FREEDOM MONUMENT (BRĪVĪBAS PIEMINEKLIS)
Sculpted between 1931 and 1935 by the famous Kārlis Zāle, the Freedom Monument is dear to Latvians. It bears witness to the people's love of their homeland, and remains a symbol of their desire for independence. The motto engraved at the foot of the statue, Tevzemei un Brivibai(Fatherland and Freedom), resonates in everyone's mind. The 42 m-high monument was built thanks to donations from the local population. The reliefs on the first level depict Latvian mythological heroes and symbolic figures. You'll recognize Lāčplēsis, the bear ripper. At the top, Milda, the Latvian Marianne, holds up the stars symbolizing the three regions, Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale (Zemgale came into being later). Forbidden to celebrate during the Soviet era, today this monument is the city's most flowery and beloved. In the park beside the statue, the Bastejkalns bastion stands on the edge of the Pilsētas canal. This hill was created in 1857 from the last remnants of Rīga's fortifications. On one of its slopes flows a delightful little man-made waterfall which, if you follow it, will lead you to the Pont des Amours. Each padlock represents a couple, symbolizing the love that stands the test of time. A few metres away, you can see the five slabs of the memorial to the victims of the events of January 1991. Further south, on Aspāzijas bulvāris, the National Opera, directed by Wagner in 1837, was reopened in 1995.
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