Art Nouveau District (Alberta iela)
Alberta iela / Jūgendstila kvartāls
Europe's densest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture. Along Alberta iela, facades are covered in faces, mythical beasts, peacocks and floral carvings, like an open-air architecture museum.
Riga built a huge number of Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) buildings during its expansion between 1899 and 1914, around 800 in total. UNESCO considers their quality and quantity unmatched anywhere in Europe. The most concentrated area is the 'Quiet Centre', about 1 km northeast of the Old Town. Within it, Alberta iela, roughly 300 m long, was named in 1901 for Bishop Albert, the city's founder, to mark Riga's 700th anniversary, and almost every building on it is a gem. Many facades were designed by architect Mikhail Eisenstein, father of film director Sergei Eisenstein. They are known for their exuberant decoration: screaming face masks, sphinxes, peacocks and blue glazed tiles. No. 12 Alberta iela is the Riga Art Nouveau Museum, housed in the former home of architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns. You can visit the restored apartment interiors and the ornate spiral staircase. Tickets cost about 10 euros (check the official website), and the museum is closed on Mondays. Elizabetes iela 10b and 33 are also masterpieces by Eisenstein, and Strēlnieku iela has even more fine examples. A good route is to walk north from the Freedom Monument along Elizabetes iela, then turn into Alberta iela. Allow 1 to 2 hours on foot, and look up to appreciate the facade details.
Opening hours
Quarter open all day; Art Nouveau Museum approx. 10:00–18:00, closed Mondays (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Latvian National Museum of Art
- Latvian National Opera
- Bastejkalns Park & City Canal
- Nativity of Christ Cathedral
- Powder Tower & Latvian War Museum
- Freedom Monument
- Cat House & Līvu Square
- Art Museum Riga Bourse