Before raising the rooster and setting it back on the steeple of the cathedral, a small ceremony was held with Jānis Vanags, the archbishop of the Latvian Evangalical Lutheran Church, as well as representatives from the construction company, of the Riga City Council, as well as specialists who participate in the restoration of the church.
During the restoration, the rooster and the sphere that held it was cleaned, and blemishes were buffed out. The gold leaf covering was also renewed.
A Golden Rooster has been on the steeple of the cathedral since 1595, becoming one of the most readily-identifiable symbols of the city. It is made of copper, while its surface is covered with gold leaf.
In 1985 the current rooster weighing 86 kilograms was made, with its life story engraved on its comb: "I am a copy of my predecessor, the Riga Cathedral Rooster born in 1595, restored in 1666, and gilded by fire in 1776."
