Alberta Street : 50 meters from Mosaic Hotel
Alberta Street is regarded as Riga’s Art Nouveau gem, since it is full of splendid historical Art Nouveau-style buildings from one end to the other. The area was erected in a short period of time – from 1901 to 1908, each of the buildings standing alone as an inimitable 20th century architectural achievement. Eight buildings are now recognized as architectural monuments of national significance.
Art Nouveau Museum: 100 meters from Mosaic Hotel
The surrounding area also features great examples of Art Nouveau style. The buildings are decorated with sculptures, balconies, columns, and other elements characteristic to this style. Outstanding pieces of art can be also found in the interior. More information on the Art Nouveau is available at the Riga Art Nouveau Museum, which opened on Alberta Street in 2009.
Kronvalda Park: 200 meters from Mosaic Hotel
Kronvalda Park is 11.92 hectares in area, with the city canal running through it. Bordering Elizabetes, Kr. Valdemāra streets, Kronvalda and Kalpaka boulevards. The city canal splits the park into two parts. After dismantling the city dikes in 1863, the Union of Riga German Riflemen erected a society house and a shooting-ground on the right side of the park. Later, in 1883, this part was enlarged according to a project by architect Georgs Kūfalts with around 2,000 rosebushes blossoming in flowerbeds and rose-gardens. After 1927 the State handed the whole garden, except for the Riga Congress Centre, over to the city's inhabitants, and garden architect Andrejs Zeidaks started creating a landscaped park here. During 1930's the park was named after member of the Young Latvians Movement Atis Kronvalds.
The Old Town: 700 meters from Mosaic Hotel
The Old Town is the oldest section of Riga as well as the center of the city. It is the city’s most popular area with tourists. In 1997, Riga's historic center was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Old Town has highly diverse architecture, and the majority of buildings have the status of a cultural monument. The city's architecture represents various periods - Romanticism, Gothic, Baroque, Classicism, and Modernism. After the restoration of the independence of Latvia, many buildings in the Old Town were reconstructed or rebuilt to restore the historic look of the area.
The most impressive buildings in the Old Town are the Riga Cathedral and St. Peter's Church, offering a wonderful panoramic view on the city of Riga from a 72 meter observational tower.
Riga's Nativity of Christ Cathedral is the biggest Orthodox church in the city. Having served as a planetarium and a restaurant during the Soviet Era, the building has been completely restored as a church and holds regular Orthodox services.
Art Nouveau at 10b Elizabetes Street: 50 meters from Mosaic Hotel
One of the most impressive examples of early Art Nouveau can be seen at 10b Elizabetes Street - a building designed by Mikhail Eisenstein, the father of cinema genius Sergei Eisenstein. It was built in 1903. The building has an extraordinarily colourful facade. Note the composition of masks, peacocks, sculptural elements and geometrical figures, as well as the bright blue tile covering on the upper levels of the building. The facade was designed by copying and complementing drawings by two Leipzig architects, Georg Wünschmann and Hans Kozel which were first published in a collection of facade drawings in Saint Petersburg. The buildings and their splendid staircase were renovated in 2000.
