The ruler of vast swathes of Central Asia including parts of present-day Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and grandson of the (in)famous Timur (or Tamerlane), Ulugh Beg (1394 - 1449) was also a famous mathematician and astronomer in his day. In fact, he built the Islamic world’s largest observatory in Samarkand. Today you can take a gander at his fierce, yet learned visage on the left bank of the Riga canal across the street from the Ausekļa iela tram stop on Kronvalda bulvāris. The bronze statue on a red granite pedestal was a gift from the Embassy of Uzbekistan.