St. Jacob's church is easy to recognise from a distance as it has four spherical globes on the tower's helm edge. The three-naved Gothic brick hall church (built in 1334) has been the church of seafarers since the Middle Ages. It was consecrated together with St. Mary's and St. Peter's. Since the church did not suffer any damage during the 2nd World War, the boxed pew and historic organ are still intact. The small 'Stellwagen organ' is one of the best preserved examples of North German organs from the 16th century.
A lifeboat commemorates the sinking of the four-masted barque 'Pamir' in 1957. It is located in the north tower chapel and represents the 'National Memorial for Civilian Shipping' today.
St. Jacob's is a memorial site for international seafarers and placed in its vault beneath the Pamir chapel, which serves as a Columbarium (a place of memory), are the urns of those whose lives were intertwined with the sea. An ensemble of three-storey brick eaves houses built in 1601 stands in front of St. Jacob's. These served as residences for the pastors and preachers of St. Jacob's Church.
References: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.