Central Market

Prāgas Street 2

The Central Market in Riga (1924-1930, architects P. Dreijmanis and P. Pavlovs, engineers V. Isajevs and G. Tolstojs) is a grandiose complex, which includes five pavilions with the total area of 16000 m2.

It was one of the most significant constructions in the 20-ies. The market pavilion is founded on the constructions of hangars for zeppelins (metal arboraceous framework), which after World War I came into the ownership of the city. The planning and functional disposition of the market complex, which is included in the city landscape, is successful. Four pavilions are located in a row, and the fifth is perpendicular to them. The last was planned for wholesale trade. The idea about leading a railway branch-line to the pavilions has not been realized, unfortunately, completely. Under the pavilions there were spacious cellars built with tunnel exits leading to the city canal. Thereby, delivery of goods was organized on the underground level and would not disturb the trade and traffic. In the architecture of the market a rationalistic manner of decoration, as well as influence of the neoclassicism are felt. The design, of course, largely determined the form of the construction, but only the most significant parts, considering the economic character of the building, could be thoroughly emphasized by interpreting the Art-Deco forms.