"Three brothers" - Riga, Maza Pils iela
17, 19, 21
The name of this architectural ensemble has originated from a
similar group of warehouses in Tallinn, bearing the name "Three
sisters". The ensemble represents different development stages
of medieval dwelling houses, when buildings were erected on narrow
land plots.
The building in Maza Pils iela17 is the eldest
masonry dwelling house in Riga (end of 15th -beginning of 16th
century). The building has a gabled roof and gothic niches (the
façade also has some renaissance features). Initially the building
had one room with a chimney-kitchen (jacket-chimney), the attic
was used for storing goods. In 1697 there was a bakery in this
house, and the building was therefore extended to the yard, and
later also to the street side, thus eliminating a small front
square, which suggests that from the beginning the streets of
the Old Riga were wider (during the restoration in 1955-1957,
managed by architect P.Saulitis, the extension was demolished).
The building in Maza Pils iela 19 gained its present
look in 1646. The façade of the building has some features of
Dutch mannerism (restored after the drawing of J.C. Brotze dated
1785). The layout of the first floor is similar to that of the
previous building. There is a spacious room with large checked
windows above the low hall; some rooms are also located in the
yard side of the second floor and in the attic. In 1746 a stone
portal was added to the building.
The building in Maza Pils iela 21 has gained
its present look at the end of the 17th century. The building
has a baroque curved pediment, and a wooden staircase from the
hall leads to small office rooms located in every floor of the
building.
The backyards of all three buildings were united
during the restoration, and stone portals, as well as the Riga
Coat of Arms, were immured into the walls of the yard.
The architectural ensemble "Three brothers"
is the location of State Inspection for Heritage Protection and
Latvian Museum of Architecture.
Preliminary work for the establishment of Latvian
Museum of Architecture was done in 1992, when Architectural drawings
and manuscripts sector was established in Heritage Documentation
Centre of State Inspection for Heritage Protection. The collection
of drawings and biographies of architects, granted by architect
Leons Plaucins, was systemised and collection of other items was
continued.
Latvian Museum of Architecture was established
upon order No.100 of the Minister of Culture of Latvia, dated
28 July 1994, and it started functioning as a structural unit
of State Inspection for Heritage Protection located in the Old
Town, Maza Pils iela 17. Mr. Janis Lejnieks was appointed Director
of the museum by the order of the Minister of Culture. The official
opening of Latvian Museum of Architecture took place on 19 April
1995 and was done by the Minister of Culture, with participation
of the Prime Minister. The opening was marked by an exhibition
of drawings from the collections of the newly established museum.
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