Today in our review dedicated to the most interesting streets of the planet we are going to talk about Brivibas. The old city of Riga is truly magnificent and finely preserved part of Latvian capital. Verily here there are more tourists and less local citizens, however, 350-400 years ago around it there was nothing and city resembled inaccessible medieval fortress in semi-Scandinavian and semi-European style. All of its population could place here…
In XVII century Latvians had felt too overcrowded in the Old city, and Riga got the suburbs. Most often they were working or agricultural regions maintaining the capital with the products and manufacturing crafts. The today’s magnificent street Brivibas extended at more than twelve kilometers till verily suburbs of the capital was born exactly at those times. Its first name is Peschanaya because across this road the most important trading way till Saints-Petersburg passed while the merchants that liked it sold verily sand and clay there.
Before 1820s the street was the usual for that time race, however, too vulnerable location of Riga, if we talk about the Old city where all the administration, banks, and places were concentrated as well as demographic growth made the senior authorities of the city and all the Russian Federation think about its expansion. In the part of Riga where today there is a railway station in those years one could observe slow but obvious growth of working and trading Moscow outskirt. In the meantime, around Peschanaya Street it was decided to build another, more aristocratic suburb, Petersburg. Today’s Brivibas was meant to be the most important and central street that altered beyond recognition by the end of the century.
Photo urbancentre.net
The luxurious mansions, castles, movement of the most important municipal places, magnific restaurants, best hotels, the first omnibuses and then trams and trolleybuses transformed for some decades into better, so, it is hard to recognize the former race track with untidy guest-houses and warehouses. The entire nobility of Riga moved to this part of the city, moreover, many influential and noble families of Petersburg with the pleasure purchased here mansions because the climate is milder here and there is less capital buzz. Petersburg suburb or outer settlement lived its own life having become the alternative political center of not only city but also the region in total. Till this time, in 1890s the street was already been called as Aleksandrovska. It seemed, its benevolence and prosperity will continue, however, it started the cruel XX century both for the Baltic states and in general for Europe…
Apart from two destructive world wars and several revolutions, Aleksandrovska street got a whole range of renaming and rebuilding because every new power tried to change the street and Riga itself. By the way, one could lose count how many times the authority changed for the first fifty years of XX century. Brivibas was able to be the Street of revolution, the Street of Lenin (even twice) not to mention Gitlershtrasse in the time of German occupation. Its current view especially taking into consideration its beauty and originality is less magnificent than in the beginning of the last century. The street acquired this look after the Second World War and joining USSR. The most part of the suburb was restored by the Soviet architects who brought to the entire region the style of Stalin baroque the highlight of which became the famous high-riser. In the meantime, Brivibas was lucky more than others because the true artists worked there bringing architecture inherited traditions built by Michael Eisenstein, the father of the famous cinema director, the great architect. Many historians call him as the creator of the incomparable pre-revolutionary style of this part of the city that demonstrated the freedom of thought and preserved despite all the ordeals.
Photo static.panoramio.com
By the way, let’s talk about freedom. This name this long-suffering street received only after the dissolution of USSR. The Latvians hope they will not rename it anymore because it is too much to make denomination seven times for almost full one hundred years. Nowadays the street is still alternative not only to the politic but also to the travel Old city. One could walk along it looking at the landmarks and going into the cozy style places. The residential houses and spaces of the former factories as well as theaters, hotels, and homesteads deserve attention. However, the main zest of the suburb is the legendary Matveevsky or Vidzemsky market. This trading place that has been working in Riga incessantly for almost one century and a half is the dignified rival of the verily street Brivibas, if we talk about the longevity. Proposing the center to the guests, citizens of Riga prefer spending their time verily here proving that city could easily have two hearts, particularly, one for visitors and second for its own dwellers.
Eastern cities are hard to imagine without a huge number of the commercial places. It is in the genes of the local citizens to sell and buy regardless their age and status. Despite the fact that Istanbul is semi-European city, the metropolis has prominent oriental features. So as to know exactly where to go and what to buy, OUTLOOK talks about the most spectacular markets after returning from Istanbul.
