Konstantīns Pēkšēns in the context of Latvian Art Nouveau (4h) – starting at 50€ per hour (contact us for proposal)
Email us your group size and choose the Dates and Times in which your Art Nouveau experience could take place, and you will get a quotation in less than 48 hours. Reserve early to guarantee availability.
Can’t wait 48h to get your quotation? Don’t hesitate to WhatsApp/Call us at +34 667 823 001 or us now.
About this private tour
During this half day private tour you will be able to discover the track of Konstantīns Pēkšēns in the city of Riga. He was one of the most industrious architects at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century and a proof of that is that there stand more than 200 of the more than 250 designed by him in the city of Riga.
Pēkšēns embraced all of the styles of the time and moved on from the eclecticism so popular in the mid to late-1800s Riga to the Art Nouveau and its later offshoot, national romanticism. Our private tour is unique because it will give you a deep understanding of this master figure. Especially for people who are history and architecture enthusiasts.
Your tour will will be guided by an experienced tour guide that is an art nouveau expert because we want you to discover the beauty and history of art nouveau in the city of Riga in the best of the ways.
Riga is a city that holds a very important place within the history of Jugendstil in Europe and Pēkšēns is one of its leading architects. Over a third of all buildings in the Central part of the city belong to this art style because Art Nouveau was at the height of its popularity when Riga was at the zenith of an unprecedented financial boom.
If you and your group love Art Nouveau and want to discover about the exceptional Konstantīns Pēkšēns, this walking private tour is for your group
If you love Art Nouveau and travel to the Baltic states, this tour is a Must!
Hotels in the city
Riga offers charming hotels in three distinct areas: the Art Nouveau district, the Old Town, and the Park area, each providing unique experiences.
Art Nouveau District
Known as “the Embassy district” or “the Quiet Centre,” this area boasts stunning architecture and is close to shopping and Riga Old Town.
Hestia Hotel Jugend, A22 Hotel: Modern comforts in an Art Nouveau building.
A22 Hotel: Contemporary amenities in a stylish setting.
AC Hotel Riga: High standards in a sleek, modern environment.
Old Town (Vecrīga)
A UNESCO World Heritage site filled with historic buildings and lively streets.
Neiburgs Hotel: Next to Dom Cathedral, offers authentic Art Nouveau charm.
Grand Palace Hotel Riga: Elegant and luxurious.
Grand Palace Hotel Riga. Dome Hotel
: Intimate boutique experience.
Park Area
Perfect for a tranquil stay with green spaces nearby.
Grand Hotel Kempinski Riga: Luxury opposite the Opera House.
Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel: Tallest building with great views, ideal for business and leisure.
Each area offers a unique slice of Riga’s charm, ensuring a memorable stay.
Our spirit
Enjoy personalized attention from a private guide while on this tour focused on Riga’s art nouveau architecture.
Stroll through Riga’s downtown accompanied by an expert private guide to find some of the architectural gems you might not stumble upon on your own, listening to architecture-focused commentary from your guide.
Visit as many of the 800 art nouveau buildings as possible in your tour time; efficient travel is made possible with a private tour. Flexibility to customize your itinerary to your own preferences Private guide tailors itinerary to you and your group Focus on Riga’s art nouveau architecture through site visits and commentary Convenient hotel or port pickup and drop-off.
Description
Itinerary
A complete 4-hours half day walking tour about the life and work of Konstantīns Pēkšēns, the architect who designed more than 250 buildings in Riga.
You will be accompanied all the time by a local guide who is an expert in Art Nouveau. Your guide for this private tour works in the Art Nouveau museum.
We will start the Art Nouveau tour visiting an early project of the architect, Berga Bazars. After, you will enjoy the view of the Houses of Arveds and Edgars Bergs and especially relevant you will get introduced to these buildings by our specialised guide.
After discovering The Building of Mutual Credit Union, a nice example of Perpendicular Art Nouveau, in addition you will learn about the School in Tērbatas Street, one of the symbols of the early 20th century architecture in Rīga.
