Riga Cathedral, Riga (must see)

Riga Cathedral, formally known as The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary, is the Evangelical Lutheran cathedral located in Riga. It serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Riga. The cathedral is one of Latvia's most iconic landmarks, often featured in paintings, photographs, and television travelogues, and is noted for its weathercock, similar to other historic churches in the city.

The church was established near the River Daugava in 1211 by Livonian Bishop Albert of Riga, who hailed from Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany. It is recognized as the largest medieval church in the Baltic states and has undergone numerous modifications throughout its history. Notable figures associated with the cathedral include David Caspari, rector of the cathedral school in the late 17th century, and his son Georg Caspari, who also served at the cathedral.

In a 1923 referendum, the Lutheran Church was compelled to share the cathedral with the Roman Catholic Church. However, this decision was reversed in the 1931 Latvian Riga Cathedral referendum, restoring it solely to the Lutheran Church. During the Soviet occupation from 1939 to 1989, religious services were banned, and the cathedral functioned as a concert hall. The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation was housed in the cathedral's southern wing during this period. Religious services resumed in 1991, and the cathedral is now actively used by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia.

A prominent feature of the Riga Cathedral is its organ, built by E.F. Walcker & Sons of Ludwigsburg, Germany, in 1882-83 and inaugurated on January 31, 1884. During World War II, a recording captured the sound of battle as Latvian composer Lūcija Garūta played the organ for a cantata.