Description
The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornamentations. Much of them were by the sculptor Volz, such as the four statues. The structure was bombed to a ruin by the Germans June 28, 1941 and the remains demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999.
The Façade decorations are:
Top
- Saint George and the Dragon, - weather vane on the gable peak. The original was made in 1622 by the Riga silversmith Eberhart Meier.
- Relief of King Arthur, holding sceptre and orb.
- Two lansquenets with shields with the coat of arms of Riga and the crossed keys of Riga respectively. Reconstructed after the 16th century originals, made in Lübeck.
Central part, four bays with coat-of-arms and statues:
- Statue of Neptune, with the arms of Riga.
- Allegoricical figure of Harmony, with the arms of Bremen.
- Allegoricical figure of Peace, with the arms of Lübeck.
- Statue of Mercury with the arms of Hamburg.
On the sides
- Lions with coats of arms of Riga and the Company of the Black Heads. econstructed after the 16th century originals, made in Lübeck.
Lower side, on the pillars flanking the gate, coats-of-arms and the patron saints
- Saint Mary with the coat of arms of Riga, on top a lion with the shield with a blackhead
- Saint Mauritius with the coat of arms of the Company of the Black Heads, on top a lion with the shield with crossed keys of Riga.
Above the entrance:
- medallion with the head of a knight.
To the right of the gate:
- Coats of arms of Tallinn and Tartu.
- Statue of Saint George Slaying the Dragon.
Inscription(s)
Above the clock:
ANNO 1334 - renov. ANNO 1999
Left side, below the lion sculpture:
DEN GERECHTEN GOTT LIEBT UND EHRT,
SEIN GESCHLECHT ER SEGNET UND VERMEHRT
Right side, below the lion sculpture:
WIDER GESETZ UND GEWISSEN HANDELN,
THUT GOTTES SEGEN IN FLUCH VERWANDELN
Above the windows of the second floor:
MELNGALVJU NAMS TIKA SAGRAUTS 1941. GADĀ.
PILSĒTAS ASTOŅSIMTGADEI PAR GODU NAMU UZ VECAJIEM PAMATIEM NO JAUNA UZCĒLA RĪGAS PILSĒTA.
(The House of the Blackheads was totally destroyed in 1941. In honor of the 800th anniversary, the house was rebuilt by the city of Riga)
Sculptors
- Edvins Krumiņš (Ugale 1959,
Latvian sculptor, specialized in the restoration and reconstruction of historical monuments
(CV on Facebook).
- August Volz - Latvian Augusts Folcs (Magdeburg 1851 - Riga 1926),
German-Latvian sculptor from Riga
(Wikipedia).
Sources & Information
Tags
Locatie (N 56°56'49" - E 24°6'24") (Satellite view: Google Maps)
Item Code: lv011; Photograph: 9 July 2013
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt
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