Blog Archive: July 2015 | Reinis Fischer

Riga Zoo

4 July, 2015 | Entertainment | 65 seen

Riga Zoo is a city-owned zoo in Riga, Latvia. It is located in Mežaparks neighbourhood next to the Mežaparks park, on the western bank of Ķīšezers lake. Riga Zoo houses around 4000 animals of nearly 500 species and is visited by 250-300,000 visitors annually.

Ocassionaly I love visitin Riga zoo, in this article some of my pictures and data when I visited Riga Zoo together with my mom at the start of May 2016

I took my DSLR camera with myself and captured more than 600 images here, just 17 survived to you my dear reader.

Entrance gates at Riga zoo

Riga Zoo is located in a lovely neighbourhood of Mežaparks.

Flamingos at Riga Zoo

A camel at Riga zoo

A peacock at Riga Zoo

At Riga Zoo

Riga Zoo

Although it's forbidden to feed animals at Riga zoo, some little fella couldn't resist to feed this one with a carrot. Where did he got that carrot?

At Riga Zoo

Giraffe at Zoo

Secretary-bird at Riga Zoo

Now, I enjoyed this creature the most. From Wikipedia: The secretarybird or secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a very large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Saharan region. Although a member of the order Accipitriformes, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, buzzards, vultures, and harriers, it is given its own family, Sagittariidae.

Kangaroos at Riga Zoo

Now, I found it a little bit odd to see a kangaroo laid down in the grass next to the... pine.

At Riga Zoo

Very interesting creatures using their noses to find something (perhaps a food) in the soil.

Tigers playing at zoo

Love moment at Riga zoo

Well, actually these creatures were fighting each other, still I managed to capture a scene were it looks like they care about each other.

At Riga zoo

Storks at the zoo

Lizard at Riga zoo

About Riga Zoo

The Riga National Zoo was established on 14 October 1912. Since then it has experienced a vareity of ups and downs, but most importantly the zoo has achieved a repsectable age, although not a record one, since the beginnings of the modern zoo can be traced to earlier centuries.

The basic function of all zoos is defined in the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy. Since 1992 the Riga Zoo is a member of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria). The membership in this organization means that the zoo has to maintain high standards in animal welfare as well as other aspects of the zoo’s operation. In accordance with the strategic aims set by EAZA, the Riga Zoo has undertaken to participate in the conservation of biodiversity, to invest in projects devoted to the protection of nature and to carry out environmental education.

Visit: www.rigazoo.lv

Dobele Castle Ruins

3 July, 2015 | Tourism objects | 16 seen

Right, lets speak about a topic I like a very much - Castle ruins. Recently I visited Dobele Castle Ruins (Republic of Latvia) and spent here some 30 minutes trying to make some decent photos of this place. History of this castle dates back to the 1335 AD. But prior to that there was another castle (Read more at the end of this post)

Fortification walls of Dobele Castle

Dobele castle ruins

Here I laid down in the grass and experimented with a photography. Personally I have found this technique gives me best photos in case I'm not using a tripod. Actualy I did use here a small gorilla pad tripod. In a result I got a pretty interesting image (at least I believe so)

Dobele castle ruins

Again, the same technique

Don't climb up there

You can get a decent fine for doing that. The sign stands here from times Latvia did use Latvian Lats as its national currency. 250 Ls equals to some EUR 355.

Inside territory at Dobele castle

View to the Dobele town from Castle ruins

Just a lovely view.

View to Dobele Evangelical church

Read more about Dobele Lutheran Evangelical church

Dobele castle ruins view from the distance

About Dobele Castle

Dobele Castle is a castle in the town of Dobele on the west bank of the river, in the historical region of Zemgale, in Latvia. Dobele was built in 1335 by the Livonian order on top of a more ancient castle.

