Skip to main content

Sibling Rivalry: The Three Brothers


From the title, your first thought might go to “The Tales of Beetle the Bard: The Deathly Hallows” from Harry Potter. I know mine did(: The title “The Three Brothers” though actually refers to some of the most iconic buildings in Old Town Riga, a set of three dwelling homes located at addresses 17, 19 and 21 Maza Pils St. near the Catholic Cathedral “Jekaba Katedrale” or St. James’s Cathedral. All three dwellings are connected inside, and while different, also share subtle similarities that resemble a set of siblings. While their faces and outward appearances may be alike, the inherent emotions, characters and subtle features of each sibling make them profoundly unique.
Like the typical oldest sibling, No. 17 (the building situated on the right, and built in the 15th century) is prominent and distinguished, with authority and seriousness in his demeanor. In many ways, he sets an example in appearance for his two younger siblings. Characterized by crow-stepped gables on top, small and simple Gothic decorations on the door frame and columns above, and a few scattered Renaissance ornamentations, he is recognizable even from afar. Originally the building consisted of one large room and an attic above, but now has two floors with a wooden interior. Inside is housed the Latvian Musem of Architecture. It was restored in 1957.
The much more elaborate and gaudy No. 19 fits the middle child stereotype perfectly. Desperate to prove himself and eager to gain parental approval, he is much more beautifully decorated than his elder in a semi-Dutch mannerism style from the 17th century. This is seen through the effortless and simple decoration on the outside. With inset white bricks against the yellow exterior, a curving, delicate roof and almost countryhome-like windows inset throughout, it is the most intricate of the three homes. The stone portal was added in 1746.
The third brother, or the green house at No. 21 is obviously the baby of the family. Both younger, shorter and smaller in volume than his counterparts, this 18th century home features an impressive baroque curved-pediment roof outline, designed more for grandeur than efficiency. A wooden staircase in the first room leads to a set of offices that spread throughout the three buildings. While not as impressive as the other two, he holds his own place in the view.
For anybody looking for great architecture, the Three Brothers is a must-see. More than that, maybe looking at it will help you understand your siblings better(:
Mark Kennedy, currently studying Russian at Liden & Denz Riga.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Like Dominos....

It all began with glare.  Simple, obnoxious, I-can't-stand-it-anymore glare. Our 60" rear projection TV in the family room was basically unviewable except after 10 o'clock at night.  The glare from the windows was making it impossible to see anything during my 10 minute lunch break each day, and something had to change. Too, the TV didn't fit in the entertainment center from Germany.  John, wanting bigger and better, hadn't considered that the space is only 40" wide.  For the past five years, I have been nagged by 6" of overhang on both sides of the TV stand. I went to Lowe's to price blinds.  $1,043 for five blinds, and that was at 20% off. I figured a new TV would be cheaper than that.  I was right, even with the state-of-the-art receiver and new HDMI cables that sly salesman told us we needed to have. But where to put the old TV?  It just needed a quiet, dark place to retire. Glo's bedroom.  Her TV was a relic from the paleoneoneand...

SURPRISE!!

When the pizza guy came to the door last night, here's what John saw: It took a few seconds for John to process who the pizza delivery man was, but when he did, he was incredibly happy (and couldn't stop saying "heeeeyyyyy....".  It was Jared Moran, John's best friend. And me, I just knelt down, right then and there, and began repenting of all the lies that I have told over the last four months, hiding this most amazing surprise :-)  I told Sarah the other day that I was glad to see the light at the end of the falsehood tunnel, because if I kept this up much longer, I was destined to end up in liars' hell... Jared ran the Air Force marathon with John last year.  It was his first marathon, and from what he told us, his last.  However, he called in June and said he was coming again, but I was supposed to keep it a surprise from John.  I'm not sure what changed his mind, but we sure are glad he did.  John hates runnings marathons alone, and ther...

Thinking Beyond Ourselves

In our church, most adults hold a “calling”.  What this really means is they have a job, or a specific way to serve within the local congregation.  We believe that this calling is inspired from God—it’s a specific way that he wants us to serve, so that we can either learn and grow ourselves, or so that we can help someone else. I have had more callings in the church than I can count, and with few exceptions, I have loved every one of them.  I have come to love people (adults, teens and kids) who I might never have met.  I have learned much--from how to organize a Christmas music program, to how to make a Sunday School lesson meaningful to apathetic teenagers.  I have served as president of the children’s organization, and I have been the leader of 30 young, single adults. With every calling comes a lot of work.  Of course, the amount of work one puts into a calling is up to an individual.  I choose to put everything into a calling.  I give up ho...