Misleading is the conception that the only place in Riga worth seeing and being reflected in numerous sources of literature and tourist guides is the old town with the breath catching Art Nouveau samples, historical churches, cozy cafeterias and the somehow mystique narrow cobble-stoned streets. One cannot deny that this part of the city, most probably, is the most vivid one, however, it is not what Riga is all about.
The brick walls and wooden houses of the Moscow suburb embrace not less of history, culture and architectural value as the old town does, however, the difference between those two parts of the city is in the fact that the old town has been constantly reconstructed, renovated and looked after, whereas the Moscow suburbs have been left for negligence for years, letting the merciless sword of time destroy beautiful buildings and making people forget the history of the place. Nowadays the word combination Moscow suburbs brings with it the conception of a ghetto like part of the city, slums, underworld, homelessness, insecurity, illegality....
Moscow suburbs is the part of the city, which is separated from the center by railway line. The name Moscow suburbs was not chosen out of blue – the name has originated from the barge haulers who floated trees down the river Daugava and chose to settle in this part of the city because,quite geographically it is close to the river. …
