• Public Gallery  • Help
		• Join Now!  • Log In  • Feature Tour

Public Gallery | Home > David Kohl > Travel and Vacation > Browse:OrientationGardens #2Culla and CoEgyptBerlinMannheimRhineAmsterdamPorto Rafti, GreeceKomandooPalm Springs 2011Komandoo FishMalaysia and Singapore 2011BermudaNew York City SkylineRiga Latvia & Tallinn EstoniaStockholm SwedenPort HuronArt PrizeHelsinki Finland2011 VacationNorthern ItalyIceland - ColorIceland - B&WMission BreweryAngkor Wat Region 2003Katmai BearsOcean City, MD 2011Angkor Wat Region 2011Escorting Ted to LDS BC
Riga Latvia & Tallinn Estonia After enjoying the sophisticated pleasures of Helsinki, the imposing majesty of St. Petersburg and the medieval beauty of Stockholm, how could Riga and Tallinn possibly compete?  They do. And nearly outshine their more reknown neighbors. Riga is a beauty. Just a few steps inward from the Baltic Sea, Riga's medieval spires soar above the shores of the Daugava River. Its more recent neighborhoods spill eastward.  The city is home to one of the largest collection of Art Nouveau-styled buildings in Europe. It is also has a surprisingly respectable National Art Museum and a movingly informative Latvian War Musuem. Tallinn, at first, seems a little too well-preserved (a little "Disneyesque") and touristically accommodating ("well-worn, cruise ship port-of-call") to feel genuine.  But how can Estonians be faulted for getting the "tourist thing" so right when they possess such an extraordinary medieval treasure.   But don't misunderstand: neither of these cities are simply outdoor medieval museums.  They are both on the vanguard of our technological age.  Estonia and Latvia are galloping forward - at an economic pace greater than many of their larger Baltic rivals.  Their futures may become even more interesting than their pasts.  Just maybe not as beautiful. Date(s): August 2011. Album by David Kohl. Photos by David Kohl & Ross Rosenberg. 1 - 39 of 39 Total. 2440 Visits.
1 View of Riga - from St Peter's Church 2 View of bridge across the Daugava River 3 View of Riga looking south 4 View of Castle in Riga 5 View in the City Park along the City Canal 6 Sculpture in the City Park 7 Bridge of Locks in the City Park 8 Close up on the bridge of locks Couples inscribe their names on padlocks and attach them to this bridge. 9 Riga's Freedom Monument Constructed in 1935. 10 Top of the Freedom Monument The statue atop the momument is nicknamed "Milda" - one of the most popular Latvian first names between the two world wars - is an emblem of Latvia.  The three stars she holds above her head symbolize the three main regions of Latvia. 11 Base of the Freedom Monument The red granite base has sculptures of Latvian heroes and an inscription meaning,"for fatherland and freedom". 12 Building the old town of Riga 13 The top of the Black Cat building 14 Black cat 15 The three brothers buildings 16 Art Nouveau exterior 17 Art Nouveau exterior 18 Art Nouveau building exterior 19 Art Nouveau building exterior 20 Art Nouveau detail 21 Art Nouveau detail 22 Latvian Riflemen's Monument 23 Detail of Latvian Riflemen's Monument 24 Grafitti 25 Nicholas Roerich painting in the Latvian Art Museum 26 Lativan Art Museum 27 Latvian Art Museum 28 View of Tallinn 29 View of Tallinn 30 View of Tallinn streets 31 Tallinn View 32 Tallinn Cathedral detail 33 Tallinn cathedral 34 Tallinn view 35 Tallinn street sculpture 36 Tallinn street scene 37 Olympic sculpture - Pirita 38 Pirita - St Bridget's Guesthouse 39 Guesthouse room