Anna Werman — the woman who gave Riga a garden

In the heart of Riga, only a few steps from the bustle of Merķeļa Street, there is a place where time seems to stand still. Around a granite obelisk grows a rose garden, guarded by two stone lions, with the scent of wild dog-rose hanging in the air.

Carved into the obelisk is a name — Anna Werman. It is to this woman that Riga owes its very first public park. What today serves as a quiet refuge in the middle of the city has become a lasting tribute to her contribution to Riga's green heritage.

A quiet oasis in the city centre

Although the garden is surrounded by some of Riga's busiest districts, it holds an entirely different atmosphere — calm and reflective. The rose bushes, the stone lions, and the obelisk bearing Anna Werman's name together form a small but meaningful corner of the city, a reminder of the woman thanks to whom Riga's residents have long had a green space for rest and walks in the very centre of town.

The garden still fulfils its original purpose: an open, accessible space for anyone wishing to briefly escape the noise of the city. It is a legacy that has survived to this day, continuing to honour the woman to whom Riga owes the first public park in its history.