History of Riga
If you’re planning a visit to the city (or maybe doing a school project) then here’s your chance to find out about the history of Riga.
It is believed that the first Latvian settlement on the current site appeared in the 11th or 12th century. In 1201 it was first recorded as a town in the chronicles, being first recognised as a city in 1225.
Riga’s history is dominated by wars and invasion. Indeed, in the period 1621-1710 the city was under Swedish rule, being declared Sweden’s second capital city in 162 by King Gustav-Adolf.
In 1710 the city surrendered to the Russian army of Peter the Great and was to remain part of a wider Russian union for more than two centuries. For a short while during this period the city was occupied by invading French Napoleonic troops.
Following the First World War (sometimes known as the Great War), Latvia was declared as a republic, being recognised by Soviet Russia in 1920. However, the territory was occupied by Russian troops in June 1939 and was declared as part of the Soviet Union in August 1940.
The violent history of Riga continued, with German troops occupying the city in 1941 before Soviet forces regained control. The period of Russian rule saw mass deportations of Latvian people, mainly to Siberia.
In June 1988 a movement began to try and move the Latvian state towards an independent status, separate from the rest of the Soviet Union. This independence was achieved on 21 August 1991 and Latvia remains a fully independent, democratic state with Latvia as its capital.
Today, the population of the entire country of Latvia stands at just under 2.3 million individuals. The country joined the European Union in 2004.
So there we have it – a very brief history of Riga giving you an overview of how the city has moved on through time, as part of a wider nation ruled by a number of foreign invaders. In many ways, the current spell of Latvian history is the quietest – long may it continue and bring increasing prosperity to the people of Latvia.
Related Links: Finding hotels in Riga, Riga Weather
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