August 2025. We’re travelling to the Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and more specifically their respective capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Are they interconnected by rail? Yes, but not in the most straightforward or userfriendly way possible. The Rail Baltica project should remedy this. Unsurprisingly though, this megaproject faces political and budgetary hurdles. It will most likely not be ready by 2030. But that doesn’t stop us. What to expect from the Baltics? Is it affected by  overtourism? 

For the story of the train ride from Tallinn to Valga / Valka and to Riga, you’ll have to wait. 

So we arrived in Riga, checked in at the Pullman, had a swim and we dined at restaurant Senās Tradīcijas (Old Traditions, Старые Традиции), offering Russian cuisine. 

The next day, we decide to start with Riga Castle, close to the hotel. 

Riga Castle

Riga Castle, standing prominently on the banks of the River Daugava in the Latvian capital, is both a symbol of statehood and a monument of enduring historical and architectural value. Today it serves as the official residence of the President of Latvia and is home to the Latvian National Museum of History (LNMH) or Latvijas Nacionālais vēstures muzejs (LNVM). 

The castle’s long and eventful history, stretching back nearly seven centuries, reflects the political shifts, conflicts and cultural developments that have shaped Latvia itself.

The origins of Riga Castle date to 1330, when it was founded following an agreement between the city of Riga and the Livonian Order, a branch of the German Order formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. 

The Order had lost its original stronghold in the centre of Riga after a rebellion by the townspeople, who demolished the fortress in the 13th century. Rather than rebuild in the same location, the Order chose a site just beyond the town’s borders, previously occupied by the Convent of the Holy Spirit – a hospital and shelter for the poor. 

The convent was relocated to the site of the original castle, and the new fortress became the residence of the Master of the Livonian Order. Continuous tensions between the Order and the citizens of Riga persisted, and in 1484 the castle was destroyed by the townspeople.

The Rigans’ victory was short-lived; they were eventually forced to rebuild the fortress, a process completed in 1515. This reconstruction introduced modernised features, replacing two of the original rectangular towers with round ones to suit contemporary military technology. 

After the Treaty of Vilnius in 1561, the Livonian Order ceased to exist and the castle came under Lithuanian, and from 1569 Polish-Lithuanian, control. 

Swedish forces captured Riga in 1621, using the castle as an administrative centre and adding spacious annexes in 1641.

Under Swedish rule, and later the Russian Empire from the early 18th century, the castle continued to expand. In 1682 an arsenal was added, only to be demolished in 1783 to make way for a court building. 

During the Russian period, it housed the administration and courts of the Riga Governorate, which encompassed most of present-day Latvia and Estonia, and served as the residence of Governors General.

20th century

The 20th century brought sweeping changes. In 1922 the restored Latvian Republic designated Riga Castle as the residence of the President. 

The Latvian National Museum of History, whose roots lay in the Riga Latvian Society’s Science Commission of 1869, had moved into the castle in 1920. The Society’s collections, transferred to the State after independence, formed the core of the new State (Latvian) Ethnographic Museum, which in 1924 was renamed the State Historical Museum. 

Architect Eižens Laube oversaw renovation works in the 1930s, and in 1938 the government formally adopted the castle as its official seat.

World War II and successive occupations interrupted this stability. Following the Soviet occupation in 1940, the castle housed the Council of People’s Commissars of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic. 

During the Nazi occupation and subsequent Soviet re-occupation, the museum’s activities were subject to ideological constraints, yet it continued to collect, preserve and study Latvian historical material. From 1941 part of the castle was used as a Pioneers Palace for the Soviet youth organisation.

With the restoration of Latvian independence in 1991, the President once again took up residence in the castle’s northern wing, while the LNMH continued to operate in the southern part. 

Over the decades, the museum has evolved in step with Latvia’s political fortunes – from its 19th-century beginnings as a repository of ethnographic heritage, through the turbulent war years and Soviet rule, to its modern role as a national historical institution with international partnerships, scholarly conferences and renewed exhibition spaces.

Fire

Riga Castle suffered one of its most serious modern disasters on the night of 20 June 2013. During reconstruction works that had begun in December 2012, a fire broke out at around 10:21 PM. The blaze quickly spread, reaching its peak after midnight and engulfing the roof. 

Firefighters from across Riga and nearby Jūrmala fought the flames, with 79 rescuers and an array of vehicles involved. Large sections of the palace roof and attic – about 2,400 square metres – were destroyed, along with significant damage to the upper floors. 

The Red Hall was almost completely burnt, the White Hall badly damaged, and other ceremonial rooms were affected. Although none of the museum’s collections were destroyed, some items suffered water damage. President Andris Bērziņš described the fire as a “national tragedy”.

A renewed form

Following years of restoration, Riga Castle has re-emerged in renewed form. Since 1920 the LNMH has been based here, and the oldest reconstructed wing, accessible from Daugavas gāte, now offers visitors a rare glimpse into spaces unseen for centuries, including the vaulted cellars, chapel, refectory and the Lead Tower. 

Until 14 September 2025, visitors could explore the renovated premises with a free multilingual audio guide, created with European co-funding through the Ministry of Culture, and view express exhibitions such as ‘Lost and Found‘ and ‘Then and Now‘. 

The future

Guided tours and educational programmes for school groups are available until that date, after which the museum will begin installing new permanent exhibitions. 

The first, ‘Streaming Time‘ and ‘Livonian Castles‘, are / were scheduled to open in 2025, alongside a new ‘Explorer’s Attic‘ and other interpretative features. (Note: I’m writing this in August 2025)

From medieval fortress to presidential residence, and from wartime damage to post-independence renewal, Riga Castle encapsulates the layered story of Latvia itself. Its architecture bears the marks of centuries of political shifts, while its role as the home of the LNMH ensures that it remains not only a functioning seat of state but also a guardian of the nation’s history.

A visit

The castle was basically empty, but we still visited. From 2026 the castle should have more to offer. 

Baltic States 2025

1. REVIEW | The Loft by Brussels Airlines and Lexus business lounge at Brussels Airport A-Gates.
2. REVIEW | Brussels Airlines Business Class Brussels to Munich.
3. REVIEW | Lufthansa Business Lounge Schengen and Lufthansa Senator Business Lounge Satellite Schengen at Munich Airport Terminal 2.
4. REVIEW | Air Baltic Business Class Munich to Tallinn.
5. REVIEW | Swissotel Tallinn.
6. TALLINN | Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour Estonian Maritime Museum.
7. TALLINN | Estonian History Museum at the Great Guild Hall.
8. TALLINN | LGBT tour at Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom.
9. RAIL BALTICA | Baltic operators launch joint tender for regional trains.
10. ESTONIA | How to spend a day in Tallinn.
11. REVIEW | Pullman Riga Old Town.