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All Latvia Riga Black Cat of Riga

Black Cat of Riga

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

Riga, Latvia

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Damien Day
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  vturano / Atlas Obscura User
Black Cat of Riga   Jaszmina Szendrey / Atlas Obscura User
Psipsipsi.   tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Black Cat on Roof, Riga   Global Sightseer / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Getting into the Great Guild in Latvia in the 14th century, was an incredibly huge honor. Similarly, getting snubbed from the Great Guild was a gigantic insult.

One Riga local was so offended that he attached a black cat on top of his building so it would cast its evil glare upon the Guild for as long as the building would stand.

With an arched back, the Black Cat of Riga seems ready to strike and clearly states the man's displeasure at not getting admitted to the Guild. Obviously, the members of the guild hated the sculpture, and a fight between the man and the guild raged for months to come. Although an agreement was reached and the statue turned around, the Black Cat still sits on its perch in Old Town Riga.

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Cats Statues Animals

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Riga's Old Town, Meistaru street 10/12

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Added By

Dampo

Edited By

Jaszmina Szendrey, tylercole, Global Sightseer, buddapesht...

  • Jaszmina Szendrey
  • tylercole
  • Global Sightseer
  • buddapesht
  • vturano

Published

December 20, 2011

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  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_House,_Riga
Black Cat of Riga
Meistaru street 10/12
Riga, LV-1050
Latvia
56.950133, 24.108359
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