By Inese Bujane
In co-operation with Vita Banga, Art Historian
The Riga Latvian Society House can boast a history of nearly one
century and a half. This has always been a place for very significant for the people of
Latvia events both historical as well as social. Built in 1869, after a design of Janis
Fridrihs Baumanis, the first professional Latvian architect, the house became the
residence of the Riga Latvian Society, as well as an important centre for the Latvian
social life. As far back as in the end of the 19th century an ethnography
exhibition was opened in this building, which later formed the bases for a museum. The
Science Committee and the Latvian Theatre have worked in the Riga Latvian Society House.
In 1973, the Riga Latvian Society organised the First All-Latvia Song Festival.
The outer appearance was slightly changed in course of time – in
1897, after a design of an architect Konstantins Peksens, stairs were built in front of
the building leading to the first floor, which made the central part of the building more
decorative.
A misfortune struck the house in 1908 – it burned down. The Riga
Latvian Society invited the most outstanding architects of the time to renovate the house.
In 1909, project by E.Laube and E.Pole in the manner of neo-classicism was approved, and
eventually the building erected in 1910 was considerably more artistic than the previous
one. Initially it was planned to decorate the facade with sculptures by Gustavs Skilters,
but finally the management of the Riga Latvian Society preferred frescos in colour cement
and mosaic technique created by Janis Rozentals, which, although timeworn, are still
there.
The arrangement of rooms in the Riga Latvian Society House is designed
so that it could accommodate a theatre and various exhibitions. The Riga Latvian Society
divided these rooms in three categories according to their functions: firstly –
premises for social events, comprising the Theatre Hall, the White Hall and the Gilded
Hall, secondly – club facilities, such as the Cards Hall and the Ligo Hall, and
finally – the administrative offices. In 1938, along with the extension of the
building and the reconstruction of the interior, some novelties, which were really
progressive for that time, such as telephone booths, elevators, radios in the rooms, were
introduced.
No significant construction or reconstruction works have been carried
out since 1940, when the Riga Latvian Society ended its activities and the army officers
took over the management of the house.
Today the past glory of The Riga Latvian Society House is represented
by the entrance door with copper forging, the preserved ceiling paintings and wall
decorations. Construction works are in progress in the building again, and there is ground
to believe that the former splendour will be regained.
