Riga - Melngalvju nams

Riga is the capital of Latvia. With a population of more than 600.000 about a third of all Latvians live here. A settlement of the Finno-Ugric Livs existed on the bank of the Düna. At the end of the 12th century, merchants from Gotland came to trade here.

Albert von Buxthoeven, a fierce missionary, was the first bishop in Riga from 1201 to 1229. Riga developed as the hub of Russian trade and the starting point of the German colonization of the Baltic.

The merchants who settled here after the subjugation of the surrounding peoples rapidly gained influence. In 1225, they were able to elect the city bailiff themselves, when the City Council existed already.

After the Reformation, the power of the archbishops came to an end. After the outbreak of the Livonian War in 1558 the city favoured the status of a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. It was only when the imperial support failed to materialize that the renewed advance of Russian armies led the city to pay homage to Poland's King Stephen Báthory in 1581, who in return confirmed the city's traditional freedoms and privileges.

The 40-year Polish-Lithuanian rule, under which the citizens of Riga successfully resisted anti-Reformation efforts ended with the conquest of the city by Gustav II Adolf of Sweden in 1621. The Swedish crown treated Riga by its rank as the second-largest city in the kingdom and had it lavishly fortified. During the Russo-Swedish War (1656-1658), Riga withstood the Russian siege and maintained its position as one of the most important cities in Sweden until the beginning of the 18th century. During this period the city enjoyed extensive self-government.


The original Schwarzhäupterhaus was erected during the first third of the 14th century in Gothic style, with its steep gable roof. It served both the merchants and the predominantly German citizenry for meetings. Die "Brotherhood of Blackheads" ("Compagnie der Schwarzen Häupter") had originated from the Brotherhood of St. George, active at the end of the 13th century. It united young, unmarried foreign merchants who lived in Riga. Initially, St. George (protector of knights and warriors) was the patron saint of this union. Later, this role was taken by St. Mauritius, whose symbol, the Moor's head, entered the coat of arms of the Blackheads. The charter of the Compagnie from 1416 has been preserved. The Compagnie still exists today with its headquarters in Bremen and its members still observe the old rules.

Major works at the building were done in the early 17th century, adding most of the Mannerist ornamentation.

The building was bombed to a ruin by the Germans in 1941 and the remains were demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The area of the Schwarzhäupterhaus was included in the substantially enlarged town hall market and remained undeveloped until 1993. In preparation for the 800th anniversary of the city, the building was faithfully reconstructed within seven years (1993-1999).

The portal.
The Virgin Mary on the left, Saint Maurice on the right.