I spent a happy half-day near the end of last summer wandering through the huge pavilions of Riga’s Central Market, wishing I had more time in Riga to actually shop and cook some of the luscious offerings. Even without that, I fed myself well on samples, nibbles and small purchases, had a delicious cheap lunch at one of the many meal stands.
And, I carried home enough treats for the next day, including cherry halvah. I grew up, by the way, “knowing’ that halvah was made of sesame. I had no idea until Riga how many other types there are, and how many added flavors and how wonderful so many of them are. If I get back to Riga, I’m setting aside a day just for halvah!
The black one in the front is the cherry-flavored one
I said huge, and it’s not an exaggeration. The five buildings together total about 778,000 square feet, with storage cellars beneath them and a freezer system that was built to hold more than 340 tons of goods. All told, the five pavilions have about 3,000 vendor stands, some wholesale but most retail.
Congratulations to George G, who recognized our One-Clue Mystery location!
If the shape of the pavilions reminds you a bit of aircraft hangars, that’s no coincidence. When Riga, capital of newly-independent Latvia decided in the 1920s to build itself a magnificent market to replace a smaller and perpetually filthy one, the architects made a style statement and saved money by using the upper halves of World War I Zeppelin hangars for roofs.
No surprise: Eastern Europe and many varieties of meat, sausages and bread, as well as cabbage salads to go with them
While the market is not as busy as it was in the post World War II years when Latvia was a Soviet republic—in those days, it was an outlet for the collective farm system and had 50-70,000 customers a day and nearly 100,000 on weekends—it’s still a popular shopping venue located at the edge of the Old Town area and near transit hubs.
Fresh fish and seafood from the Baltic and elsewhere
And, unlike all too many markets I’ve seen in recent years, it’s still an everyday working market for ordinary shoppers; it hasn’t turned into a purely gourmet boutique oasis full of fancy delights and featuring meals rather than ingredients. Although, there are plenty of spots within the market to catch a cooked bite.
The halvah’s not the only ‘sweets and treats’ category. I’m still wondering what flavor belongs with some of those colors, though…
Recent years have brought a lot of change to the market as people shop there less often due to the rise of supermarkets, but many people make a weekly or monthly trip because nowhere else is there the incredible variety available, and it has the freshest produce.
Another big change is coming, likely a positive one: a new rail station is being built just across the street for Rail Baltica, a modern high-speed railroad that will link the three Baltic countries with rail systems of the rest of Europe through a connection to Poland and eventually Finland. It will also make the market a key point for shipping Latvian goods and produce to a wider market.
Mushrooms, sundries and dairy products
The Central Market has a history far older than its architectural landmark buildings. The site, between the old town walls and the Daugava River, has had a produce market at least since 1571. The first permanent market, with stalls for vendors was built in 1863, but within sixty years it was not only not big enough, it was decrepit and unsanitary.
Plans for the replacement started in 1922 with an international architectural competition, and the market opened in 1930, with great ceremonies, but not without complaint: Some of the former vendors couldn’t afford rents in the new buildings, or could do so only by raising prices. That led to creation of a new outdoor, but roofed market next door. It’s still there, its gorgeous stands of fruit a lovely teaser for the indoor displays.
There are also areas set aside for other products besides food; the display just above is part of a large restaurant supply vendor
The market has had its ups and downs over the past century, with several cycles of neglect and renewal, with the most recent major work starting after Latvia became independent again in 1991. During German occupation in World War II, half the market was turned into repair shops for German military vehicles, and needed extensive repair after that.
In the 1930s, the market was already a significant tourist attraction, not only because of its size and design, but also because German and British travelers were impressed with the variety and quality of butter and bacon.
The market has survived much, and the next period certainly will have more challenges, but the city of Riga, which owns the market, has made clear it wants the market to continue, both as a place for reasonably priced food and other goods and as a showplace for Latvia’s food and produce.
