Riga Zoo

Mežaparks (German: Kaiserwald) is a neighbourhood of Northern District in Riga, the capital of Latvia. It consists of a residential area to the South and a large urban park to the North of the same name – Mežaparks. The neighbourhood is located on the western shore of Lake Ķīšezers. The name is literally translated as "forest park". The neighbourhood and park were built in the early 20th century and the area was originally called Kaiserwald. It was one of the world's first garden cities. It had large number of Art Nouveau and Eclectic villas for upper class inhabitants of Riga. During the Second World War, the Kaiserwald concentration camp was located in this park, and many Jews, Gypsies, Communists, and other opponents of Nazi rule were murdered in these woods. Today it is still one of the wealthier areas of Riga, the Mežaparks Great Bandstand hosts the Latvian Song and Dance Festival in early July every five years. Mežaparks is also host to the Riga Zoo and its lakeside locale allows for various water sporting activities. There is also an amusement park in Mežaparks, which makes the neighborhood a popular summer destination for Riga residents.

The Mežaparks Great Bandstand (Latvian: Mežaparka Lielā estrāde), also called the Song Festival Bandstand, Open-Air Stage (Latvian: Dziesmu svētku estrāde), is a large open-air bandstand in Mežaparks park in the Mežaparks neighbourhood of Riga, the capital of Latvia. The bandstand has added cultural value to Riga since 1955, when the Latvian Song and Dance Festival was moved to this venue.The bandstand was erected according to a project by architect and civil engineer Vladimir Schnitnikov. It lies in the northern part of Mežaparks, an area that mostly consists of pine forest. Within the cleared area of the forest, the bandstand lies in the northwestern corner, and the rest of the area has long wingshaped benches with seating for 30,000 spectators. There were up to 200,000 spectators attending the 1988 Latvian Song and Dance Festival. The stage is an integral part of the Song and Dance Festival which is a unique feature of Latvian culture and a part of national identity. The key function of an open air stage is to keep the tradition of the Song Festival, which is included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list.

Mežaparks (lit. transl. Forest Park) is a large urban park in the Mežaparks neighbourhood of Riga, the capital of Latvia. The park is home to the open-air Mežaparks Great Bandstand and has Riga Zoo located next to it as well as access to Ķīšezers lake. The 424 ha (1,048 acres) territory is covered with coastal dunes, much of it with boreal forests, both protected conserved biotopes. The territory began to be used for recreation in the 18th century and was added to Riga's territory in the 19th century. In 1901, the Mežaparks neighbourhood became Russian Empire's first architectural project to use the garden city movement. The area was expanded and developed during the first half of the 20th century, primarily serving as an elite sports complex. After World War II in 1949, the Soviet Government carried out a major expansion of the park and inaugurated it as a public park with many recreational areas and buildings. Up until the end of the 20th century, the park continued to serve as a public park. Although little of the Soviet architecture survives, the park has seen a resurgence after restoration of Latvia's independence and is currently a popular recreational location. The park and the neighbourhood are a national heritage site and architectural cultural monuments.

Mežaparks Lutheran Church (Latvian: Mežaparka Evaņģēliski luteriskā baznīca) is a Lutheran church in Riga, the capital of Latvia. It is a parish church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. The church is situated at the address 28 Ezermalas Street. Worship is offered in both Latvian and Russian languages.