Today we are inviting you for a walk in the oldest neighbourhood in the city of Lisbon, the famous Alfama, an emblematic quarter we often see in the movies and works of popular culture when it comes to the Portuguese capital.
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Iceland is a ‘country of ice and fire’, ‘country of thousand rivers and lakes’, countless waterfalls and geysers. There, like in a fairy tale, again and again, you feel like pinching yourself to check if you are dreaming or does it all really exist…
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Despite many pessimistic forecasts of urbanists of the 20th century, on-street trammanaged to stand up competition withsubways, cars and other means of public transport, and even found a second wind in modern city. The beginning of the 21stcentury, with its incredible technologies will surely become history as an era of "tram renaissance".
Croatia is dubbed the pearl of the Adriatic coast. This country in the south of Central Europe recently became a member of the European Union. Now its beauty sites are much visited: every year more than 10 million tourists come to enjoy it, that is even more than population of the country. Let’s find out what attracts travellers so much.
Many travelers just don’t want to go into all the troubles to get an American visa for some two weeks of holidays. But having glanced at pictures of Puerto Rican Mosquito Bay they’ll change their minds instantly. Dark sea slick, silence… when suddenly mysterious green glow from the depth extends the darkness to shock the public on the shore.
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If you spent half a day enjoying chips with mayonnaise, herring, eel and cheese; your imagination managed to find solutions for all the riddles of the universe while waiting for hours in endless queue to the Rijksmuseum; and within a couple of hours you were almost knocked down on the road thrice, it means, no doubt, you were spending that day in Amsterdam.
There are many things that we can learn from citizens of the United States but what deserves special respect is love to their land. Patriotism of Americans manifests itself in everything, even in internal tourism - without having properly explored own country, an American would hardly travel anywhere outside its territory. Today we tell about one of the most popular internal tourism towns - about Leavenworth.
To visit three countries over one day – it is possible if you are in Aachen. Situated amid Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, small student town took in features of medieval culture that reflected in its astonishing architecture. Yelena Buravtsova visited the town for it to win her heart with its off-beat monuments, streets paved with stone blocks, cozy cafés, one of a kind printed spice cake, museums and spectacular races.
Green slopes covered with heather moorland, deserted suburban roads, narrow streets with small cottages and gardens emitting heady fragrance - it seems that British villages are unchangeable through the passage of time. Like stilled scenery for heroic fantasy fiction, each of them has its own story about great battles, brave warriors and legendary artefacts.
Today OUTLOOK is strolling along the main street of the economic capital of Saudi Arabia, the country second largest city Jeddah, venerated by shoppers and pilgrims. Cutting through the middle of the city, Tahlia Street is a vivid evidence how Arab culture is infused by modern Western trends that introduce dissonance into this place...
A visit to picturesque Transylvania is akin to mystic extravaganza that takes place in reality. But laymen rarely know for sure what to visit in Romania aside from the famous Bran Castle, residence of Count Dracula. OUTLOOK solves the problem and offers an opportunity to personally choose an exciting route – its history may not just surprise but also stir your blood.
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Nature bestowed our planet with many sky-high peaks, which at any moment give visitors the feeling of boundless freedom. Cities build skyscrapers boasting to one another and, to satisfy high aspirations, they add observation decks at the height of the bird's flight. Travelling from continent to continent, with bated breath we will admire the world's loftiest views from the summits of supertalls.
Having taken the passport and good mood, go on May holidays to the so-called "Near Abroad" - Bulgaria - the country where ancient architecture is successfully combined with a relaxing sea breeze. Do not you believe? But OUTLOOK is sure that Pavel Khomenskyi through his photos will be able to convince you! Bright and in its own way majestic Sofia - this is a must see on these holidays! Let's go with us!
Tourists with their eyes full of tears because statuettes, shells and other stuff bought “as a souvenir” are being shaken out of their bags – is a continual occurrence at customs. For you not to become one of those tourists, OUTLOK suggests you check out a selection of (sometimes weird) objects forbidden to be exported from different countries.
