Jurmala

History of Jurmala

Fishing settlements on the territory of modern Jurmala existed in prehistoric times. The first written certificate of settlement dates back to the first half of the XIII century. As a resort, Jurmala began to be formed only in the XVIII century, after joining the Russian Empire. Local rich people, aristocrats and landlords quickly made it a habit to go on holiday to the Riga coast. Initially, the guests were provided with taverns and fishing huts, but soon the construction of mansions and spa hotels began. Already at the beginning of the XIX century regular transport connections to Jurmala were established. Gradually, the Riga seaside became a favorite place for recreation and guests from all Russian provinces came here. Since the resort was visited mainly by wealthy people, so the opening of special baths, and then the opening of clinics did not take long. Nowadays, Jurmala resort remains a wonderful place for recovery and quiet relaxing recreation on the coast.

Attractions of Jurmala

You do not need to have a guide or map to see the main cultural and architectural sights in Jurmala. In fact, you just need to walk through the streets of Jurmala, such as central Jomas street. The resort itself is an architectural monument, and its buildings in the historical part of the town are under the protection of local authorities. Looking at the facades of the houses on the main streets, you can see the work of famous architects such as Laube and Medlinger, admire the lace carvings and classic stucco work, admire the elegant balconies and the abundance of flowers typical for the southern city.

But it is not bad to have some landmarks in the city, in the direction of which you will walk. Here is a selection of the most popular and, in our opinion, interesting sights of Jurmala.

Open Air Museum or Latvian Fishermen's Village

By visiting the ethnic museum, tourists will get an idea of how the native inhabitants of Jurmala used to live. There is a rich collection of household items, from boats and nets to anchors and household utensils. Visitors can walk around the houses, go inside, look in the smokehouse or barn, go to the bathhouse and finally try the fish dish that has been prepared.

City Museum

Visitors of the museum will learn everything about the history of the resort and its foundation, get acquainted with a collection of old photographs of holidaymakers and, most interestingly, visit the hall with the findings of divers lifted from the sea bottom.

Lutheran Church

In 1907, the most beautiful Lutheran church appeared in Jurmala, designed by architect Bockslaff in Gothic style. The architectural style is reminiscent of the Gothic buildings of the Middle Ages with donjons and powerful fortress towers. Inside, the church is also striking with its decoration. Tourists will be interested to see the ancient organ and the choirs, made of dark wood.

House-Museum of the poetess Aspazija

This poetic manor house is of interest not only as a summer cottage of the famous Latvian poetess Elza Rosenberg, but also as a historical building in the form of a small castle made of wood. The facade of the cottage is decorated with patterned carvings, a gallery with columns and even a tower. Inside are collected personal belongings of the poetess, as well as furniture and household items of the XIX century.

The House of Fairy Tales

A unique park with an ethnic estate romantically named "Undine". Guests of the park will be able to walk along the pathways, take a break from the bustling city and admire the carvings of the estate and the sculptures adorning the paths. There are also interesting people to meet, and painters, artists and poets from all over the resort like to stroll through the fairytale territory in search of inspiration.

The Vintage Car Museum

Near the famous country concert hall "Dzintary" there is a hall with a collection of vintage cars. Among the bright and stylish exhibits one can find really exclusive models, for example, a limousine of the early XX century. There is also a small collection of vintage chariot and motorcycle cars.

In addition to tourist attractions, there are a variety of other activities, events and concerts held annually in Jurmala. For example, in August here you can take part in a parade of antique cars, spend time in a huge water park, charge a share of extreme when visiting the prison museum or go to an unusual museum of luminous paintings named after Yermolayev. At the "Dzintary" concert hall there are regularly held jazz, opera and modern music concerts, which can be attended by anyone. It is worth remembering and be sure to take a photo with the main tourist monument, the symbol of the resort, a huge turtle made by sculptor Janis Barda. And not far away you can take another photo or make an appointment with the Latvian Globe. The monument to the globe in Jurmala is the largest in the country, and in the evening it lights up, clearly showing all capitals of the world.