Never-built Riga. Maps and Plans

Exhibition is about the city’s central axis, which traverses the area on the right bank of the river Daugava from Berģi to Daugava and finishes in Pārdaugava – in Victory (Uzvaras) Park. The city’s East – West axis has had different names: Smilšu Road, Vidzemes Highway, Aleksandra Street, Brīvības Boulevard, Street and Avenue, as well as Hitler and Lenin Street. In this exhibition the East – West axis is called Main Street. The nearly 15 km long street was built over a time period of more than 800 years. Its oldest part in Old Riga – Kaļķu Street – starts in Rātslaukums (Town Council Square), where most of the old buildings were destroyed during the Second World War. In the decades following the war various projects were put forward for the Main Street – some proposed enlarging it, while others intended to reduce its size. There was a clash between the ambitious pre-war transformation plans on one part and the Old Town restoration initiatives on the other.

Curator of the exhibition – Jānis Lejnieks.