The completion of one of the most impressive renovation projects in Latvia in the last decade - the Riga Castle convent renovation project - is becoming more evident. 96% of the construction work has already been completed, informs Renārs Griškevičs, Chairman of the Board of SJSC "State Real Estate" (SRE).
The majority of the construction work has already been completed. Floor and wall finishing works in the historic repairman's hall, installation of engineering communications, restoration of windows and surfaces, assembly of metal structures, assembly and renovation of stairs, assembly of dolomite slabs, cement tiles, and doors in the premises of the southern wing of the castle have been completed. In total, an average of 100 workers work in Riga Castle every day, among them highly qualified restorers.
Chairman of the Riga Castle Restoration Council Dr. habil. art. Ojārs Spārītis: “In a few months, the second round of restoration and repair work on the Riga Castle convent building (castellum) will be completed, and the many-times-rebuilt residence, as a symbol of power, will forever transform into the Latvian National Museum of History with the most extensive ever possible exhibition dedicated to the history of our country.
The largest part of the castle has undergone functional and cosmetic renovation, installing an infrastructure that meets modern needs and creating appropriate spaces for museum showcases, exhibits and exhibitions. Two groups of rooms are particularly noteworthy, which were widly discussed by architects, restorers, cultural heritage specialists and workers, searching for the best possible way to highlight the medieval substance and retouch the layers of many later centuries, which would allow for the unambiguous display and perception of the original image of the premises, the unique character of the building materials, structures and decoration. This has been achieved in the medieval basement and in the two main rooms of the castle - the chapel and the festive dining hall or remter. In these rooms, everyone will be able to see for themselves the use of ancient construction techniques to create complex structures, as well as the work of modern restorers, regaining an unified idea of the spatial and stylistic nobility of medieval architecture.”
The main goal of the reconstruction and restoration works of the Riga Castle convent is to preserve the historical heritage and create modern museum premises. Currently, the construction works are being carried out according to the planned schedules and very soon the Latvian National Museum of History will be able to return to its historical home, promoting the accessibility of the historical and cultural heritage of the Riga Castle to the wider public.
“The work is progressing smoothly, which we are truly pleased about. Based on the current situation, it is planned to complete the construction works and put the premises into operation in November, and in 2024 the object is planned to be transferred to the Latvian National Museum of History (LNMH) for use,” informs Renārs Griškevičs, Chairman of the Board of the SRE.
Dr. hist. Arnis Radiņš, Director of the Latvian National Museum of History, explained the museum's future plans regarding the new premises and the creation of exhibitions: "We are pleased with the smooth progress of the renovation work, as a result of which there is a possibility that the Latvian National Museum of History will move to the new premises even earlier than the previously planned August 2024. We are currently actively negotiating with SRE about the rental fee for the premises and the expected date of the move, when the museum will be able to start displaying exhibitions. In parallel, a design competition for the new exhibition took place, which was won by SIA "Didzis Jaunzems Arhitektūra" (Ltd.). We plan to display projects in the museum premises that have not yet been seen in Latvia and will be impressive in terms of design. The design projects are planned to be developed from the LNMH budget by the end of this year. In the first half of next year, we plan to complete the technical projects and begin their implementation at the end of the year. In turn, we hope to open the museum's exhibitions to the public at the end of 2025. The creation of the basement exhibition largely depends on whether it will be possible to carry out the Daugava gāte renovation project and carry out waterproofing measures for the basement walls.”
The total area of the Riga Castle convent construction project is 11.9 thousand square meters; of which approximately 6.7 thousand square meters have currently been renovated, the remaining 5.2 thousand square meters are not being renovated in the I and II construction phases – they are planned to be implemented in the next phases of the palace renovation.
More information about the project
The total budget of the project is almost 26 million euros. Under the leadership of the SRE, the first and second stages of the construction work of the Riga Castle convent are being carried out by AS “LNK Industries” (JSC), with investments from state budget and ERDF funding attracted by the Ministry of Culture. The renovation of the Riga Castle convent is being carried out according to the construction project developed by PS “Rīgas Pils Kastelas projekts” (GP). Construction supervision is carried out by SIA "Būvalts" (Ltd.). The project is scheduled to be completed in 2024, so that the Latvian National Museum of History can return to its historical home, begin furnishing and opening some of its exhibitions to the public. In the next stage of the project, the remaining rooms of the castle will be restored and rebuilt to also furnish the main exhibition of Latvian history in the castle.
The project is financed from the funding attracted by the Ministry of Culture - the European Union Funds Operational Programme “Growth and Employment” priority axis “Environmental protection and resource efficiency” 5.5.1. specific support objective “Preserve, protect and develop significant cultural and natural heritage, as well as develop related services” fourth round of project application selection “Preservation, restoration of cultural heritage and development of related infrastructure in the territory of the historic center of Riga” and state budget funding.
SRE is successfully implementing 44 projects of national importance, of which 24 are under construction. The total implementation budget of the projects is more than 336 million euros. SRE provides professional real estate management and administration for 352 building and construction properties, which include 1000 buildings with an area of 0.95 million square meters, as well as land under buildings with an area of 607 ha, and 3460 land properties with a total area of 907 ha. SRE is one of 23 Latvian companies that this year received the highest platinum award "Sustainability Index" from Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, confirming good governance and the sustainability of its operations. The company was founded in 1996, and its 100% shareholder is the Ministry of Finance.
Additional information for the media:
SJSC "State Real Estate"
Corporate Communications and Sustainability Department
Tel.: +371 20235301
E-mail: komunikacija@vni.lv
(Translated with the help of DeepL Translate)
