In 1772 as a result of the first partition of the Rzeczpospolita eastern Latvia - Latgalia became part of the Russian Empire. >>

Ernst Johann von Biron (Bühren; 1690 - 1772) was a Baltic German Duke of Courland and Semigallia (1737) and favourite of the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna. >>

The Rundale Palace – a one of the most well known pieces of architecture of the 18th Century in Latvia. Designed by Russian architect of Italian origin Francesco Bartolomeo Rastrelli. >>

The Statute of the Commerce of Riga (1765) is kept in the Latvian National Library >>

After visiting the region of Livonia in 1764 Catherine II introduced a reform to bring more democracy to the life of Riga. The secretary of the First Department of the Riga City Council, Neiendal wrote that before the reform ‘Inhabitants of Riga were separated into citizens, non-citizens and foreigners’. Germans of Riga had burgher (citizen) rights but many Latvians did not. >>

House of merchant Semyon Lelyukhin. Painting by J.Ch. Brotze.

Balsam works of Semyon Lelyukin, native of the Smolensk region. A successful trader of hemp, S Lelyukhin opened in 1789 in Kliversala a factory for processing Riga balsam in accordance with the formula of A. Kunz. The factory produced balsam until 1908. Balsam was not only supplied to internal areas but also to Western Europe. A similar strong alcoholic liquor is still produced in Riga. >>

Russian carpenters in Riga. Drawing by J.Ch. Brotze. >>

In the navigation era boats sailed to Riga along the Daugava from Smolensk and the Vitebsk region with goods to sell in Riga and to transport further to Western Europe.

Painting by J.Ch. Brotze.

In 1767, there were 19,485 people living in Riga, 8,560 (43.9%) of whom were Germans; 6,654 (34.1%) Latvians; 2,963 (15.2%) Russians and 1,308 (6.8%) were Poles. >>

Citadel of Riga. Painting by J.Ch. Brotze. >>

This house was given to Peter I as a gift from the Riga City Council. However, the Tsar decided to buy it from the town >>