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THREE BROTHERS

THE THREE BROTHERS

THE THREE BROTHERS

Three Brothers is the oldest dwelling complex in Riga. It is located on Small Castle Street (Maza Pils 17, 19, 21). The origin of the name “Three Brothers” is similar to that of “The Three Sisters” in Tallinn. The oldest still existing residential building in Riga is located at the address Small Castle Street 17 (Maza Pils, 17). It was built in the end of XV century, when Riga established contacts with merchants from the Netherlands and Renaissance elements of architecture characteristic to the Netherlands began to appear in Riga’s architecture. In front of the building there is a small platform with a porch and stone steps. On the building there is a stone plate with the right of property beaten on it, which served as the building’s address.

Houses numbered 19 and 21 are a later construction and do not have platforms in front of them. All the three houses are called The Three Brothers, each of the houses representing various periods of development of residential buildings construction in the Middle Ages, when houses were built on small lots of land. In 1955-1957, the Three Brothers were remodeled. After the remodeling works, all three backyards of the houses were joined together. Stone portals of the houses, the oldest coat of arms of Riga that was taken off from the arsenal, which burned in a fire, as well as the coat of arms of an owner of one of the Three Brothers indicating that this owner was a baker, since ears of wheat are seen on the coat — were all walled-in. In 1687, the first confectionery in Riga opened in that building. Now in the building on Maza Pils 17, there is a Museum of Architecture of Latvia.

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