Launch site for nuclear war against Western Europe.

This impressively complicated radioastronomy research center was once a tool of Soviet spies.

This seaside pine grove features an exclusive watchtower that presents amazing views.

Latvia's symbolic mountain-shaped national library is home to millions of cultural tomes.

This charming Latvian lane doubled as Baker Street on the Soviet Union’s version of Sherlock Holmes.

A black cat protests the City Guild in Riga's Old Town.

A former Latvian headquarters of the brutal KGB secret police is now open as a grim reminder of their atrocities.

The former Field Marshall and Minister of War to the Russian Imperial Army.

This celebration of Latvia’s freedom and independence avoided demolition over half a century of Soviet occupation.

A map store filled with original Cold War era Russian maps of the world.

3,000 market stands in five former Zeppelin hangars.

A statue built to honor the elite soldiers who fought for Latvia during World War I.

With a design inspired by traditional Latvian textiles, this monument honors the Latvian people who suffered under Soviet occupation.

A stone marker and sculpture in the city of Riga stake a claim for the very first community Christmas tree.

The reconstruction of this prominent building fulfilled a long-written command.

The oldest housing complex in Riga is a mini timeline of architectural trends.

Rusted cars, trucks, and buses form a fascinating collection of Soviet-era machinery.

A decommissioned submarine base makes a great space for graffiti art.

Dedicated to the untimely death of American balloonist and parachutist.

A unique sculpture calls the outside of this steakhouse home.

This dizzying tower was built to better broadcast the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

During the Soviet era, the spire of this longstanding church was used as a radio transmission tower.

The Guardian of Tallinn.

A medieval setting reimagined into a unique art alley.