The Romanesque Santa Maria (St. Mary's) church, which is located at the foot of the medieval castle, was the seat of the parish until the end of the 18th century. The bell tower is a typical square shaped tower. During the digs carried out in the building, the remains of the ancient early-Christian church and the relative baptismal font were found. The semi-circular shaped crypt, near the choir, dates back to the 11th century. Inside the church you can still admire important frescos from the 13th to the 16th century, as well as furnishings.
You can access the church on foot, within the space of five minutes, from the road that unwinds from the bridge over the Dora Baltea.
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.