Riga is the capital of Latvia, and with a population of close to 700,000 is the largest of the Baltic state cities and one of the biggest in Northern Europe. Riga was founded in 1201 and was a Hanseatic League member. Its historic center has been inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage, recognized for its large collection of outstanding Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) architecture (over 800 buildings) as well as its 19th century wooden buildings. It will have the honor of European Capital of Culture in 2014 (so a perfect time to visit!) and is considered a global city.

We had wanted to visit all of the Baltic states, and of course Latvia is one of the three. But we weren't prepared for the wealth of incredible architecture here -- aside from the historic and medieval buildings, almost the entire city is built in Art Nouveau style. It's literally everywhere, although there is one district in particular that contains some of the most elaborate and beautifully restored examples of Art Nouveau, among the finest anywhere.

It was hard to know how to even structure this gallery. There are, of course, historic buildings and churches and other sites, so I tried to present an overview of the city with an emphasis on its main attraction, its fine collection of Art Nouveau architecture.