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Dome Cathedral, Riga, Latvia
It’s important that, from time to time, we get in touch with our inner child. I recently met up with mine in an unlikely place – in Riga, Latvia.
My visit to Riga featured a chance to work with young Latvian orphans who knew nothing about art or artists. I was enchanted by the passion and purity of their openness to art. As I watched them paint, I thought to myself – this is what it’s all about.
Later, I set up my easel in the cobblestone square facing the ancient Dome Cathedral and began to paint. IT was a blue-sky day with wispy clouds dancing over the copper dome. I was joined by eager passersby who chatted as I painted.
I realized then that I bring the same passion to my Plein Air painting that Latvian orphans showed me. When I worked on The Dome Cathedral, Riga, Latvia I truly reconnected with my inner child.
- Thomas Kinkade went to the Dome Cathedral in Riga, Latvia in support of Bridge Builder’s International. He met with the head Chuck Kelley, through his church and was drawn to make this visit, which lead Thom to create this wonderful painting The Dome Cathedral, Riga, Latvia.
- The Dome Cathedral is considered the largest cathedral in the Baltics. It was founded on St. Jacob’s Day in 1211 by Latvia’s Teutonic conquerors under the bishop Albert von Buxhoeveden, who became its first bishop. Part of the cathedral used to be a monastery and now houses the Riga Museum of History and Navigation.
- In the past centuries, the Dome Cathedral has been destroyed and rebuilt many times so presently is a composition of different architectural styles. It measures 187m by 43m with walls two meters thick.
- One of the highlights of the Dome Cathedral is the famous organ that was built by the company E.F. Walcker & Sons in 1882 to 1883 – it was inaugurated on January 31, 1884. At that time it was the biggest organ in the world with four manual keyboards and a pedalboard. It plays 116 voices, 124 stops, 144 ranks, and 6,718 pipes. It also includes eighteen combinations and General Crescendo. The organ features wooden carvings from 17th and 18th centuries.
- Riga was officially founded in 1201 and is the capitol of the Republic of Latvia, the geographical center of the Baltic States. The city’s cross-roads location between Western Europe and huge Eastern markets has made Riga very attractive for both tourism and business activities.
| Title | The Dome Cathedral, Riga, Latvia |
| Published | October 2007 |
| Subject Location | Dome Cathedral in Riga, Lativia |
| Classification | Impressionistic |
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