Forest Cemetery (Latvian: Rīgas Meža kapi) is an 85 hectares (210 acres) large cemetery in the northwestern part of Riga, the capital of Latvia, between the neighbourhoods of Mežaparks and Čiekurkalns. Formally, the cemetery is divided between 1st Forest Cemetery, with entrance from Aizsaules Street, and 2nd Forest Cemetery, with entrance from Gaujas Street. In 1904, German Lutheran congregations in Riga inquired the Riga City Council for allotment of land for a cemetery in the Mežaparks neighbourhood. It was planned to become a new large cemetery after the Great Cemetery, that was established 1773 in Riga and had exhausted its potential. The prominent Baltic-German landscape architect Georg Kuphaldt was author of the original construction project presented 1908, which should have appeared as a park with a central via funeralis, with many small and lateral paths along the graves with low fences and small monuments. The Forest Cemetery was established 29 July 1910 following a decision made by the 3rd Imperial Duma, and it was inaugurated 19 June 1913.All burial ceremonies were conducted in a building erected 1913 after blueprints by the Baltic-German architect Wilhelm Neumann.During World War I, when the front closed in on Riga in 1916, the Forest Cemetery was receiving many fallen Latvian Riflemen. After a lengthy debate with local congregations, the Imperial Duma sanctioned the construction of a military cemetery, on land transferred from the Forest Cemetery, a cemetery that later was named Brothers' Cemetery.The Forest Cemetery has many sculptural memorials and tombstones created by notable sculptors. Many notable Latvian politicians, military, and public figures are buried at the Forest Cemetery.

Christ the King Church (Latvian: Kristus Karaļa Romas katoļu baznīca) is a catholic church in Riga, the capital of Latvia. The church is situated at the address 86 Meža Prospect. Originally built between 1935 and 1942, construction of the church was interrupted by World War II. The building was consecrated by Metropolitan Archbishop Antonijs Springovičs on 26 April 1943. Although part of the original architectural plan, the church tower was not completed until after 2002. The pastor from 1958 to 1959 and then again from 1989 to 1991 was Jānis Pujats, who was then appointed metropolitan archbishop of Riga by Pope John Paul II. The pastor from 1984 to 1989 was Jānis Bulis, who was appointed bishop of Liepāja two years later. The pastor from 1999 to 2011 was Edvards Pavlovskis, who was then appointed bishop of Jelgava by Pope Benedict XVI.

Brothers' Cemetery or Cemetery of the Brethren (Latvian: Brāļu Kapi), also sometimes referred to in English as the Common Graves or simply as the Military Cemetery, is a military cemetery and national monument in Riga, capital of Latvia. The cemetery is a memorial to and burial ground for thousands of Latvian soldiers who were killed between 1915 and 1920 in World War I and the Latvian War of Independence. The landscape was designed by gardener Andrejs Zeidaks, who started to work on it already during the war. The memorial was built between 1924 and 1936, to designs by the sculptor Kārlis Zāle, many of whose sculptures feature prominently, the architects Pēteris Feders, Aleksandrs Birzenieks, P. Kundziņš, the sculptors J. Cirulis and F. Valdmanis and others.

The National Defence Academy of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Nacionālā aizsardzības akadēmija) is a defense academy of higher education and scientific research in Riga, Latvia. It was established on February 13, 1992, as the Academy of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia. It builds on the historic traditions of the pre-WWII Latvian School of War (Latvijas Kara skola). It is the only military academy in Latvia. The Latvian Armed Forces also contribute to and utilize the Baltic Defence College in Tartu.

Ķīšezers is a lake in Riga, Latvia, with primary inflow of the Jugla River. The lake is 1,730 ha (4,300 acres) large, it has 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) of average depth and reaches 4.2 metres (14 ft) at the deepest point.

Čiekurkalns (German: Schreienbusch) is a neighbourhood of the Northern District of Riga, the capital of Latvia. It is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Ķīšezers. In April 2014, the new building of the State Revenue Service of Latvia was unveiled at Talejas iela 1 in Čiekurkalns.The building of the railway station of the same name, which serves the Riga–Lugaži Railway along the southern limits of the neighbourhood, stands in the Teika neighbourhood.

Revelation of Christ Church (Latvian: Kristus Apskaidrošanās Pareizticīgā Baznīca, Russian: Храм Преображения Господня, also referred to as Alexander Vysotskaya) is an Eastern Orthodox church in Riga. It is located near the Sarkandaugava railway station. Church was built in 1890 by architect Apoloniuss Aleksandrs Edelsons. The church is situated at the address 11 Meža Prospect.

Sarkandaugava Station is a railway station on the Zemitāni – Skulte Railway.