Description of the attraction
"Three Brothers" is the oldest residential complex in the capital city of Latvia, located in Old Riga on Maza Pils (Malaya Zamkovaya) street. These three houses have been preserved since the 15th century. Today they house the Museum of Architecture and the State Center for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.
According to legend, three houses, closely nestled together, were actually built by men who belonged to the same family. During the Middle Ages, the street on which the houses are located was on the outskirts of the city. Craftsmen lived here. House No. 17, the oldest of the "brothers", housed a craft workshop. It is assumed that the building of the "oldest brother" was built in 1490. The house has an ascetic look, the only decoration of the structure are 2 stone columns located in front of the entrance. In this house there was only 1 room, which was used as a workshop, and as a shop, and as a living quarters. The stone benches on either side of the building's door have survived to this day, which are characteristic features of the early Middle Ages.
House No. 19, which is the middle brother, is the most luxurious of the three. The entrance of the middle “brother” is decorated with the inscription “Soli deo gloria!”. Unlike the oldest "brother" in this house there was a separate spacious hall with large windows, while the living quarters were located on the side of the courtyard.
The youngest "brother" was built in the second half of the 17th century. In this house, there were small apartments on each floor. The facade of the building is decorated with a mask, which, according to the author's plan, was supposed to protect the house from evil spirits.
In the period from 1955 to 1957. the restoration of the "three brothers" took place. The work was carried out according to the project of Pēteris Saulitis, with the help of G. Janson. A stone portal brought from the lost House of Blackheads, a fragment of a portal from a residential building in Old Riga, as well as a forged coat of arms with the date 1554 were embedded in the walls.
