The Three Brothers (Trīs brāļi) are three houses standing shoulder to shoulder at Mazā Pils iela 17, 19 and 21 in Riga's Old Town. Together they form the oldest group of medieval dwelling houses in the city. Each was built in a different century, so walking past them is a short lesson in how Riga's houses changed from the late Middle Ages to the Baroque.
The Three Brothers at a glance
- Where: Mazā Pils iela (Little Castle Street) 17, 19 and 21, in the north of Old Riga between Riga Castle and the Cathedral.
- Built: No. 17 around 1490, No. 19 in 1646, No. 21 in the second half of the 17th century.
- By: the 1950s restoration was led by the architect Pēteris Saulītis; the original builders are unknown.
- What it is today: home of the Latvian Museum of Architecture and the National Heritage Board. The complex received the European Heritage Label in 2020.
- Time needed: 10–15 minutes outside, 30 minutes or more if you visit the museum and its courtyard.
Craftsmen's houses on the edge of town
When the oldest house went up, around 1490, Mazā Pils iela was on the edge of the town, and craftsmen lived here. Riga traded closely with Dutch merchants at the time, and the house followed their model: a single large room on the ground floor used for work and trade, with storage in the attic. The middle house, built in 1646, belongs to a wealthier age, with more living space and larger windows; the narrow youngest house had small flats on each floor.
By the 20th century the houses had been altered many times. Between 1953 and 1957 the architect Pēteris Saulītis restored them, bringing back their older appearance and reusing architectural details from buildings in Riga that had been destroyed in the Second World War. That restoration gave the three houses the look you see today.
What to look for
- No. 17, the eldest: the white house on the right, with a stepped gable, Gothic niches and very small windows. Its large ground-floor room keeps its original layout.
- No. 19, the middle brother: the richest façade, in the style of 17th-century Dutch Mannerism.
- The stone portal of No. 19, dated 1746, with the inscription 'Soli Deo Gloria' (Glory to God alone). It was originally made for No. 17 and moved during the restoration.
- No. 21, the youngest: the narrow green Baroque house on the left, and the small stone mask above its door, which its owners said protected the residents from evil spirits.
- The courtyard behind the houses, reached through the museum, with a reconstructed old room and a 15th–16th-century fireplace and chimney.
Why the windows are so small
Guides sometimes say the tiny windows of No. 17 were a way to avoid a window tax. Treat that as a story: the more likely reason is that glass was expensive and rare in ordinary houses in the 15th century. The name has a legend too: three men from one family are said to have built the houses, which is why they have been called brothers for centuries. Tallinn has a similar group of merchants' houses, known as the Three Sisters.
Tips for your visit
- Stand on the opposite side of the narrow street for a photo of all three façades, or come early before tour groups arrive.
- Step inside the museum if it is open: it shows changing exhibitions on Latvian architecture, and it is the only way to see the courtyard.
- Combine the houses with Riga Castle, St Jacob's Cathedral and the Swedish Gate, all in the same quiet corner of the Old Town.
Nearby
- Riga Castle: the riverside castle of the Livonian Order, now the official residence of the President of Latvia, a few minutes' walk away.
- St Jacob's Cathedral: the Catholic cathedral with a tall green spire, at the end of the street.
- Riga Cathedral: the city's largest medieval church, on Dome Square, known for its great organ.
- Swedish Gate: the gate built through the town wall in 1698, during Swedish rule, on Torņa iela.
See Riga with World City Trail
Our Riga scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 3 hours, with about 40 minutes of walking. It includes the Freedom Monument, the Laima Clock and the Latvian National Museum of Art.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Riga.
Play the Riga scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Riga →
Play the outdoor escape game in Riga →
Facts checked in October 2026.