Things to see in Riga

The voluminous Freedom Monument has a sacred place in the hearts and minds of every Latvian. This potent symbol of the nation was paid for and erected by the citizens of Riga in 1935 and somehow survived four decades of Soviet rule. A popular local joke during the Communist era was that the monument was really a travel agent, since laying flowers at it guaranteed a one-way ticket to Siberia. Today, the monument, the tallest of its kind in Europe, is back to its best after a major renovation, and still retains its poignancy, as well as doubling up as a favourite meeting point for the city's youth.

The Latvian War Museum is simultaneously one of the most interesting museums in the city and also the most controversial. Within the redbrick of the 14th-century Powder Tower, there are displays illuminating the various wars that have ravaged the country. There are good sections not only on the War of Liberation (1918-20), when the Latvians fought off the Soviets and the Germans, but also on the Latvian volunteers who served with the German Waffen SS during WWII. There has been much historical debate on their role in atrocities and the surviving veterans who triumphantly parade through Riga every year are often a source of embarrassment to the government.

This stunningly renovated gothic building on the revamped Ratslaukams dates back to the 14th century and later became the headquarters of a group of local unmarried merchants: the Blackheads. In Soviet times, it fell into decline but now it gleams by day and shines at night when it is floodlit. The building's mighty gable rises dramatically 28m (92ft) above the square. The interior is suitably impressive with a rebuilt hall where the Blackheads would once have met.

Another of Riga's most striking edifices is St Peter's Church, which is dedicated to the city's patron saint. This unmistakable redbrick style is common throughout countries that border the Baltic, from Germany through to Estonia. The sturdy church dates back to 1408, when it was built to replace a wooden church on the same site. The wooden spire, the highest in Europe, was obliterated by German shelling in 1941. The 122m (403ft) steel replica, completed in 1973, has a lift that shuttles tourists to an observation gallery offering sweeping views of the city.

Riga Cathedral is the most photographed religious building in Riga. Its foundations were laid on St Jacob's Day in 1211, by Albert von Buxhoeveden, who became its first bishop. The cathedral is an intoxicating collage of gothic and Romanesque styles. In the interior museum there are displays portraying Riga between the World Wars, as well as maps and postcards of Old Riga. One of the highlights is the world-famous organ, crafted in 1883-1884 and decorated with wooden carvings from as early as the 17th and 18th centuries.