Communities of interest or occupation accompany the entire history of mankind. It is easier to defend and defend your rights in a group of like-minded people, where you can always find all kinds of support. If a guild, an order, a cooperative successfully coped with their tasks, then success was inevitable. In a period of growth, prosperity, united communities actively work for the benefit of the place where the center of their interests is located. So M alta became ennobled, overgrown with legends and stories, thanks to the knights of the Order of M alta, all of Europe, where there were countless communities, rapidly developed.
Brotherhood
The Order of the Blackheads has made a great contribution to the development and prosperity of Riga. Despite the strange name, the members of the community were united in the interests of trade, which, as you know, moved and moves everything. In Riga, every traveler inevitably ends up on the Town Hall Square of the city, where a building of unique architecture flaunts - the House of the Blackheads.
In the 14th century, a community of merchants already existed in Riga, united in the Great Guild. into herincluded the bigwigs of their time, who led a sedentary lifestyle, the trade was carried out intermediary: purchases were made from large wholesalers, and then organized retail trade was carried out. The time was turbulent, and it was unsafe to travel to other countries for goods, for a long time, without a guarantee to save even life, not to mention the profit from the goods. But there will always be those who are willing and able to take risks, as the profit from wholesale sales was many times greater.
Thus, a community of entrepreneurs who organized a successful, albeit risky business, joined the settled merchants. They united in the Order, taking Saint Mauritius as their patron. Traditionally, the Saint was portrayed as dark-skinned. The legend says that the warrior Mauritius was of Ethiopian origin, converted to Christianity and preached it, for which he suffered. The canonized Saint was painted on icons, guided by the true color of his skin, the images were unusual for the European eye - a dark image on a light background. So the order of traveling merchants got its name, which later became the official name of the brotherhood - the Order of the Blackheads.
Home for the order
The Brotherhood in the conditions of its time was more like a military organization with a clear charter, hierarchy and risky cargo transportation operations. Only unmarried young men, mostly foreigners by origin, could become members of the brotherhood. Gradually, they assimilated into Riga society, acquired their own families and houses. The order had its own fleet,successfully fighting off pirates, caravans went to distant exotic countries, bringing rare and expensive goods. Venues were required for trade and meetings, and the blackheads rented the upper floors of the New House built by the Craftsmen's Guild in 1477.
Growing connections, capital and gaining influence in society, the blackheads invested a lot of money in the arrangement of the building, gradually becoming the main tenants. This gave them a lot of preferences and freedom to use all the premises. After a short time, the house at the Riga Magistrate received a new name - the House of the Blackheads in Riga. During the day, the exchange worked in the upper floors, and in the evening balls, concerts, solemn city and order events were held.
Active activity
The Riga residence was the main one for the brotherhood, but trading activities required another representation. So, in 1517, the House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads was opened in Tallinn. Over the centuries of its existence, the building was rebuilt, reconstructed, neighboring buildings joined. But even today it is called in honor of the best owners - the House of the Blackheads. Tallinn carefully preserves the architectural monument. Currently, chamber concerts and tours are held in the building.
But the main outpost, from where all the community policy was carried out, remained the Riga House of the Blackheads (Riga, Latvia). Making large donations to the temples of the city, developing the culture and infrastructure of the city, the blackheads worked hard on their residence, strengthening theirposition in society. Having united with the Great Guild, until the middle of the 16th century, the order played a leading role in the life of the city. Without his participation, neither the defense against the invaders, nor the political transformations of the Reformation could do. In the 19th century, class communities lose their significance, and the order is reformatted into a German merchant club that lasted until 1939.
Destructive war
The House of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads was completely destroyed during World War II. The exposition of the Museum of the House contains several watercolors from 1945, which depict the ruined Riga Town Hall Square. The approximate time when the shell hit the building is known - the dial of the large clock of the House, on which the time 8:30 is frozen, has been preserved. On the morning of June 29, 1941, an employee of the House tried to save part of the historical heritage of Riga and took out the dial of an old clock on his hands.
The House of the Blackheads was not only destroyed, but also plundered by numerous marauders. The property, which once belonged to the brotherhood, and now to Riga, is still scattered throughout Europe, but part of the collection has been returned. So, in the halls of the museum there is a collection of snuffboxes, 118 pieces made of different materials: gold, silver, bone. The exhibits at different times were made in Russia, Germany, England and donated to the brotherhood.
