"Три брати" "Three Brothers"

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"Three Brothers" is the oldest complex of residential buildings preserved in Riga from the 15th century. The medieval buildings, closely pressed together, got their name a long time ago - according to legend, they were actually built by three men of the same family. Today, the Museum of Architecture and the State Center for the Protection of Cultural Monuments are located in these buildings, the history of which dates back several centuries.
In the Middle Ages, Maza Pils Street (Mala Zamkova) was located on the outskirts of Riga. Artisans lived here, and house No. 17, the oldest of the brothers, housed a craft workshop. The building was built around 1490 and has ascetic architecture - the only decoration is two stone pillars in front of the entrance. The house consisted of one large room, which was simultaneously used as a workshop, a bench, and a place for people to live.
The middle "brother" (No. 19) is the most luxurious from an architectural point of view. The house was built in 1646.
Its entrance is decorated with the inscription "Soli deo gloria! ", and the facade is decorated in the style of Dutch Mannerism, which was restored according to a sketch by I. K. Brotze in 1785. Unlike its "older" brother, the house had a spacious hall with large windows, and the living quarters were located on the side of the yard.
The third "brother" (No. 21) was built in the second half of the 17th century. Small apartments were located on each floor. A distinctive feature of the house is the mask on the facade, which, according to the plan of its owner, was supposed to protect the house from evil spirits.