Freedom Monument

The Freedom Monument is located in Riga, honouring soldiers killed during the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920). It is considered an important symbol of the freedom, independence, and sovereignty of Latvia. The construction of monument began in 1931 and was solely financed by the donations of Latvian people. Unveiled in 1935, the 42-metre-high monument is made of granite, travertine, and copper. The sculptures and bas-reliefs of the monument, arranged in thirteen groups, depict Latvian culture and history. The core of the monument is composed of tetragonal shapes on top of each other, decreasing in size towards the top, completed by a 19-metre-high travertine column bearing the copper figure of Liberty lifting three gilded stars symbolizing counties of Latvia.