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Riga

Capital of LatviaRiga lies on the Daugava River where it flows into the Gulf of Riga, a bay of the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Estonia.

Why it's the capital

Riga was founded in 1201, when Bishop Albert moved the seat of his bishopric there, and it joined the Hanseatic League of trading towns in 1282. When Latvia declared independence on 18 November 1918, Riga became its capital.

Fun facts

  1. Riga Central Market is housed in five pavilions built from old German Zeppelin hangars.
  2. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau buildings and 19th-century wooden architecture.
  3. As early as the 2nd century, a sheltered harbour on this spot was recorded under the name Duna Urbs.

Finding it on the globe

Find the Gulf of Riga, the big bay cut into the coast of Latvia and Estonia. Riga is at its southern end, where the Daugava flows in.

Easy to mix up

The three Baltic capitals are easy to mix up. From north to south they are Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia) and Vilnius (Lithuania), so Riga is the one in the middle.

Sources: Wikipedia: Riga, Wikipedia: Riga Central Market, Wikipedia: Gulf of Riga, Wikipedia: Latvia, Wikipedia: Baltic states