At the intersection of Kaleju, Zirgu, and Amatu streets in Old Riga stands the remarkable building of the Great Guild - one of the oldest and most interesting in the city. It is now home to the concert hall of the Latvian Philharmonic. You can attend one of the concerts to enjoy the beautiful harmony of music and architecture.
The official history of the Great Guild building begins in the distant XIV century, although there are suggestions that as early as the XIII century there was a structure on this site adjoining the Riga fortress wall. Over many centuries, the building was repeatedly rebuilt to suit the needs of the merchant class.
In all of Latvia, only Riga merchants had the right to sell goods abroad, so the local Guild of St. Mary, or the Great Guild, composed mainly of Germans, was considered a highly authoritative organization.
The first building of the Great Guild, a two-story structure with a late Baroque superstructure, was demolished in 1853. A new one was built in its place - in the Gothic style, larger in scale and more modern. The unique rooms, however, remained untouched - the Munster Chambers and the Fireplace Hall.
Another reconstruction affected the Great Guild building in 1963, when it was adapted into a concert hall. Today, this magnificent architectural monument delights the eye both with its exterior and with its original interiors.
