Old town

The historic core of Riga extends along the northeastern bank of the Daugava river, west of the railway station. It is surrounded by a moat and in the past also by city walls, which have been dismantled and replaced by a green belt of parks. The historic core contains large pedestrian areas, a maze of narrow cobblestone streets and buildings in medieval, renessaince, baroque and neoclassical styles. There is no clearly identifiable centre, but the cathedral square is the largest square of historic Riga. The historic core of Riga has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.