House of the Blackheads, Medieval merchant guild headquarters in Town Hall Square, Riga, Latvia.
The House of the Blackheads presents a Dutch Renaissance facade with stepped gables, pointed arch blendes, and decorated pillars along its entrances.
Built in 1334 as a meeting place for merchants, the building underwent multiple reconstructions before its destruction in 1941 and restoration in 1999.
The Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild of unmarried merchants and shipowners, established the tradition of displaying the first public Christmas tree in 1510.
The building functions as a museum with grand ballrooms for events, featuring historic silver collections and guided tours through medieval cellars.
The medieval cellar remains the only original part of the structure, containing authentic wall fragments and wooden stairs from the 14th century.
Location: Riga
Architectural style: Baroque
Address: Rātslaukums
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 10:00-17:00
Phone: +37166957225
Website: http://melngalvjunams.lv
GPS coordinates: 56.94714,24.10692
Latest update: October 22, 2025 07:51
Latvia offers a diverse range of sites combining medieval history and Baltic nature. The country brings together different periods and landscapes: the Old Town of Riga with its Art Nouveau buildings, the castle of Cēsis, the beaches of Jūrmala and the extensive forests of Gauja National Park. Latvian cities preserve evidence of German, Swedish and Russian rule. Beyond the capital Riga, places like Liepāja with its military port or Kuldīga with its waterfall invite exploration. The coastal region extends for several hundred kilometres along the Baltic Sea. The natural landscapes include extensive forests, wetlands and lakes. Gauja National Park protects river valleys with sandstone cliffs and historic castle ruins. Rural areas display traditional wooden architecture and agricultural structures that have shaped life in the Baltic regions for centuries.
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