Rīga's Christmas trees have been chosen

On Monday, November 21 Rīga Mayor Mārtiņš Staķis together with the management of the municipal forest management company and specialists of the Faculty of Forestry (MF) of the Latvian University of Biosciences and Technologies (LBTU) – plus a children's choir – selected the two main Riga Christmas trees which will adorn Cathedral Square and Town Hall Square during Advent.

"A beautiful and real Christmas tree needs fertile soil, as well as enough light and a certain shelter, protection provided by the surrounding forest protection. A spruce naturally planted in a birch grove is not only aesthetically beautiful, symmetrical, but also very healthy", explained Linards Sisenis, dean of the Faculty of Forestry. 

Choosing the main tree for the city, the mayor of Rīga, Mārtiņš Staķis said: "Decorating the Christmas tree in Town Hall Square is a Riga tradition with a centuries-old history. This year, festive trees will decorate not only the city center, but also the neighborhoods of the capital, bringing the feeling of Christmas to our hearts."

The two selected specimens are from the Olaine area and stand about 15 meters high, making them around 30 to 40 years old. In total, more than 40 Christmas trees will decorate the capital this year. Half of them will be located in the city center: in the main squares, near cultural and educational institutions, also in children's healthcare institutions. The other half of the holiday trees, similar to last year, will decorate prominent places in the city's neighborhoods. 

SIA "Rīgas Meži" is a municipal company founded in 2008 that manages the forests, gardens and parks belonging to the capital. The company manages 62,000 ha of forests, 399 ha of Riga's parks and greenery (125 objects), as well as the cultural and recreational park "Mežaparks" (385 ha).

And if you remain in any doubt that Rīga is the true home of the Christmas tree, here's a story from our archive on the subject.