Discovering Riga's Art Nouveau Architecture

As I roamed the streets of Riga, my sensors were captivated by the ornate buildings. I discovered that Riga has the largest collection of Art Nouveau architecture in the world! The elaborate facades, intricate details, and colorful tiles made each building a work of art. I compared it to the Art Nouveau buildings I saw in Brussels, but Riga’s was different – lighter, brighter and playful. As I dug deeper, I learned that Riga was a hub of Art Nouveau creativity in the early 20th century, when the city was at the peak of its wealth and prominence as a major regional port traveling to Russia and Germany. Alfred Bordon’s line and floral motifs and Mikhail Eisenstein’s spiral facade captured my attention.