Riga (Latvia)

Urban Regeneration linked to Redevelopment of Heritage

Case Studies

English

Riga is the capital and the largest city of Latvia, and simultaneously the country’s fastest shrinking city. Located on the Eastern part of the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the river Daugava, the city occupies a strategic position at the intersection of trading and cultural routes and at the crossing point between the West and the East. Founded in 1201 as a port city and a former Hanseatic League member, the city preserves evidence of European influence on its historical development. In the last decade, Riga hosted many major events that affected the city’s development and regeneration, such as the nomination as European Capital of Culture in 2014. Credit : Enrico Fontanari et al. (dir.), Global Report Culture and Sustainable Urban Development: Regional Report on Urban Conservation and Regeneration in Europe, UNESCO and IUAV, 2015, Annexes 1 p. 80-87.