Freedom Monument

A 42 m memorial to those who fell in Latvia's War of Independence; 'Milda' on top holds up three gold stars for Latvia's historic regions.

It was unveiled in 1935 and is made of granite, travertine and copper. A 19-metre travertine column rises from stacked blocks and carries a copper figure of Liberty, nicknamed Milda, holding three gilded stars above her head. The three stars stand for Latvia's historic regions: Vidzeme, Latgale and Courland. The figure stands high above the city centre.

How it was made

The idea came in the early 1920s, when the prime minister asked for a contest to design a memorial column. After several contests, the sculptor Kārlis Zāle's design, called "Shine like a star!", was chosen. The monument was built at the start of the 1930s and paid for by private donations. Thirteen groups of sculptures and reliefs on it show scenes from Latvian culture and history.

A symbol through hard times

After the Soviet Union took over Latvia in 1940, the monument was considered for demolition but never torn down. Some say the Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina helped save it because she admired its art. On 14 June 1987, about 5,000 people laid flowers here, a gathering that renewed the independence movement. Three years later Latvia restored its independence. For many Latvians it stayed a quiet symbol of independence even in those years.

On the globe

The model shows the tall stone column with Milda holding up three gold stars.