Small & Great Guild Hall

Riga, Latvia

During the centuries of German economic domination, the guilds were Riga's power brokers. The former, dating from 1384, was the home of the merchants, while the latter held the city's artisans. These slightly different audiences are reflected in the respective usage of the buildings today: while the Great Guild is home to the Latvian Symphony Orchestra, its smaller cousin hosts conferences and the occasional disco. The Small Guild is now also open to the public during the day for a small admission fee of 1Ls.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Amatu iela 3-5, Riga, Latvia
See all sites in Riga

Details

Founded: 1384
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in Latvia
Historical period: State of the Teutonic Order (Latvia)

More Information

www.gilde.lv
www.inyourpocket.com

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Riga Old Town (0,2 km)
House of Blackheads (0,3 km)
St. Peter's Church (0,2 km)
Mentzendorff House (0,3 km)
Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (0,3 km)
Riga Cathedral (0,2 km)
St. John's Church (0,3 km)
St. James's Cathedral (0,3 km)
Latvian Museum of Pharmacy (0,2 km)


Salaspils Concentration Camp (14,4 km)
Jelgava Palace (39,9 km)
St. Simeon’s and St. Anna’s Orthodox Cathedral (40,6 km)
Jungfernhof Concentration Camp (8,4 km)
Ikskile Church Ruins (28,1 km)
St. Anne's Church (40,9 km)
Vecdole Castle Ruins (13,2 km)
Daugavgriva Castle Ruins (11,7 km)

User Reviews

Ra Mie (10 months ago)
Great architecture. There's also a legend about the cat on the roof protecting the owner.
Artūrs Laizāns (10 months ago)
Nice place for concerts. A bit cold in winter. I believe it is not weelchair accessable.
Netanel Pollak (11 months ago)
Fantastic concert hall. Great sound. Very much recommended.
Dagmar Neves (14 months ago)
Exquisite interior. The choral concert competition was outstanding. This is a magical place.
Kristians Luhaers (16 months ago)
A Neo Gothic pearl of Old Town of Riga! Johann Felsko masterpiece. Marvelous! Take the tour of the building, (NB! you have to check it in advance, would it be possible to have a guided tour there, but they do that during the summer) and you will have some unforgettable glimpses of 19th century interiors, terrazzo mosaics and mesmerising stained glass windows. You won't regret! Picture courtesy of Mr. Romualds Pipars a director and cameraman who running a small film studio there.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Best of Middle Rhine Valley, Germany
Photo from Flickr, copyright YLegrand

Historic Site of the week

Château de Chaumont

The Château de Chaumont was founded in the 10th century by Odo I, Count of Blois. The purpose was to protect his lands from attacks from his feudal rivals, Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou. On his behalf the Norman Gelduin received it, improved it and held it as his own. His great-niece Denise de Fougère, having married Sulpice d'Amboise, passed the château into the Amboise family for five centuries.

Pierre d'Amboise unsuccessfully rebelled against King Louis XI and his property was confiscated, and the castle was dismantled on royal order in 1465. It was later rebuilt by Charles I d'Amboise from 1465–1475 and then finished by his son, Charles II d'Amboise de Chaumont from 1498–1510, with help from his uncle, Cardinal Georges d'Amboise; some Renaissance features were to be seen in buildings that retained their overall medieval appearance. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to exchange Château de Chaumont for Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers. Diane de Poitiers only lived at Chaumont for a short while.

Later Chaumont has changed hands several times. Paul de Beauvilliers bought the château in 1699, modernized some of its interiors and decorated it with sufficient grandeur to house the duc d'Anjou on his way to become king of Spain in 1700. Monsieur Bertin demolished the north wing to open the house towards the river view in the modern fashion.

In 1750, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray purchased the castle as a country home where he established a glassmaking and pottery factory. He was considered the French "Father of the American Revolution" because he loved America. However, in 1789, the new French Revolutionary Government seized Le Ray's assets, including his beloved Château de Chaumont.

The castle has been classified as a Monument historique since 1840 by the French Ministry of Culture. The Château de Chaumont is currently a museum and every year hosts a Garden Festival from April to October where contemporary garden designers display their work in an English-style garden.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2019 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.