Among other things, Riga is famous for its Art Nouveau architecture sprinkled throughout the city. In the Old Town there are a few nice examples next to much older or much newer buildings -- there is so much to see that sometimes we walk right by and don't realize what's there. This is right on Livu Square, one of the main -- and more touristy -- squares in Old Town:
I had never really paid attention to it because it's right next to the famous Black Cats House, which all guide books talk about, and which forces you to look up to the rooftop, where a cat is perched on each of the turrets, with its tail ominously in the air:
The story is that the cats were initially turned so that their backsides faced the Merchant Guild Hall across the street, because the man who put up the building was refused membership in the guild ("Ah! Take that!"). Here's the cat again:
But the entrance to the building is even nicer. Here it is:
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