Nativity of Christ Cathedral

Nativity of Christ Cathedral

Nativity of Christ Cathedral
4.5
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
About
Duration: < 1 hour
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  • Eloyfr
    Buenos Aires, Argentina1,381 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Orthodox church worth visiting
    I think that I could put this Orthodox church in the No. 2 position of those that I have most liked to visit. It is not far from Old Town within walking distance and even (depending on what you have planned) is "on the way" to other traditional Riga attractions. It's a shame that they don't allow you to take photos inside it. Visit it
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 February 2024
  • PeregrinT
    30 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A beautiful orthodox church
    Golden domes of this church make great contrast with the vibrant foliage of the trees around the church. The church is beautiful and quite big with a lot of icons and frescoes. Place where you can enjoy some peaceful time and admire Eastern Orthodox art.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 25 May 2024
  • Pernille I
    Copenhagen, Denmark7,147 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Blessed by the last Russian tsar - largest Baltic Orthodox cathedral
    Just impressive - all those golden domes you can see from afar like onion heads. Built between 1876 and 1883 - Byzantine style of course the cathedral sits at the entrance to the Esplanade Park - the chic park of the city. It is inspired by Hagia Sofia in Istanbul and carries five domes. Like many Latvian churches it has a changing destiny - Lutheran at times, then closed by the Communists. It was finally used again after independence in 1991. The interior is just as fascinating, multicolored and rich in scenery as the exterior with altars, Orthodox icons and gold everywhere. Admission is free - but there are certain rules for photos.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 25 June 2024
  • BluemoonCH
    Bellinzona, Switzerland832 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful
    Beautiful neo-Byzantine style building surrounded by a park. Finished construction in 1883. During the German occupation it was transformed into a Lutheran church. In 1921 Orthodox cake but in 1960 the Soviet Union transformed it into a planetarium. With the independence of 1991 it becomes Orthodox again.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 July 2024
  • liucy752
    Taipei, Taiwan1,797 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Majestic and splendid
    This beautiful Orthodox church is a little bit far away from popular tourist spots and has fewer tourists. Take a closer look at its light yellow sandstone exterior, decorated with pink striped tiles, which is solemn and elegant. Viewed from a distance (especially from the aerial view), the five golden or blue domes make it even more majestic. The interior has exquisite murals and portraits of religious figures, as well as gorgeous and exquisite crystal chandeliers. The decoration is gorgeous and splendid. Unfortunately photography is prohibited. During my visit, a religious ceremony was going on. The clergy and believers were respectful and solemn, which was touching.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 27 August 2024
  • mrstraveller1
    York, United Kingdom2,246 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This One Is Worth Going Inside For
    Riga has its fair share of beautiful churches, some disappointingly plain and austere inside. Not this one. The interior is strikingly ornate. The founding stone was laid in 1876 but restoration back to sacred glory has been more recent, having been both a planetarium and a restaurant in the Soviet years. Free to enter - donations gratefully received. Strictly no photos, and females must cover their hair (scarves can be borrowed from the kiosk inside).
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 29 September 2024
  • GemsNI
    Armagh, United Kingdom663 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Quick visit to see inside this ornate Church
    With lots of spires and Churches visible across Riga, this one stands out with its golden domes. It is a Russian orthodox church which was built from 1876 on and was used as a planetarium and restaurant when not in use as a church during occupation. No photos allowed. A sign in the hallway states women must cover their hair but this was not enforced/no scarves available for use, and the nuns present didn't make any suggestion. Just be respectfully dressed. Free to enter, it is ornate in its decoration, blue walls and murals with gold everywhere. No seating, but it's a quick visit.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 October 2024
  • Sergey K
    Moscow, Russia47,389 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cathedral of the Nativity
    The wonderful Orthodox cathedral in the Neo-Byzantine style was built in the Esplanade Park in the late 19th century. In Soviet times it housed the House of Knowledge. In a new time, the temple was returned to the faithful. The iconostasis and bells were donated to the Cathedral by Russian entrepreneurs.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 5 November 2024
  • jw6969
    Ascot, United Kingdom3,132 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Extraordinary outside, not so inside!
    This is a truly stunning building outside - all the round windows, the gleaming gold domes. Sadly I thought it was slightly disappointing inside. It is however another reminder of the crazy Russians who invaded - they closed the church and turned it into a planetarium! Whatever, I say, it is a must visit (on your way to the cocktail bar at the Radisson!).
    Visited November 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 November 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles827 reviews
Excellent
515
Very good
242
Average
56
Poor
9
Terrible
5

