Cannon (Riga)

Latvia / Riga / Riga
As you wander round the Old City you will come across cannon barrels dug into the ground.
These originated in the early 18th century when redundant cannons were used as barriers
lining the streets or as protection at the corners of gates and buildings. Often the ball
at the top was decorated in the form of a human or animal head. They can still be found
today in places such as the one above and Pils iela. Then, in the 1860s, after the city
walls were removed, a number of cannon-barrel-like pillars were produced to be used in
traffic regulation. Only two of these have survived one in Bastejkalns and the other
preserved in the museum of History and Navigation.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   56°57'7"N   24°6'35"E
This article was last modified 8 years ago