The House of the Black Heads continues to enhance the visitor experience by expanding its audio guide offering to 13 languages. Four new languages have been added this year: Spanish, Danish, Swedish and, most recently, Ukrainian. This expansion allows an even wider range of international visitors to discover the House’s rich history, fascinating legends and the traditions of the Brotherhood of Black Heads in their own language and at their own pace.

The House of the Black Heads is one of Riga’s most popular tourist attractions, with international visitors accounting for approximately 90% of its guests. Providing engaging, multilingual content through modern technology is therefore an essential part of the visitor experience. Expanding the range of audio guide languages helps the House reach a broader international audience and makes Riga’s cultural and historical heritage more accessible to travellers from around the world.

The audio guide is currently available in 13 languages: Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian, Polish, Finnish, German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Swedish and Ukrainian.

“The audio guide at the House of the Black Heads was introduced in the summer of 2024, initially offering tours in seven languages. Since its launch, it has attracted considerable interest from visitors. More than 110,000 people visit the House each year, and approximately one in seven chooses to explore its history with the help of the audio guide. By expanding the range of languages, we aim to make this experience available to even more visitors, allowing them to discover and enjoy the House’s fascinating stories in a language they understand best. After all, stories are easier to connect with and appreciate when told in your native language,” says Linda Lūkina-Kalda, Director of the House of the Black Heads.

The audio guide takes visitors on a captivating journey through time, from the 14th century to the present day, with Johann Brenner, a member of the Brotherhood of Black Heads, serving as their virtual guide. Through his narration, visitors gain insight into the daily life of the Brotherhood, the world of medieval merchants, significant events in the history of the House and Riga, as well as intriguing legends and hidden secrets.

The modern audio guide system has been designed with visitor convenience in mind, making the experience seamless and intuitive, without the need to search for content, press buttons or manually select recordings. The device automatically detects the visitor’s location and plays the narration relevant to the room or exhibition area they are exploring.

The Latvian version of the audio guide is narrated by actor Rihards Lepers, the Lithuanian version by actor Matas Dirginčus, and the Estonian version by actor Kaspar Velberg.

Built in 1334 as part of Riga’s Town Hall Square ensemble, the House of the Black Heads stands in the very heart of Riga’s Old Town. It is one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks and a prestigious venue for celebrations and special occasions. For centuries, the House has served as one of Riga’s most important ceremonial buildings, hosting distinguished guests and official receptions.