Mežaparks
Encyclopedia
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. The name is literally translated as 'forest park'. The park was built in the early 20th century and was originally called Kaiserwald. It was one of the world's first garden cities
Garden city movement
The garden city movement is a method of urban planning that was initiated in 1898 by Sir Ebenezer Howard in the United Kingdom. Garden cities were intended to be planned, self-contained communities surrounded by "greenbelts" , containing proportionate areas of residences, industry and...
. During the Second World War, a concentration camp was located in this park, and many Jews, Gypsies, communists, and other opponents of Nazi rule were murdered in these woods.
One of the wealthier areas of Riga, the park hosts the Latvian Song and Dance Festival
Latvian Song and Dance Festival
The Latvian Song and Dance Festival is an important event in Latvian culture and social life. The All-Latvian Song and Dance Festival has been held since 1873, normally every five years. During the festivals exhibitions of photography, art and folk craft, orchestra concerts, and a festive parade...
http://www.dziesmusvetki-rigai800.lv/en/activities.htm in late July every 4 years, most recently in 2008.
Mežaparks is also host to the Riga Zoo
Riga Zoo
-External links:* - Trip to Riga ZOO...
and its lakeside locale allows for various water sporting activities. There is also an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
in Mežaparks, which makes the neighborhood a popular summer destination for Riga residents.