Riga Cathedral, Medieval cathedral in Central District, Latvia
Riga Cathedral is a cathedral in the Central District of Latvia, built from brick in the Gothic style. A central tower rises above a cross-shaped nave with several side chapels lining the long walls.
Bishop Albert of Riga founded the church in 1201 as a Catholic house of worship for the newly conquered territories. After the Reformation in the 16th century, the building became the seat of the Lutheran archbishop.
This building takes its name from the Holy Cross and became the most important Protestant place of worship in the Baltic region. The large cloister inside preserves medieval columns and now serves as a concert hall and exhibition space for visitors.
Sunday services take place around noon and visitors are welcome to attend. A museum inside displays religious artworks and exhibitions about the building's construction over the centuries.
The instrument contains more than 6700 pipes across 124 stops, making it one of the largest organs in Europe. The sound structure was expanded and rebuilt several times, creating the exceptional range of tones heard today.
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