The first written mention of the castle of Potštejn is from the late 13th century. The castle was conquered only once in history, in 1339 by Charles IV before he became king. The village below the castle was first mentioned in 1350. The golden times of the castle were after 1495, when it was bought by Vilém II of Pernštejn, who had rebuilt it.
In the 17th century, economic decline came, the castle fell into disrepair, and the entire Potštejn went bankrupt. In 1746, the estate was bought by the nobleman Jan Ludvík Harbuval Chamaré, who had built here a château. After the House of Chamaré died out in the mid-19th century, Potštejn was acquired by marriage by the Dobřenský of Dobřenice family. They owned it until 1945, when their properties were confiscated.
House of the Blackheads (Melngalvju nams) is a building situated in the old town of Riga. The original building was erected during the first third of the 14th century for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, a guild for unmarried German merchants in Riga. Major works were done in the years 1580 and 1886, adding most of the ornaments.
The structure was bombed to a ruin by the Germans June 28, 1941 and the remains demolished by the Soviets in 1948. The current reconstruction was erected from 1995 to 1999. Today the House of Blackheads serves as a museum and sometimes concert hall.