Riga is a beautiful city, with its architecture in the Art Nouveau style...
However, today I'm going to share with you neither the beautiful architecture nor the cosy Old Town with its narrow streets. Instead, I want to tour with you through the places at which I saw animals, either real ones or not. First, let's see something that surprised me: colourful snails crawling a square, making their progress surely but slowly. Surprisingly, the Latvian capital has not such a museum, though plans have been in the pipeline for many years. Hence, the reason for picking the snails as a symbol and the request to the public to help pushing the snails forward.
A very interesting art initiative...
Everyday they appeared a bit farther from their previous location.
The snails in the city were not only there for entertainment... they did bring along a message... pushing the government to build up a structure that might host a contemporary art museum in Riga.
During my trip, I saw a few pets. However, I could see, in Riga, real ones and animal designs used for different purposes.
A cat, perhaps a stray cat and...
... three dogs and...
... ducklings and sparrows
Let me now focus on not real animals. For example, I appreciated the political monument below: a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster standing on each other's backs. It's called Bremen Town Musicians...
You can see surprise in the animals' eyes. They are peering through the Iron Curtain! The sculpture is based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, but created with a political subtext as it was inspired by Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika. The sculpture, a gift from Riga's sister city Bremen, was made in 1990. It's a humorous approach towards previous political stereotypes. The bronze animals are peering through the Iron Curtain on a completely new world where they had thought to find a bone or a piece of meat. I really liked this ironic view at a sudden independence.
A unique architecture, another story...
The story behind it tells of its Latvian owner who was denied membership in the powerful Great Guild; to show his displeasure, he built two cat sculptures on his roof with their backsides facing the Guild and their tails straight up to finish the insult.
Cats, black or not, have become special symbols in Riga... They are everywhere... look at the cat print umbrella...
Let me forget cats and show you how Riga was populated by other 'animals'...
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~~ Have a wonderful weekend ~~
~~ Thanks for stopping by ~~
I’ll be in touch with you soon...
I just love the snails, how creative! They make quite the statement! And all the other animals artistic and humorous too! Have a great weekend yourself, it's a cooler day here, but the sun is out and the Oct. light is lovely...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Monica! The snails were really cute! Today is very warm and if the weatherman has not made a mistake, we will have high temperatures for one week more, at least...
DeleteWhat a fantastic and very different post Belita. All of the snails were beautiful and all of the photos delightful too. Loved the story about the cats and the guild and the giggle with it.
ReplyDeleteYou know, Shayna, sometimes I like to introduce something different, otherwise you will get bored...
DeleteThat was certainly a different and unique part of your journey. I loved the snails, so colourful and creative. I certainly hope they help to achieve the goal of getting a permanent contemporary art museum built. So many other interesting animal-related features, too!! The story of the man's insult to the Great Guild was rather amusing.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed it. I didn't walk in search of those 'animals', they happened to be waiting for me...
DeleteThank you, Mitch!
What a marvelous tour of pictures and stories for a Sunday morning. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Benni! Good to know you enjoyed this tour...
DeleteThank you!
Wow! What a different way to visit a city, and did you enjoy the... company? :)
ReplyDeleteIt was a different way, yet an enjoyable one.... it gave me fun...
DeleteThanks for the visit, Edoardo!