This month ten years ago the Riga Historical Centre was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List
Riga Historical Centre, which also includes development of Old Riga, was included on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1997.
In the decision of the World Heritage Committee it was stated, that “Riga Historical Centre with its relatively untouched urban structures of the middle and later ages, the satiety and quality of the Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wood architecture, has a unique value, with no equivalent elsewhere in the world”.
Riga Historical Centre square area is 435 hectares or 1,4% of the city territory and it contains about 4 000 buildings.
Riga Council City Development Department director Peteris Strancis says in his report about the time passed: “In that time Riga Historical Centre Preservation and Development Committee was established, which is regarded in the world as an excellent example of city and state cooperation in the World Heritage preservation. We approved a plan for Riga Historical Centre preservation and development, as well as the building of three culture objects of State importance which was timely agreed with UNESCO World Heritage Centre”.
UNESCO General Secretary Rolands Ozols says: The “UNESCO World Heritage List is a quality mark, similarly to the ISO certificate, and to be included on the World Heritage List is equal to an added value of a place or an object. Latvian tourism companies in their tourist routes offers, should include as a quality mark an indication that the place is included on the World Heritage list”.
In 2003, the Saeima approved the Riga Historical Centre Preservation and Protection Law, and the Cabinet of Ministers in 2004 approved the Riga Historical Centre Preservation and Protection Regulations.
Information is prepared in cooperation with the
UNESCO Latvian National Committee
UNESCO LNK consultant
Telephone 29109268
liene@tels.lv
Riga Council City Development Department
Public Relations Department
Telephone: 67012916, 29231856
marija.abeltina@riga.lv
dace.kirke@riga.lv
