The Riga Bourse Art Museum (Latvian: M?kslas muzejs R?GAS BIRŽA) is a museum in Riga, Latvia. It was founded in 1920 and contains the largest collection of world art in Latvia from Ancient Egyptian / Middle Eastern art dating back to 5000 BC. to date.
In the first half of the 19th century, Riga's trade developed. The traders established their own permanent organization, the Stock Exchange Committee. At that time, all negotiations were done in the town hall (Rathaus).
In 1847, the Great Corporation of Riga decided to leave the town hall and return the rooms to the judicial institutions of the city. The members decided to build a new building that could contain the Corporation itself, the Stock Exchange Committee and a city theater.
The architect who was to design the bag was Harald Julius von Bosse, a Baltic German nobleman who worked in St. Petersburg. His missions were to arrange the stock exchange in the historic center and also to "adapt to the irregular layout of the blocks, the narrow streets and the dense layout of the buildings".
Subsequently, the idea of ​​the city theater was rejected due to the fire risks. Von Bosse began his project in 1850 but the place he chose did not appeal to the Exchange Committee. Then it was decided in 1851 to build the building on the corner of Pils iela, ŠÄ·Å«Å†u iela and JÄ“kaba ​​iela. Finally, construction began on 25 March 1852. The architecture of the building was done in the Venetian Renaissance palace style as a symbol of wealth and abundance.
For the façade of the Stock Exchange it was decided to use a terracotta decoration, sculptures with allegorical content and decorative elements. The Danish sculptor David Jensen, also based in St. Petersburg, was commissioned for this project. Then, on May 26, 1856, the Riga Stock Exchange was solemnly opened in the presence of the Russian Tsar Alexander II.
In 1937, several buildings were demolished to create the Cathedral Square (Doms laukums).
After World War II, Latvia became part of the Soviet Union and the building became the House of Science and Propaganda Technology. The facade was repainted with lighter colors (pale pink and brown).
On January 24, 1980, a fire broke out in the corridors of the upper floor. The museum today retains many scars from this fire. Reconstruction began several months later but stopped in 1982.
On 30 September 2004 the reconstruction was planned with the project called "Reconstruction ex Borsa" but the works started only in 2008 and finished in 2011. On 20 August 2011 the building could finally house the foreign art collections and be called the Riga Bourse Art Museum.
Riga Bourse Art Museum
Address: Doma laukums 6, Centra rajons, LV - 1050
Phone: +371 67 357 534
Site:
http://www.lnmm.lv/lv/mmrb/Location inserted by
giulia