Town Hall in Riga, one of the attractions of Riga. Looking at the Riga town hall, there is a feeling that it has always stood on this spot, but it's not. The first town hall was the place where now stand the laboratory buildings mouth. They were erected in the 60-ies of the 20 century. When in the 1990-ies started talking about rebuilding the Town Hall, then had to erect a new, rather than its historic place.

According to historical chronicles, the first Ratušnoe the building was at the junction of two streets: Tirgoņu (Trade) and Škûnû (Saraynoy). The townspeople were able to force win the right to have a body of City Government after the year 1225. In those years, revolted those who were dissatisfied with the authority of Bishop Albert von Buksgevdena. A year later, in 1226, Riga managed to defend the city rights and the opportunity to pursue an independent policy. This has led to the creation of the City Council, as well as the construction of the building. The town hall was built residence in so-called large gates, which were the centerpiece of the entrance to Riga.

Assume that the first town hall was destroyed by battle by Order when order troops missed Riga as a result of a popular uprising in the year 1297. Although the order managed to recapture the year 1330 Riga. The new building, mentioned in written sources in 1334, the year it was built to replace the old market square in Riga.

The second City Hall was built in the Gothic style, the roof was high pitched. A total of 6 rooms. The rooms on the first floor were the trading areas. Every year, on the eve of the national holiday-the day of St. Michael, when passed a massive celebration, a Messenger from the balcony of the Town Hall read new decrees and regulations, including changes in taxes and monopolies on production of any of the goods (such as beer). Speech heralds later got the name bûrgerskih speeches. After 175 years on the balcony of City Hall invited musician who attack every new hour "voiced by" melody.

The second town hall was the strongest damage during the siege of the city by Peter I in 1709 and 1710, respectively. The decision to demolish the building was only adopted mid-18 century. At the same time the design and construction of the new building, the third in a row, its construction lasted 15 years due to the fact that the Government had allocated funds to build a new town hall from time to time.

The third building is the town hall was built in the style of early classicism, Baroque forms, the tower had the obramlâl column portico of the Tuscan order. In 1791, part of the roof was built.

Reconstruction of the building began in 1848, the young architect supervised I.d. Felsko. On the improvement of the existing building, 2 worked, Felsko was built on the third floor.

In 1877, as a result of reforms of municipal government Riga rata (City Council) was abolished. In the building of the Town Hall is the main municipal library of Riga. In addition to it, there was a Bank and the orphan Court. That was until the second world war. In the summer of 1941, the former Town Hall Building came under a devastating fire at the same time, there was a big fire in which many buildings, including City Hall, were burned.

The ruins did not touch several years. Only after the year 1954, according to the decision of the Riga City Council, they were dismantled. And in place of the Town Hall in the middle of the 50 years of 20 century began to build new buildings of the University. Some fragments of the Hall miraculously were preserved up to our days: sculptural fragments of the pediments, the sculpture of Themis.

To design the new building of the Town Hall began in the late 1990 's. Implement the project only to the year 2000. New ratušnoe building was opened in November, 2003. The new building is a replica of the historic building, which, however, is evaluated differently by architects and designers. Today this building is located by the Riga City Council.