Riga Region Travel Tips - Riga Region Travel Guide

As a Liv Village, Riga exists since the 11th century.
1198 For the first time the name of Riga was mentioned in the chronicles.
1201 Bishop Albert, the Lord of the Bremen's Town Hall, founded Riga as a medieval town.
1211 The first school - Dom School - was founded in Riga.
1225-1226 The Riga Town Council was established. The coat of arms of Riga was created.
1282 Riga joined the Hanseatic League.
1297-1330 The war between the Livonian Order and the Town of Riga.
1521-1524 The start of the Reformation in Latvia. Riga became a Lutheran town.
1524 The first public library was founded.
1558-1583 The Livonian War. As a result, Riga was incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian state.
1561-1581 Riga obtained the status of a free town.
1581 Riga swore loyalty to Stephan Batory, the King of Poland and Lithuania.
1584-1589 As a result of the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar, "Calendar Unrests" broke out and were used by the Guilds and the Town Council to fight for the dominance in the city.
1588 The first printing house - the Mollin printing house - was opened in Riga.
1600-1629 The Polish - Swedish War.
1621 Riga was taken over by Sweden.
1656-1661 The Russian - Swedish War; Riga was besieged by the army of the Russian tzar Aleksey.
1700-1721 The Great Northern War; Riga was besieged by the Saxonian -Russian forces.
1710 Riga was conquered by the Russian tsar Peter the Great.
1773 The first museum - the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation - was opened.
1782 The first public theatre was opened in Riga.
1812 The Napoleon's army approached Riga and Riga's suburbs were burnt down; preconditions for the present street plan and construction were created.
1857-1863 The dismantling of the Riga's fortification walls started.
1868 The foundation of the Riga's Latvian Society. The period of the Latvian national awakening.

1873 The first Latvia's Song Festival.
2nd half of the 19th century Riga - one of the most important cities in Russia, with flourishing industry and trade.
1901 Riga's 700th anniversary.
1914 Beginning of World War I.
1915 Industrial enterprises were evacuated from Riga as the front line approached.
18.11.1918 The independent State of Latvia was proclaimed in Riga.
11.11.1919 The Bermondt troops were defeated near Riga.
1920-1921 The peace treaty was signed between Latvia and Soviet Russia. Latvia was recognized de jure by Western powers.
1920-1940 Riga became the Latvia's administrative, cultural, industrial, trade and educational centre.
17.06.1940 Riga was occupied by the Soviet Army and the Soviet regime was established.
14.06.1941 The 1st mass deportation of the Latvian population to Siberia in Russia.
01.07.1941 Riga was occupied by the German troops.
13.10.1944 Riga was recaptured by the Soviet troops and the Soviet regime was re-established.
1949 The 2nd mass deportation of the Latvian population.
1988 The start of the 3rd national awakening to restore the independence of Latvia.
04.05.1990 The Declaration "On the Restoration of the Independence of Latvia" was adopted.
21.08.1991 Latvia declared itself an independent democratic state.
2001 The 800th anniversary of Riga.

Riga Region General Tips

Riga Region General Tips

Visiting Riga Region?

Visiting Riga Region?