Hotels near Freedom Monument and Bastejkalna Park

The Freedom Monument (Brivibas piemineklis) stands 42 metres tall on Brivibas bulvaris and is the most important national landmark in Latvia. Designed by sculptor Karlis Zale and unveiled in 1935, the monument commemorates soldiers killed in the Latvian War of Independence (1918-1920). The bronze figure of Liberty at the top holds three gilded stars representing the three historical regions of Latvia - Vidzeme, Latgale and Kurzeme. The Soviet regime allowed it to remain but banned public gatherings; today it is the site of every major state ceremony.

Immediately behind the monument, Bastejkalna Park stretches along the old defensive moat that once separated Vecriga from the outer city. The park was landscaped in the 1860s after the medieval walls were demolished and offers a shaded 20-minute walk with the canal, wooden footbridges, the Laima Clock and the Freedom Monument itself. Ceremonial guards stand at the monument daily from 09:00 to 18:00 with a changing of the guard every hour on the hour.

Pro Tip: Catch the changing of the guard at the top of any hour - the small ceremony takes 4 minutes and gathers a modest crowd. Never place flowers or candles at the monument casually - it is a national war memorial with strict etiquette.