Built as an integral part of Riga’s old citadel from 1780 - 1785, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul was erected at the behest of Catherine the Great and was originally meant to be a house of worship for the local garrison of Russian troops. In fact, it remained the main church for Orthodox Christians in the city until the gold-domed cathedral in the Esplanade Park was built in 1884. Today, it functions as a concert hall and is easily recognised by its baby blue colour, neoclassical style and unusual Masonic imagery.