Place of the Dobele medieval castle was inhabited by Semigallians before and during Livonian crusade. On the hillfort was located administrative centre of the Dobele county and quite big settlement around it. It is first time mentioned in the written sources in 1254. During Livonian crusade heavy battles took place around the hillfort. It endured six sieges by Livonian order but crusaders never managed to conquer it. In 1279 crusader army from Kuldīga together with allied curonians attacked semigallian Dobele castle but was unable to conquer it. In winter 1280/81 Livonian order attacked Dobele castle under command of master Konrad von Feuchtwangen but attack failed. In winter 1288/89 large crusader army including allied estonians and latgalians under command of master Kuno von Hazzingenstein attacked Dobele. However they were able only to pillage and burn Dobele town but castle endured the siege. In 1289 after famine and crusader scorched earth policy to the whole region semigallians burned their Dobele castle and migrated to Lithuania. Thus Dobele castle was one of the last semigallian fortresses in the territory of Latvia.

Livonian order built stone castle on the abandoned semigallian hillfort in the years 1335-1347. Small craftsmen and merchant settlement soon developed around castle. Until 1562 castle was a seat of the Dobele komtur. In the 16th and 17th centuries several regional assemblies (landtag) were held in the castle. In 1621 and 1625 castle was occupied by Swedish troops under king Gustav II Adolf. From 1643 until 1649 castle was a residence of the widow of the Duke of Courland Elisabeth Magdalena who lived there together with her foster son, future duke- Jacob.

During Polish-Swedish wars castle was occupied by swedes in 1658. After the war it was partly restored by duke Jacob Kettler. During Great Northern War castle was again occupied by swedes in 1701. King of Sweden Charles XII stayed in the castle for the six days. During war castle was heavily devastated and was not restored.

It was completely abandoned in 1736 and since then has fallen into ruin. In 1915 at the foothill of the castle German emperor Vilhelm II inspected units of the German army.

Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church

2 July, 2015 | Churches and Monasteries | 7 seen

I was surprised to learn that this church is more than 500 years old. Prior I learnt that I was even more surprised to learn that Dobele town has a lovely historical centre. This church is located just next to this historical centre.

I took my camera and tried to make some great pictures here.

Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church

I believe all is said with just this one photo. Just marvellous.

Entrance at this church

Info table

This church is now already 520 years old

Back view

As usual in Latvian churches, the doors were closed (some construction works were held inside) and I hadn't any chance to photograph inside interior.

About Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church

The Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church is situated in the town centre next to the Marketplace. The church was built in 1495 of the order of Valter fon Pletenberg, Master of the Livonian Order. The church was rebuilt for several times, the tower steeple got its present look in 1907. In 1995, on the 500 anniversary of the church, a new roof was covered and the outer walls were painted.

The Historical Centre of Dobele - Marketplace Square

1 July, 2015 | Tourism objects | 10 seen

Dobele is a small town located in historical region of Zemgale in Latvia some 60 km South West from nations capital city Riga. One thing a tourist should visit while in Dobele definitely is it's historical centre - marketplace square. In recent years this place has gone through some renovation and last time I visited it - it looked just amazing.

Well if you are hoping to see both old and new architecture, like it's for example in German city Bonn's marketplace, then no - you wont find here any skyscrapers. For some reason I got this feeling that time at this place has stood still from some 19th century.

Historical centre of Dobele

A tourist info board explaining history of this place

A fountain as central element here

I must admit a very interesting design for this fountain

Dobele Evangelical Lutheran Church

This church has been built on AD 1495

Fountains built in the pavement

I used a gorilla pad and got a lovely angle

Dwelling house and a fountain

Speaking of this dwelling house - a typical Latvian 19th century dwelling house

Fountains built into pavement at Dobele Marketplace square

About Marketplace

The Marketplace was developing along with the construction of the Dobele Church in 1495.

Two-storey brick buildings, built at the beginning of the 20th century, encircle the place. Nowadays, they house small shops and cafes. The historical Latvian Society House, which stands on the eastern side of the Marketplace, was built in 1939 after the project of the architect Pauls Kundziņš. Now it serves as Dobele Culture House and Tourism Information Center.