Saeima
Saeima is Latvia’s parliament, and its historic home stands in Riga’s Old Town as an architectural landmark. The building faces St James’s Cathedral across the street.
Robert Pflug and Jānis Baumanis designed the building in neo-Renaissance style with Eclectic decorative details. Fire damaged the building, which Eižens Laube later restored.
Rihards Maurs created the Lāčplēsis statue during the restoration, replacing the original statue lost in the fire. The Voting Room occupies an enclosed inner courtyard.
The building has housed Latvia’s People’s Council, Constitutional Assembly, Supreme Council, and later parliamentary institutions. Its marble staircase marks the restored interior design.
The Saeima’s history includes imperial administration, independence, occupation, and the restoration of Latvian sovereignty. Its name comes from the Polish sejm tradition.
The parliamentary chamber reflects adaptations made for Latvia’s changing constitutional and political institutions. The building carries those historical layers in stone.
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