Livu Square, which is one of the most beautiful squares in Riga, is located in the north of the Old Town of Riga. There are a lot of restaurants on this always crowded square. The Livu Square is surrounded by beautiful buildings such as the Cat House, the Philharmonic Building and the Large Guild House.
The Livu Square appeared in Riga only after the World War II, when there were pulled down the buildings ruined during the bombings. In the past, the bed of a navigable river run along this square, but today only the characteristic bends of the cobble pavement remind of it.
On the Livu Square properly there are many flowerbeds with various flowers. On one side of the Livu Square the famous Black Cat House is located. It is a common residential building, but the spires of its roofs are surmounted by the figures of black cats, which serve a decoration of the city landscape.
On the side of the Philharmonic Building of the Livu Square there are a lot of restaurants. Within the restaurants there remained some sections of the Old City Walls. The building of the Large Guild, which included all Riga merchants, was also on the Livu Square. As it is known, in the 17th century the building was taken by the Teutonic Order, and the Large Guild moved to a new building erected on the Town Hall Square. But later, the Large Guild came back to its former building on the Livu Square, and the new building was given to the Brotherhood of St. Mauritius and was called the House of the Blackheads since that time.
The House of the Blackheads and St. Peter`s Church are to the south of the Livu Square. If you go east of the square, you can reach the Old City Walls, the Three Brothers buildings and the Riga Castle.
