City Hall

You are now at the administrative heart of the city, standing in front of City Hall, which has undergone many transformations and served various functions, including housing the stock exchange and even a prison. Destroyed during the Second World War and later replaced by a Soviet building, the current City Hall is a modern reconstruction inaugurated in 2003, whose façade reflects its historic appearance while the highly contemporary, largely glass interior symbolises the city’s openness towards its citizens. Behind you, the square is also home to a statue of Roland, Charlemagne’s nephew and a renowned military figure symbolising justice and freedom, as well as a small plaque on the ground a few metres to your right that commemorates an important local tradition: it was here, in 1510, that one of the first decorated Christmas trees in Europe is believed to have been erected, a custom that Riga continues to celebrate every year.