Riga – gothic house


A gothic tenement house at Mazã Pils 17 street was founded at the end of the 15th century and is the oldest preserved residential building in Riga. In 1697, there was a bakery in it, therefore it was extended from the side of the yard, and later also from the street side. In the years 1955-1957 a renovation was carried out, which removed those later additions.


The gothic tenement house was created as a typical town house of the northern, Hanseatic type combining residential, storage and granary features. It consisted of one large room on the ground floor, a kind of hall serving as a place of trade, making handicrafts and preparing meals. Rooms in the back were representative and residential, and the spacious floor and attic served as a warehouse or granary. The façade of the tenement house had a high gothic crow stepped gable, adorned with blendes and opened up with small windows. The larger windows were on the ground floor, next to the ogive entrance portal.

Current state

The tenement house at Mazã Pils 17 is currently one of the three houses that make up the architectural complex called the Three Brothers. As the only one of them has a gothic façade, the others were created in the 17th century. Currently, the houses complex is the seat of the Museum of Architecture of Latvia.

show gothic house on map

show granary on map

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