Brīvības iela


Brīvības iela is the central street of Riga, the capital of Latvia. It is more than 12 km long, going through all of Riga from the historical centre to the outskirts.

History

The street was the beginning of an important trade route - the road to the region of Vidzeme and the Russian city of Pskov. It began with what is today Smilšu iela and went through Riga's suburbs. The city entrance next to the Powder Tower was initially the main entrance to Riga from the countryside. As the city expanded, the city gates moved more towards the east and the street was extended further.
In the late 19th century and early 20th various Art Nouveau buildings were erected on what now is Brīvības iela.
Throughout its history, the street and its three main parts were known as Große Sandstraße, Aleksandrovskaya ulitsa /Alexanderstraße, Brīvības gatve, Adolf Hitler Strasse and Ļeņina iela.
Today, Brīvības iela is divided into three parts:

Brīvības bulvāris

Brīvības iela