Riga's Freedom Monument: History, Milda & The Three Stars

Origins and Public Dedication

Standing on Brīvības bulvāris beside the City Canal and Bastion Hill, the Freedom Monument marks the historic transition between Old Riga and the city's nineteenth-century boulevard ring. The site was previously home to a bronze equestrian statue of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, erected in 1910 and dismantled during World War I.

Conceived during the 1920s, the monument was created to honor fallen soldiers of the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920) and celebrate national sovereignty. The project was financed entirely through private public donations and was officially unveiled on Latvia's Independence Day, November 18, 1935. It was created through a collaboration between sculptor Kārlis Zāle and architect Ernests Štālbergs.

Architecture and Symbolism

The structure rises 42.7 meters and is built from gray and red granite, travertine, and copper over a reinforced concrete core. At its base, the monument bears the national dedication Tēvzemei un Brīvībai ("For Fatherland and Freedom"). Across four tiers, 56 sculptures arranged in 13 thematic groups portray Latvian cultural traditions, labor, and historical struggles, featuring folklore figures such as Lāčplēsis and Vaidelotis.

Rising above the base is a 19-meter column topped by a 9-meter hammered copper figure representing Liberty, affectionately referred to by Latvians as "Milda." In her raised hands, she holds three gilded stars that symbolize the three historic cultural regions of Latvia: Kurzeme, Vidzeme, and Latgale.

Survival Through the Soviet Era

Following the Soviet occupation of Latvia, authorities contemplated the demolition of the monument. Plans to destroy it were ultimately abandoned to avoid widespread civil unrest. A persistent historical tradition also attributes its survival to Riga-born Soviet sculptor Vera Mukhina, who reportedly argued for its preservation based on high artistic merit.

Instead of dismantling the monument, Soviet authorities attempted an ideological reinterpretation, claiming the female figure represented "Mother Russia" holding stars signifying the Baltic Soviet republics of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Political assemblies and flower-laying at the monument were strictly forbidden, carrying the risk of interrogation and arrest.

Despite these restrictions, the monument emerged as a focal point of resistance. On June 14, 1987, the human rights organization Helsinki-86 organized approximately 5,000 people to place flowers at the base in memory of Soviet deportees. This demonstration established the monument as the symbolic epicenter of the Latvian National Awakening.

Ceremonial Traditions and Current Use

Today, the Freedom Monument functions as a central civic gathering space and the primary venue for state ceremonies. The President of Latvia and visiting foreign leaders lay floral tributes at the monument during state visits and national observances, including Lāčplēsis Day on November 11 and Independence Proclamation Day on November 18.

Ceremonial soldiers from the Latvian National Armed Forces guard the monument daily during daytime hours. Visitors to the plaza can observe the changing of the guard, marked every hour by the synchronized cadence of boots on the stone perimeter.