Facts About House of the BlackHeads
- House of the Blackheads is a building situated in the old town of Riga, Latvia.
- The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried merchants, shipowners, and foreigners in Riga.
- The sculptures were made by the workshop of August Volz.
- The building was bombed to a ruin by the Germans on June 28, 1941. a week after the launching of Operation Barbarossa and the remains were demolished by the Soviets in 1948. It was rebuilt between 1996 and 1999 with funds provided by Valērijs Kargins, the president of Parex Bank.
- House of the Black Heads was officially opened on December 9, 1999.
- The presidential residence for the president of Latvia was temporarily located in the building from 2012 to 2016.
- The house was known for its wild parties and the Brotherhood is credited with displaying the first public Christmas tree in 1510.
- House of the Black Heads is one of the oldest and most renowned building complexes in Tallinn’s Old Town.
- The House of the Blackheads now plays host to a museum and has a grand ballroom used for cultural events.
- The re-building of House of the Blackheads fulfilled a saying once written on the building’s entrance: “Should I ever crumble to dust, rebuild my walls you must”.