In 1926, the Government of Latvia, after a proposal from, at the time, Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis, bought 10 hectares of land from Albert Wolfschmidt’s heirs, which is located in Kandava street 2, Riga. Construction of the Botanical Garden began at the end of the 18th century and finished at the beginning of the 19th century. At first, it was just a summer residence that belonged to industrialist Albert Wolfschmidt. During the 19th and 20th century, the manor housed a private nerve healing clinic owned by E. von Rothast. In the 1920s, it housed K. Erdmann’s personal garden. In 1926, the construction of the Botanical Garden finally began, even incorporating an orangery, park and fruit gardens of previous manor owners – Wolfschmidt and von Stritzky. Wolfschmidt’s buildings were never reconstructed, they are in subpar technical condition – worn out facades, roofs in a dangerously bad state as well as unrepaired foundations.

Reconstruction of Wolfschmidt’s manor buildings will be the biggest stepping stone towards turning the Botanical Garden of UL into Riga’s green pearl – a cultural center of unique views and landscapes. The Botanical Garden will become a free to enter and explore territory for anyone, where the symbiosis of man and nature captures the synergy between scientific and cultural values and nature itself.

Restoring the ensemble of Wolfschmidt’s manor will help return a one-of-a-kind inheritance of wooden architecture from the years prior, which is a crucial territorial and historic value. After restoration, it will become a space to host generally informative and culturally rich events not only for the UL Botanical Garden, but also a large chunk of society that will create an opportunity to enjoy this historical heritage and it’s premises.