Description of the attraction
The Swedish Gate is a cultural monument, an architectural complex located in several houses on Torna Street in Riga, Latvia
In 1621 Riga was ruled by Sweden. The Swedish occupation lasted until 1711. Naturally, the Swedish rule left a noticeable mark on the history of Riga. At this time, new architectural buildings appeared in the city: the Yakovlevsky barracks or the Jekaba barracks and the Swedish gate, which are currently among the most popular sights of Riga.
Peter I ordered the destruction of Jacob's barracks. Later, new ones were built in their place. The Swedish gate is the only one of all the city gates that have survived to this day almost unchanged.
Legend has it that the Swedish Gate was built at the end of the 17th century. One enterprising and enterprising Riga merchant decided to cut through the gates in his house No. 11 on Torne Street. In this way, he wanted to evade paying duties on goods that were officially imported through the Sand City Gate. Since the gate was located in his house, the merchant decided to charge a toll through it.
However, there is a more realistic version of the formation of the Swedish Gate. Most likely, the city authorities decided to equip a closed passage to the buildings located on Torne Street. Therefore, a new gate was cut.
The Swedish gate became so called for two reasons: first of all, their appearance coincided with the occupation of Riga by the Swedes, and the second reason is that most often Swedish soldiers used this gate. The soldiers were quartered in the Yakovlevsky barracks, which were located near the gate. Therefore, the Swedish Gate is a kind of symbol of the era of Swedish rule. At night, the Swedish gates were locked with powerful bolts, and the watchmen watched closely so that not a single living soul could penetrate through them.
There is a legend that speaks of the height of a terrible plague. At this time, the city was "in quarantine". One young girl tried to enter the Swedish gate to see her lover. But the watchmen managed to catch her. The girl was treated very cruelly. She was walled up alive in the wall. Since then, at night, from the side of the wall, terrible crying and groans of the unfortunate woman have been heard.
But not only this unfortunate girl became a hostage of the Swedish gate. According to another legend, two lovers were walled up in the wall next to the gate: a Latvian girl and a Swedish officer. Their love was originally doomed. Indeed, according to the laws of Sweden, officers could only marry Swedish girls. The lovers disregarded the rules, for which they paid with their own lives.
Nowadays, this old legend allows lovers to check the sincerity of their feelings. You need to go through the Swedish gate with your soul mate. And if their feelings are as strong as those of the unfortunate lovers, then exactly at midnight the couple will hear the cherished “I love you!” Coming from the wall.
And they also say that for some time the city executioner lived in an apartment located above the Swedish Gate. He had a habit of "warning" the people of Riga about the impending execution. The night before, he always put a red rose on the window, and all the inhabitants knew about the upcoming bloody action.
In 1926, the Latvian Society of Architects rented a house with the Swedish Gate from the city authorities, which was rebuilt in accordance with its new purpose. The building has acquired a baroque look, completely coinciding with the time of its appearance. The interior of the house (stoves made of tiles from the 17th-18th centuries, classicist and baroque plafonds, and so on) was furnished by the Riga architect and artist A. I. Trofimov.
At present, the ensemble of the House of Architects includes houses No. 11, No. 13 and No. 15 at the Swedish Gate. In addition to the Latvian Union of Architects, there is a library here, where you can freely enter and enrich yourself with knowledge about the history and culture of the country.
