Vecrīga

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Vecrīga

| subdivision_type2 = District

| website = [https://apkaimes.lv/vecpilseta/ apkaimes.lv]

| postal_code = LV-1050

| population_density_km2 = auto

| population_as_of = 2024

| population_total = 2140

| area_total_km2 = 0.944

| subdivision_name2 = Central District

| subdivision_name1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Riga.svg}} Riga

| settlement_type = Neighbourhood of Riga

| subdivision_type1 = City

| subdivision_name = {{flag|Latvia}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| map_caption = Location of Vecpilsēta in Riga

| image_map = Vecpilseta karte.png

| image_caption = The Old Town of Riga

| image_skyline = Vistas desde la iglesia de San Pedro, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 04 (cropped).JPG

| official_name = Vecpilsēta

| footnotes = {{designation list | embed = yes

| designation1 = WHS

| designation1_offname = Historic Centre of Riga

| designation1_criteria = ii, i

| designation1_number = {{cite web |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/852|title=Riga Historic Centre |date= |access-date=2022-01-01}}

| designation1_date = 1997

| designation1_type = Cultural

| designation1_free1name = UNESCO region

| designation1_free1value = Europe

}}

Vecrīga ("Old Riga") is the historical center and a neighbourhood (as Vecpilsēta) of Riga, Latvia, located in the Central District on the east side of Daugava River. Vecrīga is famous for its old churches and cathedrals, such as Riga Cathedral, St. James's Cathedral and St. Peter's Church.

History

{{Expand section|with=full summary from the Latvian language in the corresponding article|date=November 2021}}

Vecrīga is the original area of Riga and consists of the historic city limits before the city was greatly expanded in the late 19th century. Vecrīga was once protected by a surrounding wall, except the side adjacent to the Daugava river bank. When the wall was demolished, the waters from Daugava were diverted into area of the former wall, creating Riga City Canal.[https://hiddenwatersblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/05/pilsetas-kanals-riga/ Kadinsky, Sergey "Pilsētas Kanāls, Riga" Hidden Waters Blog July 5, 2016]

= Heritage =

In the early 1990s, Vecrīga's streets were closed to traffic and only residents of the area and the local delivery vehicles were allowed within Vecrīga's limits with special permits. Vecrīga is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed as "Historic Centre of Riga", which also includes most of the surrounding Centrs district.{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/advisory_body_evaluation/852.pdf |title=World Heritage List — Riga (Latvia); No. 852 |publisher=unesco.org |pages=3 (67) |access-date=2009-07-25}}

Vecrīga is the oldest part of the Riga, and—even though in its primordial state most of the buildings were made of wood—currently, there are a lot of architectural works remaining from the times of renaissance, baroque and medieval times in the middle of the unique and notable buildings in the style of Art Nouveau, especially the ones created by the locally and internationally well-known architect Mikhail Eisenstein.

Landmarks

= Churches =

= Museums =

Gallery

File:Riga map around 1637.jpg|The original boundaries of the Old Riga in 1637

File:Riga johanneskirche 133731389.jpg|St. John's Church, Riga

File:Plaza del Ayuntamiento, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 10.JPG|The House of the Blackheads and Roland statue

File:Barracas de Jacob, Riga, Letonia, 2012-08-07, DD 01.JPG|Reconstructed section of the medieval city wall

File:Riga Landmarks 62.jpg|Riga Castle in Vecrīga

File:Old Riga Vecrīga Town Hall.jpg|Riga Town Hall in Vecrīga

File:Výhled na Rigu (9).jpg|Aerial view of the Town Hall Square

File:Historic Centre of Riga-112610.jpg|View of Vanšu Bridge

File:La rue Alberta (Riga) (7581842090).jpg|Art Nouveau buildings at Albert Street.

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline}}
[http://www.vecriga.info Multimedia virtual tour of Old Riga]

Category:Neighbourhoods in Riga

Category:World Heritage Sites in Latvia