Riga sits at the mouth of the Daugava River where it meets the Gulf of Riga, approximately 15 kilometers from the open Baltic Sea. The city occupies both banks of the river, with the historical center on the right bank and Pārdaugava district on the left. The Daugava at Riga measures between 400 and 800 meters wide depending on the specific crossing point. The city covers 307.17 square kilometers with a 2023 population of approximately 605,000, making it the largest city in the Baltic states. Riga's latitude of 56°57'N places it further north than Moscow, with summer days extending beyond 18 hours of daylight and winter days contracting to less than seven hours. The Gulf of Riga moderates temperature extremes compared to inland Latvia, though January averages remain well below freezing at minus 4 degrees Celsius.
The Old Town (Vecrīga) occupies a compact peninsula formed by the Daugava River and the former moat line, now marked by the City Canal park belt. This area preserves the medieval street plan within approximately 0.5 square kilometers. Riga Cathedral, begun in 1211 by Bishop Albert of Riga, contains what manufacturers claim is the world's fourth largest organ at 6,768 pipes across four manuals. The organ, built by E.F. Walcker & Co. of Ludwigsburg in 1883-1884, stands 25 meters tall and weighs 35 tons. St. Peter's Church, first mentioned in 1209, features a 123-meter spire that served as the tallest wooden structure in Europe until its destruction in 1941. The current spire, completed in 1973, reaches 123.25 meters and houses observation platforms at 57 and 71 meters accessible by elevator. The House of the Blackheads, originally built in the 1330s for the Brotherhood of Blackheads (an association of unmarried German merchants), was destroyed in 1941 and rebuilt from 1995 to 1999 using the original plans and photographs. The facade displays the coat of arms of the Brotherhood showing the head of St. Maurice, the group's patron.
The Three Brothers at 17, 19, and 21 Mazā Pils Street represent Riga's oldest stone residential buildings. Number 17, the white one, dates to approximately 1490 and shows characteristics of medieval Hanseatic architecture with its stepped gable. Number 19, painted yellow, dates to 1646 and displays Dutch Mannerism elements. Number 21, the green building, dates to the late 17th century and shows early Baroque features. All three maintain their medieval lot widths of approximately 7 to 9 meters, typical of the period when property taxes were calculated by street frontage. The buildings now house the Latvian Museum of Architecture.
Riga's Art Nouveau district contains over 800 buildings constructed primarily between 1899 and 1915, representing approximately one-third of all buildings in the city center. The highest concentration appears on Alberta iela, Elizabetes iela, and Strēlnieku iela. Mikhail Eisenstein, father of filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, designed 59 buildings in Riga between 1901 and 1914, including the elaborate facades at Alberta iela 2, 4, 6, and 8. Alberta iela 4, completed in 1904, features grotesque faces, sphinxes, and peacocks across its facade. These buildings typically stand six to seven stories and use reinforced concrete construction, then a recent innovation. The Art Nouveau buildings arose during Riga's rapid industrial expansion when the city's population doubled from approximately 282,000 in 1897 to 558,000 by 1913, making it the third-largest city in the Russian Empire after Saint Petersburg and Moscow.
The Freedom Monument rises 42 meters at the intersection of Brīvības bulvāris and Raiņa bulvāris, unveiled on November 18, 1935. Latvian sculptor Kārlis Zāle designed the monument with funds raised by public donation totaling approximately 400,000 lats. The central column supports a 9-meter-tall copper figure of Liberty holding three stars representing Latvia's historical regions: Kurzeme, Vidzeme, and Latgale. The monument includes 56 sculptural elements arranged in 13 groups depicting Latvian history and culture. During Soviet occupation from 1940 to 1991, authorities left the monument standing but prohibited gatherings near it. The inscription at the base reads "Tēvzemei un Brīvībai" (For Fatherland and Freedom). A guard of honor from the National Armed Forces maintains continuous watch at the monument since 1992, changing every hour from 9:00 to 18:00 daily.
Riga Castle, first constructed by the Livonian Order in 1330, has served as the residence of every power that controlled the city. The original castle was destroyed by Riga citizens in 1484 during a conflict with the Order, then rebuilt between 1497 and 1515. The structure currently houses the Latvian President's office, though major restoration work from 2008 to 2016 temporarily relocated these functions. The castle complex covers approximately 11,000 square meters organized around three courtyards. The Livonian Order occupied the castle until 1561, followed by Polish-Lithuanian administration until 1621, Swedish control until 1710, then Russian imperial governance until 1917. The southwestern tower, called the Lead Tower, dates to the original 14th-century construction and contains walls up to 3 meters thick.
The Occupation Museum of Latvia, located at Rātslaukums 1 since 2022 (previously at Strēlnieku laukums from 1970 to 2018), documents Latvia's occupations from 1940 to 1991. The museum's collection includes approximately 60,000 items documenting both Soviet and Nazi German occupations. Exhibits detail the first Soviet occupation beginning June 17, 1940, when approximately 34,000 Red Army troops entered Latvia. The museum documents the June 14, 1941 deportations when Soviet authorities removed approximately 15,424 Latvian residents to Siberian camps and settlements. Materials cover the German occupation from July 1941 to October 1944, including documentation of the Riga Ghetto where approximately 60,000 to 70,000 Jews were confined before deportation or execution. The museum records the second Soviet occupation and the postwar deportations of March 25, 1949, when authorities removed approximately 42,000 people. Access to archival materials requires advance appointment.
The Central Market occupies five former Zeppelin hangars constructed in Vaiņode during World War I, moved to Riga and adapted for market use between 1924 and 1930. Each hangar measures approximately 11 meters high, 35 meters wide, and 72 meters long. The market covers 72,300 square meters total, making it the largest market in Europe when completed. German architect Reinberg oversaw the adaptation under chief engineer V. Luces. Each hangar specializes: one for meat, one for dairy, one for fish, one for vegetables, and one for gastronomy. The market served approximately 80,000 to 100,000 visitors daily during Soviet times. Current daily visitor numbers fluctuate between 40,000 and 100,000 depending on season and day of week. The facility underwent restoration from 2014 to 2017 with European Union funding of approximately 36 million euros while maintaining continuous operation.
Riga's port handles approximately 30 to 40 million tons of cargo annually, making it among the largest ports on the eastern Baltic coast. The port area extends approximately 15 kilometers along both banks of the Daugava from the river mouth. The Freeport of Riga operates under special economic zone status established in 1997. The port maintains year-round ice-free operation due to Gulf of Riga conditions and icebreaker support. Major cargo categories include coal, timber products, containers, and petroleum products. The passenger terminal at Eksporta Street 1 serves cruise ships and ferry connections, with approximately 50 to 60 cruise ship calls annually carrying roughly 50,000 to 70,000 passengers. The port authority employs approximately 800 people directly, with total port-related employment estimated at 8,000 to 10,000.