User:Gerald Waldo Luis/Latvia

The architecture of Latvia reflects the geographical, historical, and cultural influences that shaped the country.

History
The first cities of Latvia were built by the German knights in order to Christianize the country. Buildings were made out of bricks, in a Western European style. In the following centuries, castles, churches, and townhouses were built in Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles. Baroque was said to be "especially influential in Eastern Latvia where Catholic faith prevailed as well as for palaces."

The architecture of Latvia was later refurbished during the 19th century urbanization. Neo-classicist and historicist styles were used, and the country used more wood-based buildings rather than brick-based.

During the interwar period and World War I, Latvia lost a lot of the population, reducing the need increase of new structures, inflamed by financial limitations. Historicist and Art Nouveau styles came to an end, and structures became more minimalistic. This was referred to as neo-eclectic architecture. Art Deco architecture was also popularized. Many projects, such as the Riga City Hall, were never built due to the Soviet occupation. During the occupation, Socialist realism became the only legal style, causing old architecture to be destroyed, and architects of old architecture to be murdered, expelled, or arrested in the Soviet genocide. The goal is to make Soviet cities grander than Western cities by Joseph Stalin, who enforced the style from 1944 to 1945. During this period, Soviet's atheist policies abandoned church projects. In social-realist areas, Soviet symbols and propaganda were scattered throughout.

After Latvia's independence, modern Western styles were adopted.

Vernacular architecture
Latvia's vernacular architecture uses wood, and is mostly seen at villages. During the 17th and 18th century, villagers would use timber found from the forest along with thatching for the gable roof, and build it by hand. Timber is chosen because of its sustainability and availability across Europe. It is stated that such houses are seen as cramped. Vernacular architectures are rarely used in modern areas due to the erasure of traditional architecture from towns and cities by the German knights in the 13th century, when it conquered Latvia. By the 19th century, many vernacular structures have been refurbished to look more urban. Inhabitants of such architecture have been categorized as poor. Many of such architecture have now been relocated to folk museums. Such vernacular architecture influenced the Art Nouveau architecture, occurred during the 19th century. Wooden vernacular architecture are mostly seen in Grīziņkalns, Sarkandaugava and Ķīpsala.

In addition to Latvia's, Russia's vernacular architecture are present in Latgale by Old Believer migrants of the 18th century.

Art Nouveau architecture
Art Nouveau architecture in Latvia is mostly seen in the capital and largest city, Riga; the city also has the highest concentration of Art Nouveau architecture worldwide.