Mark T
Aberdeen, WA2,989 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
19th Century Russian Orthodox Cathedral in central Riga is open and free to all. Beautiful icons and other painted artwork inside and the location is in the middle of a large central park in Riga. There is a small gift shop/bookshop.
Written 30 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jellyfish62
Liverpool, UK26 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
It's free to get in, however they do have donation boxes dotted around the cathedral. They have a small shop inside where you can buy candles to light in the cathedral for less than a euro and other trinkets such a small crosses and crucifixes which didn't seem expensive. The cathedral is immaculate in both cleanliness and maintenance and the art work is lovely. Well worth a visit inside. You are not permitted to take photographs inside and ladies are required to cover their heads with a hat or scarf although there were ladies in there not observing this request who weren't told to cover their heads. There are plenty of benches inside and it was nice to go into the quite tranquil setting away from the busy street for a moment of reflection.
Written 10 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Suze009
Copenhagen, Denmark225 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
This is a beautiful place. Although I understand that you need to respect the local church-goers, I can't help wishing it was allowed to take pictures (under some rules, like no flash). We accidentally came during mass: nice, emotional and strange experience, with insence and all.
Written 4 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

daveashuk
Bristol, UK915 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • Couples
Free to enter, as it was cold, most women were wearing trousers and had woollen hats on, so scarves/skirts noted by other reviews not required. visited whilst a service was being held, quite a spectacle and got a chance to view ornate interior decorations typical of orthodox style. Small shop by entrance for souvenir/ candles etc.
Written 18 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christopher E
Truro, UK343 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023
This is an awesome basilica. Its beautiful golden domes dominate the skyline and draw one into the sacred space beneath. It is an impressive building and once inside one can really sense the holiness of the church.
Written 10 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ben White
Northampton, UK3,348 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
It’s a very impressive church and has golden domes on top. Although they say “Women need scarves when entering” they’re not mandatory. There’s no entry fees which is a pleasant surprise compared to St Peter’s Church.
Unfortunately you’re unable to take pictures inside. If you do be careful as there’s workers who will tell you off, so make sure you don’t.
Overall, a beautifully maintained church which is a very short walk from the old town.
Written 3 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

LPHDK
Copenhagen, Denmark1,088 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
You can get a birds eye view of the church from the Sky Line Bar at the Radisson hotel.
But the church is also beautiful close up and going inside was sort of like a blast from the past for me.
It is very colourful and almost overwhelming inside
Written 27 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anonymous855
Trabuco Canyon, California1,791 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
The outside was fantastic and but we struggle inside because in the Orthodox church there is no seating so your neck aches to look at the ceilings and you cannot reflect very long if you are tired. The "no shorts" rule that day was not enforced but the "no photography" certainly was. Big, burly men come at you if you make any move to your phone or other camera to record. We left quickly.
Written 7 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

PBTravelstheWorld
Lynden, WA387 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2019
Lovely Russian Orthodox Cathedral that is open to all who come in a respectful manner. Beautiful icons and other painted art work inside and the location is in the middle of a large central park in Riga. Small gift shop/bookshop may be open.
Written 20 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dbinhou7511
Houston, TX1,680 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
Impressive from the outside with the brick pattern and gold domes. Even more impressive inside with the frescoes depicting various biblical scenes and the large number of icons. This is a working church, so please be respectful when visiting. No pictures are allowed in side.
Written 2 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Nativity of Christ Cathedral, Riga

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