Dome Cathedral in Riga: history, photos, concerts

The Latvian capital is one of the most popular cities in the Baltic States. Going on vacation, many people want to know in advance about the sights of Riga. The photos with the description will help to understand what really deserves attention, and make a route for fascinating walks. Among those places that need to be included in it without any doubt - the famous Dome Cathedral, located in the heart of the city.

What is this landmark?

The Dome Cathedral in Riga is considered a true symbol of the capital. It is not only a recognizable architectural structure of the medieval epoch, but also the center of the cultural and spiritual life of the country, the functioning temple of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and a place for all kinds of concerts of spiritual and organ music.

The Dome Cathedral is located in the very center of the city - on the square with the same name. The architectural complex also includes the Krestovy Gallery and the monastery with museums of the history of navigation and Riga itself located in it. A distinctive feature of the temple is that it is located below the ground level. To this resulted a constant struggle with floods, in which the townspeople used gravel, poured on the streets of the city. So it turned out that the cathedral seemed to have grown into the ground under its own weight.

History of the Cathedral

Like many other medieval temples, Riga was built for many decades and underwent various changes throughout its existence. His story began eight centuries ago, in 1211, when Bishop Albrecht von Buxehvden issued a decree on the construction. The building was to become a symbol of the successful conquest of Livonia, so the solemn laying of the cathedral took place at the site of a fishing village of Livs.

Dutch and German masters were invited to work, and the chief priest supervised the progress of the work personally. But in 1229 the bishop died and was buried in an unfinished cathedral. Over the years the place of his burial was forgotten and remains unknown at the moment.

Construction in the meantime continued until 1270, when the cathedral was finished, albeit with changes from the original plan. In 1547, the interior decoration was destroyed by fire. A tower was added to the restored church, and fifty years later a spire was added, which lasted until 1766. At the end of the eighteenth century, the changes practically ceased and the cathedral acquired its modern appearance. Numerous restructuring led to the fact that the Dome Cathedral in Riga can serve as a real encyclopaedia of architecture, combining the Romance, the Early Renaissance, Baroque, Renaissance, Modern and other styles.

Legendary cockerel on the spire

During the rebuilding of the tower of the cathedral in 1776 a domed spire in the spirit of baroque was added to it. It was crowned with a cockerel. According to the legend, the unique figure was two-sided - on one side the bird was black, and on the other - golden. With her help, it was possible to predict not only the wind, but also the success of trade transactions. However, some believe that the cockerel has blackened over time from the damp Baltic climate, which is different for Riga. Photo attractions, which are now stored in the museum, can be found on the page of the Cross Gallery. Legendary cockerel survived two world wars and earned peace in the role of an exhibit.

The interior of the temple

The dome cathedral is good not only from the outside, but also inside - not least because they are so proud of Riga. Photo attractions from the inside are impressive - gothic stained-glass windows in tall windows amaze imagination.

This interior was recreated in the last years of the nineteenth century. Pictures from fragments of colorful glass tell about the laying of the first stone of the cathedral, the Swedish king and the proclamation of freedom of religion, which occurred in 1525. Unfortunately, some stained-glass windows were destroyed during the Second World War. But from the medieval masters there were carved benches - on two of them there are paintings with biblical subjects. The carving is decorated and the chair, and the northern entrance is decorated with a picturesque painting depicting Mary.

Body in the Temple

The Dome Cathedral in Riga is known not only for its history, but also for its stunning organ. This is one of the most famous and valuable musical instruments on the planet, a true symbol of Latvia and one of the largest in Europe, and once - the largest in the world.

Like the Dome Cathedral itself in Riga, the organ has existed for many centuries and is associated with a lot of stories. He first appeared in the temple in 1603 and served almost until the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1883-1884 a new organ was installed, which is still in use.

Its dimensions are impressive - the tool is as wide as eleven meters wide, and it occupies the same height as a nine-storey house, namely twenty-five meters. The construction uses 6718 pipes. Unique even the frame of the body, made in the Baroque style. During the Second World War, some pipes were lost, but already in 1962 they were created anew.

The Dome Cathedral in Riga was inspired by its organ of the Hungarian composer Liszt - specially for this instrument he wrote the composition "Praising God". At the moment, concerts are not held because of the reconstruction, but soon the music will fill the temple again. The organ transmits the sound of any musical instrument, and also repeats the sounds of waves and wind, so all music lovers should remember the address "Dome Cathedral, Riga". Concerts are also impressive thanks to excellent acoustics, so this place is really special for musicians.

The state of the cathedral today

Today, the sights of Riga, a photo describing which attract tourists to the city, there are some problems - the cathedral is under threat of destruction. The temple was added to the list of one hundred world monuments that could disappear. And led to such a situation, wear and tear of designs and wrong technologies in carrying out the restoration. Now the cathedral tower is more than half a meter away from the vertical, the bells have been removed from it. The cathedral is surrounded by building forests - a large-scale restoration should restore the temple to its strength in the next ten years.

When can I get to the cathedral?

For those who go to Riga in summer, the temple is open from 9 to 18, from September to May, the schedule changes and the opening hours are from 10 to 17. On Sundays, services are provided inside, events can also take place on days of major holidays. In the cathedral there is a museum telling about the history of the old city. The fee for his visit, which is three euros, goes to the maintenance of the museum and restoration work. Children under 10 years of age do not need to pay a ticket to the museum.

How to find the cathedral?

Even if you were in Riga for the first time, you can easily find the main symbol of the city. The Dome Cathedral is located in the very center, on the square with the same name, and is one of the tallest buildings in the area.

A benchmark can serve as a cockerel on a spire - the original weathercock is stored in the museum, but its modern gold copy is in its original place, decorating the cathedral tower. Those who go on a trip for the winter holidays, it is worth remembering that on the square in front of the cathedral at this time will be a traditional New Year's fair. On it you can buy souvenirs, specialties and gifts to relatives who will make visiting the Dome Cathedral even more unforgettable.