bucket list. Beautiful castles in the countryside with forests surrounded by nice parks. Different in architecture but the same spirit of historical past. Sigulda is an example of typically Latvian in style and trendy among Latvians.

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Turaida castle-project Art workshop

Between these two places there is a bridge over Gauja river dressed in national flags.

After 24th of February since Latvia stands with Ukraina, Ukrainian flags are waving there.

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3. Number one in Latvia- The old Town in Riga ( on UNESCO list) and Alberta Street with Art Nouveau examples.

Walking through the Old Town in Riga is highly recommended. Here you can find plenty of climatic cafes, restaurants, interesting lanes and corners. Buildings fom the Middle age to Secession style make it unique and on the UNESCO list.

An example of Art work on cultural studies Riga Old town (Riga Vidusskola 31)

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An example of Art work on cultural studies Riga Old town (Riga Vidusskola 31)

The four wishes statue in Old town Riga

It is believed that rubbing noses of four animals makes your wishes come true. One nose one wish rule.

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Freedom monument in Riga

A bronze woman with three stars above her head stands on a high obelisk. Stars are a symbol for unity between the three different Latvian cultural regions: Courland, Livonia and Latgola. To please the Soviet occupants the symbolism of the statue was changed. The woman was now supposed to show Mother Russia who welcomes the three stars, standing for the Baltic States Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Luckily Latvia regained her independence in 1991 from Soviet occupation.

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4. Latvian sweets-incredible amount of dried fruits of any kind, berries, with leading Laima company.

Culture is also food, and sweet things are just part of it. Latvians know how to use garden and forest fruit and chocolate to make your mouth watering.

5. Rose of Turaida legend

Like every country Latvia has her set of stories and story telling is an important part of her cultural heritage. One of the most known and popular is a legend about love story from Turaida.

A rose of Turaida legend

In 17 century during Polish-Swedish war one of the fighters from Sweden Greif.

Greif, was walking around the castle and between the ones killed in battle shortly after the occupation, when he realized there was a little baby among the dead bodies. She was a girl, just a few weeks old. Greif couldn’t kill her and decided to adopt her and

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