Riga's Jugendstil Grandeur

One simply cannot sing enough praises of the "even" side of the street (recall, most of it designed by Mihail Eisenstein). All the balconies, arches, bas-reliefs and sculptures become all the more dramatic as the sun etches them in sharp relief.

And there is, perhaps, some logic in the most elaborate facades all being on one side of the street. It's likely the same reason that only one side of the street has front gardens.

The sun only ever shines down one side of the street.

We hadn't really noticed it until reading an account of Alberta iela in its heyday. A smorgasbord of Germans, Latvians, and Russians, putting their lounge chairs and chaises out in the verdant greenery of their front lawns, relaxing, basking in the warmth of a not particularly hot, and all to fleeting, Baltic summer—the break in the heat a welcome change from the recent rash of "the hottest summer in 100 years." Global warming is a reality.

We'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

• Nr. 2a, Alberta iela (Street)
• Nr. 2, Alberta iela (Street)
• Nr. 5, Alberta iela (Street)
• Nr. 1, Alberta iela (Street)
• Nr. 3, Alberta iela (Street)
• Nr. 4, Alberta iela (Street)

• «Alberta Iela Introduction