University of Latvia

Founded in 1919 after the country gained independence, the University of Latvia is the largest and most prestigious higher education institution in the country. Its motto, “For Science and Fatherland”, clearly reflects its role: to educate, advance research, and contribute to the nation’s development. Today, the university welcomes more than 15,000 students across 13 faculties covering science, the humanities, medicine, law, economics, and technology. In a rather unusual twist, the lead researcher at the University’s Institute of Astronomy discovered an asteroid in 2017 and named it Latuni, an abbreviation of the university’s name, as a tribute to all its teachers, a symbolic gesture that highlights its importance in the scientific world and its recognition beyond Latvia’s borders. The main building, which blends Renaissance and Byzantine styles, also hides a historical curiosity: a former student disciplinary cell known as the Karzer. It dates back to the late 19th century, when the Polytechnic School occupied the premises before the creation of the current university in 1919. Students deemed undisciplined could be locked inside for several days, or even several weeks, living alone in a small room with just a bed and a table. To pass the time, they would write and draw on the walls, leaving traces of their stay behind. The cell can now be visited by reservation, but make sure to behave yourself if you don’t want to end up locked inside!