Zeppelin hangars of Riga Central market
Infrastructure

Located in the center of Riga, opposite the Riga International Bus Station, near the Riga Railway Passenger Station.

Riga Central Market is the largest market in Latvia, once considered the best and most modern market in Europe. Its most striking symbol is the market pavilions built in the 1920s, which were originally used for military purposes.

During World War I, the German army established the Vainode airport in Kurzeme, where several airships were permanently stationed. They were oblong balloons filled with gas, with rooms attached to the hulls for transporting passengers and cargo. The control was provided by an internal combustion or electric engine and a wing in the hull. The airships were intended for reconnaissance or bombing the enemy, for example, they carried out an attack on the Russian army seaplane airfield near Roņu Island. It is known that the hangars were called “Walhalla” and “Walther”.

After the Latvian War of Independence, the hangars were dismantled and used for the construction of the Riga Central Market hangars, with the intention of leaving them in their original dimensions. Later, it was decided to use only the upper parts of the hangars.

Today, you can see the metal structures of the German army airship hangar. The market allows you to get acquainted with the evidence of the beginnings of world aviation in a pleasant way. Tour booking: +37167358157; gints.aksiks@rct.lv.