It was just 7 from our group went on a tour of the KGB Museum on our 2nd day in Riga. The Museum was the KGB headquarters where citizens were taken to be interrogated, imprisoned or executed.
It was built as an apartment block with shops on the ground floor but the KGB took it over and let people think it was still an apartment block. Tens of thousands were interrogated here. Anyone could report someone anonymously for speaking against the Soviet State and they would be brought in for questioning.
When the KGB left in 1990 the building was used by the Latvian police many of whom were ex KGB members. The building remained very much as it was.
This was where the citizens were brought in and registered
One of the interrogation cells
Many of the cells would hold up to 20 people at a time with just a bucket for sanitation.
I decided against photographing the execution chamber.
It was a sobering place to visit.
Afterwards five of us decided to go to the skybar at the top of Radisson Blu hotel. We needed to do something completely different.
We had the good fortune of finding window sets where we could sip our cocktails and watch the sun go down
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By now we were starving so we headed back towards the hotel to a restaurant and then went out on the town. Vadim had mentioned a folkclub so we thought we would give it a try. We found it quite easily using a tram to get us into town. It was a very large bar in a basement with live music. The music was more blues than folk but it was something different. We stayed for a couple of drinks then made our way back to the hotel.
It was built as an apartment block with shops on the ground floor but the KGB took it over and let people think it was still an apartment block. Tens of thousands were interrogated here. Anyone could report someone anonymously for speaking against the Soviet State and they would be brought in for questioning.
This was where the citizens were brought in and registered
One of the interrogation cells
The bodies of the victims were taken to the woods outside the city and buried. Most of the burial places were found during the war: the bodies were disinterred and reburied. It is possible that there are undiscovered burial places, since the fate of many victims of the year of Terror is unknown.
It was a sobering place to visit.
Afterwards five of us decided to go to the skybar at the top of Radisson Blu hotel. We needed to do something completely different.
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By now we were starving so we headed back towards the hotel to a restaurant and then went out on the town. Vadim had mentioned a folkclub so we thought we would give it a try. We found it quite easily using a tram to get us into town. It was a very large bar in a basement with live music. The music was more blues than folk but it was something different. We stayed for a couple of drinks then made our way back to the hotel.
That is certainly a grisly place to tour. Thank you for sharing it all with me, though. I found it interesting and glad it's no longer in use.
ReplyDeleteSobering would be an understatement.
ReplyDeleteIt makes us realize how lucky we are in our birth nations.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been a rather upsetting place to visit. I can see why not everyone in the group chose to attend that part of the tour.
ReplyDeleteWhat a place, never knew it exsisted. They did not mess about with the exicutions I see.
ReplyDeleteThat would be an interesting thing to see, but definitely very sobering.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you were able to do something sociable and relaxing after that visit. I'm sure it was interesting but very grim.
ReplyDeleteYou sure would need a stiff drink after that museum.
ReplyDeleteRemarkable and sad place - and it seems that many people have forgotten that this is what crazed governments do to their own people. We need more people to see places like this I think.
ReplyDeleteCheers - Stewart M - Melbourne Airport (!)
Prisons give me always the creeps, I can't stand to visit them, even when they are of old times in castles. Must have been something to do in an earlier life??
ReplyDeleteThis one you visited looks very miserable too.
I didn't want to see this KGB building and our guide didn't recommend it either, would have spoiled my holidays, but that's funny that you had a drink on the top of the Radisson Blu hotel. That's where we spent the night in Riga ! But when we came back from our tour in the town, we were too tired to go up there !
ReplyDeleteYikes. I wouldn't want to be grilled in one of those cells. Or worse.
ReplyDeleteIn a macabre sort of way I found that so interesting. A stiff drink is waht i would need to - before or after.
ReplyDeleteIncredible tour!! I grew up hearing of the KGB, but never dreamed of seeing the inside...thanks to you, I've learned so much.
ReplyDeleteI would need to do something completely different after that tour for sure. But I am glad you went and glad you shared it. I also heard and read about the KGB but never Imagined their headquarterscwould ever be on a tour.
ReplyDeleteHow much fun reading about your trip. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWorth a Thousand Words
That must have been a rather upsetting place to visit. I can see why not everyone in the group chose to attend that part of the tour.
ReplyDeleteslot online
Sounds really interesting! Thanks for sharing! Have a great week!
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