Great Guild

The Great Guild

A stop on the Riga audio-guided tour, the Great Guild is recognisable by its pronounced Gothic forms and its battlements. Beside it, a building with a slender tower housed the Small Guild. Together, these two buildings formed the centre of power of the city's wealthy German merchants.

Merchants and artisans

The history of the guild goes back to the thirteenth century, but it was officially structured in 1353, when the merchants separated from the artisans to form their own organisation. The master artisans, those who made the goods sold by the merchants, took their place in the neighbouring Small Guild. Together, they illustrate the hierarchy of the city: on one side the commercial elite, on the other the world of craft.

What to see

Renowned for its exclusivity, the Great Guild is at the origin of the legend of the cats installed on the roof of the building opposite. Today, the building hosts concerts and events. Observe its battlements and Gothic forms, witnesses to the merchant power of medieval Riga.

Practical information

The Great Guild is in Riga's old town, opposite the Cat House. Concert programming and access conditions should be checked depending on the season.

Who gathered at the Great Guild ?

The wealthy German merchants of Riga; the artisans formed the neighbouring Small Guild.

What link with the Cat House ?

A merchant's rejection by the Great Guild is said to be at the origin of the legend of the cats on the roof opposite.