Vēsture šķērsgriezumā. Ēka Vecrīgā, Audēju ielā 10. 14.-18. gadsimts
History in Cross-Section: Building in Audēju Street 10. 14th-18th Century

Summary/Abstract: The building at 10 Audēju Street in Riga is an example of how much valuable material can be discovered during the study of a single edifice. Research on this building has been carried out over several periods from 1970 to 1990. However, as findings were not exhibited during reconstruction, the building has not received the exceptional place in the overall picture of Riga’s architectural history it deserves. The building in Audēju Street was built in 1855, combining two adjacent plots and two constructions that stood separately till the 1840s. So they are described as separate entities, marked as those of plot A and plot B. Both plots existed already in the mid-14th century. Construction on plot A has not survived but the semi-basement of the “Hans Smelte’s Small House” mentioned in documents on plot B is one of the best preserved fragments of Riga’s oldest stone buildings. Construction of a stone house on plot A took place in the mid or late 1540s. In 1544 Vyth Dösstede bought an empty building plot, but by 1552 the now deceased Dösstede’s house had already been sold. Fragments of Dösstede’s stone house have survived: the upper edging of the 1st floor façade windows, the ends of a horizontal decorative frieze and the lower part of the left-side niche of the gable consisting of a double frieze of profiled bricks. As Gothic dwelling houses have almost completely been lost in Riga, this is unique, authentic material. The last third of the 17th century began with several fires, the most damaging of which broke out in 1677. This proved fatal to Dösstede’s house and the nearest buildings. During the reconstruction of the building on plot A, the old walls of Dösstede’s house were used to their maximum, changing only the roof orientation with the slope now facing the street. The reconstructed building featured a spacious basement, two floors and a rather high loft for storage. The block facing the street contained premises with a rich interior finish. The façade against Audēju Street was plastered with a reddish-grey plaster, emphasising some protruding details by painting effects such as the diamond-shaped rustication in the corners of the building. The main entrance was emphasised by a limestone portal with polychrome sculpted décor. Windows were framed by low-relief rims. By the late 17th century the façade had already been painted black and white. The interior features painted decorations in almost all the rooms on both floors. A fragment of the wall painting of the stone-carved winding staircase has survived depicting a convolution of acanthus leaves in black, white and grey tones. Rooms with painted plafonds have a restrained wall finish – a dark base with contrasting splashes on the light wall background. This focuses attention on the ceiling compositions painted on the pegged wooden beams. The master had been well versed in the Baroque traditions of plafond painting typical of Northern Europe and Scandinavia in the late 17th century.

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