Recovery
After 1945, the House of the Blackheads was not restored. There is no exact information about how it looked before its destruction. Place for quite some timewas empty, it was decided to restore the building after Latvia gained independence in 1996. Fortunately, plans for the interior, not too clear photographs, and drawings by architects and artists of the 19th and 20th centuries have been preserved. Archaeological surveys have made it possible to determine the exact location of the building and restoration work has begun.
The modern House of the Blackheads is the same size as its historical square, which is confirmed by the foundation of the old house and the basement floor that has been preserved from the original building. The masonry in this room matches the 14th century masonry found in Latvia.
Unique facade architecture
According to the reviews of tourists who visited Riga, the House of the Blackheads makes a great impression. The whole composition of the Town Hall Square sets off the main city attraction - the House of the once influential brotherhood. The building has long become one of the symbols of the city and the pride of Rigans. The restored facade of the House invites you to recall the early Gothic architecture of Europe. In the evening, the artfully illuminated facade invites you to look into the mysteries of history and the depths of centuries, and also invites you to go inside to immerse yourself in the world of another era.
The sculptural composition on the pediment includes four figures: Neptune - the ruler of the seas, Mercury - the patron of merchants and travelers, Unity and Peace. A clock is installed in the upper part of the facade; they, like sculptures, flaunted on the facade until 1941. Now the watch is electronic, but this does not detract from the value of loverestored architectural monument. The sculptures on the facade of the building personify not only deities - they connect time and values; big clocks count not only minutes, they circle the planets and signs of the Zodiac, and the inscriptions keep a secret meaning, which only experts in the language of the hermetic bondage can find out. Many secrets are hidden in the signs on the sculptures, the coats of arms of the facade, all of them are kept by the House of the Blackheads. The city of Riga invites you to take a closer look and unravel each of them.
Interior design
It is impossible to look at the luxurious facade of the House and not go inside, all visitors talk about it. There, inside, new knowledge is revealed: the past and present woven together give a complete picture of what the House of Blackheads is, about the role of brotherhood in the development of Riga. The decoration of each hall is unique and restored with the utmost precision.
On the first floor there are administration rooms, and on the second floor there are several spacious rooms. One of them is the Lübeck Hall, this name was given to the room during the celebration of the 800th anniversary of Riga. Here you can admire the placed four-meter canvas with the panorama of Lübeck, it is to him that the hall owes its name. There, on the second floor, you can visit the Small Salon, the Latvian Hall with ethnic exhibits, go up the stairs connecting the lobby and the second floor with access to the Celebration Hall. According to the feedback of visitors, everyone is drawn to return once again to the House of the Blackheads in Riga. The history of the building is unique and beckons to come here for a new portion of mysteries.
Festive Hall
The largest room in the House is the Party Hall. Dance balls were held in it, eminent guests, sovereigns of all European countries were received. Peter I and His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Menshikov visited here, and a magnificent carnival was given in honor of Catherine II. King of Prussia Wilhelm III and his wife Louise were received with honors in the Celebration Hall.
The decoration of the hall is magnificent even today, it repeats the historical interior. Heavy crystal chandeliers add solemnity and scatter like sparks on the walls of the large hall. On the southern wall it is impossible not to notice the large coat of arms of the Order of the Blackheads, which also flaunts on the ceiling composition. The painted ceiling, made in the spirit of rococo, includes the symbols of the brotherhood, the image of Saint Mauritius receiving the laurel wreath of eternal glory. The pieces of furniture are exact replicas of the models of the past centuries, when the concerts of world celebrities of their time were given in the Celebration Hall.
Art Sanctuary
At different times, famous composers performed within the walls of the House of the Blackheads, whose concerts were a great success with a grateful audience. Richard Wagner conducted and directed the House's orchestra from 1837 to 1839, and some of his works were first performed here. Some time later, another eminent composer, Hector Berlioz, acted as a conductor.
The walls of the Festive Hall are decorated with portraits of eminent guests of the House. The original portraits were painted by VigiliusEriksen and Alexander Roslin, earlier portraits were painted by artists of the Swedish school of the 17th-18th centuries. The lost originals were replaced with exact copies, which the artist Andris Zachests worked on. Eight busts of great composers adorn the staircase of the Celebration Hall. They returned to their places after the restoration of the interior decoration of the House of Blackheads.
The city of Riga is rightfully proud of the restored appearance of the Town Hall Square, where the historical place was taken by a monument of history and architecture - the House of the Order of the Blackheads.