To make your visit unique in summer we will go up to the top of a building located in the Art Nouveau Center (the Quiet Center, as is often called this area of the city) from where you will have a great view to the roofs of exquisite art nouveau buildings of the beginning of the 20th century. Buildings of Art Nouveau represent nearly 40% of the whole inventory of the city centre.
We will continue our tour discovering the highlights and hidden gems in Dzirnavu Street and Alberta Street, two main streets in Riga’s Belle Époque.
Finally we will head into The Museum of Art Nouveau, a must place for art nouveau lovers. Pēkšēns designed this iconic building at Alberta 12, which the architect called home until 1907. We will visit the flat of the architect and learn some curiosities there.
If you feel artistic we will take a photo of you and your private group in the art nouveau saloon dressed up with art nouveau hats. This picture will be the perfect souvenir to remember how you enjoyed 4 hours being told about Peksens’ life and works.
The impressive house was also home to the illustrious painter Janis Rozentãls and the writer Rūdolfs Blaumanis to whom another museum is dedicated on the top floor.
Highlights of the city tour are: Houses built by the architect Konstantīns Pēkšēns along Dzirnavu Street, Alberta Street and The Museum of Art Nouveau.
Pickup & Drop Off
Pick up from your accommodation (within Riga old town or Art Nouveau district) or at the cruise ship terminal in Riga Passenger Port (near Old Riga). If you require transport from/to Krievu Sala cruise port, contact us to know quotation for transfer into the city.
The guide will leave you at the other side of the city (if you started at Old Riga, the tour will end at Alberta street, and opposite). If you need to start and end the tour at the Riga Passenger Port, we can do that.
Inclusions
Professional fully licensed guiding service. Our guide will also be flexible to alter the route according to your wishes. The time to start the tour will be at the visitors convenience.
Our guide will also be flexible to alter the route according to your wishes. each tour will be tailored to suit the individual clients.
Exclusions
Tickets to the Museum of Art Nouveau: Adults: 9€ pp; Students and Seniors: 5€ pp. Photo permission: 1,50€ pp. Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) – 9€; Taking photos and photo printing – 2.00 EUR; Taking photos with Art Nouveau hats – 1.50 EUR. See Entrance Fees by CLICKING HERE. Closed on Mondays.
Entrance fee to the Jans Rozentals an Rudolfs Blaumanis Museum, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, is also located in the Art Nouveau district (Optional visit).
Entry to the Synagogue.
Food and drinks.
Additional Info
It is possible to visit the Synagogue everyday except on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. If you are visitors are practicing Jews they can visit inside during the service on your own.
We will suggest you to continue the journey having lunch in a restaurant with an Art Nouveau interior. Your guide will recommend you several options.
Konstantīns Pēksēns and National Romanticism
National Romanticism reflects the attempt of Riga architects to create a specific Latvian architecture. This trend of art Nouveau flourished between 1905 and 1911. It was inspired by applied folk art and vernacular architecture. Latvian architects insisted on using natural building materials. Buildings in the National Romanticism vein are characterized by a solid appearance, a monumental dignity, steep roofs, window apertures with a tapered upper plant, ornamentation utilizing ethnographic motifs presented in a rather restrained manner and sometimes reproduced according to the principles of the Art Nouveau aesthetic, that is, with rounded, sinuous patterns. Every third or fourth Art Nouveau building in Riga can be categorized as belonging to National Romanticism. The most outstanding master of National romanticism is Konstantīns Pēksēns.
There were three main trends or schools of art nouveau in Riga: National Romanticism (main representative, Konstantīns Pēksēns), Eclectically Decorative (main representative, civil engineer Mikhail Eisenstein) and The Perpendicular (main representative, architect Jãnis Alksnis).
Riga at the turn of the Century
The early 20th century was the golden age for the development of Riga. Its population doubled over the course of 15 years, surpassing 500,000 on the eve of World War I and becoming one of the major centres of industry, trade and culture on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
Local architects were employed to enlarge the city in a new style that was inspired by the German, Austrian and Finnish architecture of the time and also by local traditions. Nowadays more than one third of all buildings in the Central part of the city have art nouveau style, making Riga a paradise for art nouveau lovers. Art Nouveau – Jugendstil at its best.