The entire complex of the Center for Psychiatry and Narcology is a historical and cultural monument and the restoration of these two buildings cost €8.3 million.
The renovated wings 3 and 4 are two of the first three buildings in the hospital complex. The buildings date from 1824.
"We are built on a historic site, the second Kaiser Garden. As we are a historical and cultural space in the broader sense, our site and our buildings are historical and cultural monuments because we are a complex monument and we are not allowed to paint or do with the exterior facade what comes to our mind," explained Silva Bendrāte, Public Relations Officer at the RPNC.
Sandra Pūce, the center's manager, calls the historic staircase one of the main objects to be restored. The restoration of the buildings has been planned for almost 10 years.
In wing 3, dual-diagnosis patients with more than one illness and eating disorder patients will be treated. Patients will have access to 18 beds.
"Often it is no longer just one disease, but a combination. Various addictive substances are used, which also result in nightmares, sleep disorders, anxiety, and other symptoms," said Pūce. Dual illnesses are more severe and often chronic, associated with reduced quality of life, unemployment, deteriorating interpersonal relationships, increased risk of suicide and reduced life expectancy.
The second building, wing 4, will house the narcology wards.
Block 3 will be available in August, while the narcology building will open its doors to patients in the coming days.
These buildings have historically served a variety of purposes, from different wards to long-term accommodation for medical staff.
"We had a workhouse, a reformatory, a home for the demented, a social ward - a shelter, and a prostitution ward or a venerical ward," Bendrate said.
The restoration of the buildings cost €8.3 million and took less than two years. The construction work was carried out by Torensberg Ltd.
85% or EUR 7,100,985 was financed by the European Regional Development Fund, 9% or EUR 751,869 by the state budget, and 6% or EUR 501,246 by the Riga Psychiatric and Narcology Centre.
The next building to be renovated is the adjacent Building G, which was also built at the same time as the 200-year-old buildings unveiled today.
