The fine bridge in front of us was built in 1900 according to the design of engineer Ivan Krapivyansk, but it is named in honour of the painter Wilhelm Timm, whose widow donated most of the funds needed to build the bridge. This is also sometimes called the Opera Bridge.
The building with the observatory on the roof, visible through the trees on the left, is the main building of the University of Latvia. This is the first public building among the boulevards, built as the Riga Polytechnic institute, it has grown gradually, in several layers, adding more and more buildings. The first phases of the building were designed by architect Gustav Ferdinand Alexander Hilbig in an eclectic style popular with educational institutions of the time – in a circular style with features of Romanesque, Byzantine and Renaissance architecture.
The sculpture on the right, before the Timm's Bridge, is dedicated to the acclaimed Riga Mayor George Armitstead and his wife Cecilia Pihlau.
During his time, the city developed significantly, as well as started solving various social problems. Special attention was paid to the construction of schools – 16 schools were built in Riga during his time in office. The monument was unveiled in 2006 during the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. George Armitstead's grandson Rodney Radcliffe also attended the unveiling of the monument.
On the right side behind the Timm's bridge is a monument dedicated to the Riga-born, outstanding and world-renowned ballet soloist Maris Liepa, whose dancer's career for many years was associated with the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. Maris Liepa is best known for his brilliant dance as Kras in Arama Hatchaturyan's ballet "Spartacus"
The reconstruction plan of the city centre developed in 1856 provides a place for the city theatre in the greenery of the Riga canal. On the site of the former Pancake Bastion, the city theatre with almost 2,000 seats would be built according to the project of architect Ludwig Bonschet.
In 1919, under the direction of Pavuls Jurjans, the Latvian Opera began to operate in the theatre premises, and at the end of the year the theatre acquired the title of the Latvian National Opera.
At the end of the 1990s, significant reconstruction and interior restoration works took place, while in 2001 a modern annex complex was completed, which offers new premises for technical and creative staff, as well as the New Hall with 300 seats for the implementation of wide-profile art projects.
On the left side to us, a monument carved from light grey granite is located, dedicated to the Latvian music classic, the author of the first Latvian opera “Banuta”, composer Alfreds Kalnins. In the past, the monument was located next to the opera, but after reconstruction works in the late 90s, it was moved to the other bank overlooking the opera.
Behind the monument, at the street crossroads, the building of the Academy of Music stands. It was built in 1875 according to the project of the first architect of Latvian origin Janis Baumanis. Originally, it housed the Alexander Gymnasium. In 1919, during the war, the Latvian Conservatory was founded here, which in 1991 was renamed the Jazeps Vitols Latvian Academy of Music in honour of its first rector.