Latvian Riflemen Monument

The Latvian Riflemen Monument stands on Latviešu strēlnieku laukums (Latvian Riflemen Square) in Riga's Old Town, Latvia, between the House of the Blackheads and the Occupation Museum. It was erected in 1970 as part of the Soviet-era memorial to the Latvian Red Riflemen, and honours the Latvian rifle regiments formed in 1915 in the Russian Imperial Army during the First World War. The riflemen fought on the northern front, including the Christmas Battles of 1916 near Riga, and many later joined the Bolshevik side during the Russian Civil War. The monument consists of a group of red granite sculptures designed by the sculptors Gaide, Valdis Albergs and others, with an angular composition of three riflemen standing in a row and a frieze of figures. It was originally part of the Museum of the Latvian Red Riflemen, which stood on the square and housed a Lenin memorial. After independence the museum was converted into the Occupation Museum, although the building was later modified. The monument was left in place, and the square was renamed Latvian Riflemen Square. The meaning of the riflemen is debated in Latvia: they are remembered by many as defenders of the homeland and a founding force of the Latvian state, while their later role in the Soviet regime is controversial. As a result, the monument is a reminder of how different periods have reshaped historical memory. The square has also been the subject of wider discussion about the removal of Soviet monuments across the country. Visitors can see the sculpture at any time as it stands in public space, and the contrast with the black Occupation Museum building makes it a useful stop for understanding Riga's 20th-century history. It sits within the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre of Riga.