Cathedral of St. James - the main Catholic church of Latvia, the fourth largest church in Riga. Cathedral. St. Jacob is a monument of brick Gothic. The first mention of the church, located on the site of the present cathedral dates back to 1225 year. This date is engraved on the central western facade of the church is considered presumptive year construction of the church of St. James.

During the Reformation in 1552 the congregation took a chance to host the first in the history of the church service at the Lutheran Riga samples. In 1524, during the height of anti-Catholic church of St. Jacob worries, like most of the Catholic churches of the city, it suffered defeat, which resulted in the almost complete destruction of the interior.

During the siege of the city by Russian troops of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in the St. Jacob church gets several shells. Two of them in memory of the siege of Riga had been walled up in the walls of the main facade, and two more - in the altar part.

For all time in its history the church several times changed their religion and partially rebuilt. In 1756, to the main building of the church built a pointed spire in the form of an octahedron. In 1782 it built a new central portal. Since 1923, the Church of St. Jacob once again belongs to the Catholic religion.

The height of the church tower, including the spire is 80 meters. In the interior you can see the interiors of floral ornament decorating capitals in the choir of the church. This type is a rare ornament for the church canon Gothic sculptural decoration. The original church was a hall-type, today it is three-nave structure, constituting in terms of 27 to 50 meters. The whole interior of the church is simple and concise, which, incidentally, corresponds to the concept of registration of Catholic sacred buildings. In 1736, on the spire of the church tower was placed a traditional weather vane in the form of a cock that we can see today.

In 1680 the church, which at that time was the main royal Lutheran church, the altar was set up. It is assumed that it is the earliest altar in Latvia, made in Baroque style. Who is the creator of the altar is not known. In 1902 it was decided to eliminate the altar, has come into disrepair. For the construction of the new masters were invited 2: wood carver and sculptor Jacob Schrade Christophe Mittelhauzen. Despite the fact that the old altar was dismantled, something of it survived, namely decorating his carved figures of angels, which are stored in the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation. In 1924, a new altar, which was the third in a row.

One of the interesting elements of the interior of the Church of St. Jacob is the department. It is made in ampirskom style has made her a master Gothilf Heybeli August 1810, the Department is made of red wood, as she placed intarsia area with a rich floral ornament and elegant arabesques. General feature of the church is a mixture of architectural styles in the interiors of the church, while outside it is relatively homogeneous.

In 1761, the organ master Henry Andrew Kontsius started to create the body of the church. Until today this body has not been preserved. New was made in 1913, was the founder of the modern organ master A. Martin. The windows of the Cathedral of St. Jacob covered with stained glass windows, the creation of which belongs to the last century. So three bright stained glass windows that adorn the east wall of the choir, made in 1902 in the Art Nouveau style.