Alberta Iela (Albert Street) 8, Riga

Alberta Iela (Albert Street) 8, Riga

Known as Leo Pole’s Apartment House, this building is yet another jewel of Art Nouveau architecture in Riga. It was also designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, built in 1903.

Being one of the most expressive examples of Eclectically Decorative Art Nouveau style, this multi-storey edifice boasts a wealth of decorative finish on the façade. The most ornate part of it is the central risalit (projection), reminiscent of a tree. At the top of it is a lion’s head, symbol of strength and power.

The façade is rhythmically divided by pilasters, each decorated with expressive mascarons of women’s heads, which symbolize beauty. Decorative reliefs – masks of scary beasts and frightening monsters – are used to adorn the windows and intended to protect those inside. The glazed blue bricks, making up the façade, create an excellent background for fabulously sculpted elements in white plaster.

The house has a U-shaped floor plan, with two flats on each floor. The drawing rooms are facing Albert street, while the other rooms line a long, dim corridor and overlook the inner courtyard. The staircase is also very exuberant.

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Alberta Iela (Albert Street) 8 on Map

Sight Name: Alberta Iela (Albert Street) 8
Sight Location: Riga, Latvia (See walking tours in Riga)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Riga, Latvia

Create Your Own Walk in Riga

Create Your Own Walk in Riga

Creating your own self-guided walk in Riga is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Riga Old Town Walking Tour

Riga Old Town Walking Tour

The area that is home to present-day Riga has hosted inhabitants since the days of the Vikings. With a sheltered natural harbor nearby, the River Daugava made Riga a stop on the Vikings' Dvina-Dnieper trade route to Byzantium.

Trade allowed the area to flourish, and the Livs, a Finnic tribe, settled it. In the early Middle Ages, the town's economy revolved around fishing, trading, and...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Historical Churches and Cathedrals

Historical Churches and Cathedrals

One great thing about Riga is that the majority of its religious sites are concentrated in the historic center. A variety of faiths found in the Latvian capital is fairly broad for such a small country and includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and Lutheran, to mention but a few.

The 13th-century Riga Cathedral is perhaps the most significant house of prayer in the city. The imposing mix of...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles
Art Nouveau Architecture Walk

Art Nouveau Architecture Walk

An architecture lover in general and that of Art Nouveau in particular will find plenty to look at in the quiet center of Riga. Jūgendstil (Latvian: Art Nouveau) architecture makes up roughly one third of all buildings in the heart of Latvia's capital. In fact, the city boasts the highest concentration of Art Nouveau structures anywhere in the world.

Constructed during a period of rapid...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

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