History, family values and a pearl of Riga’s architecture. The Aparthotel Amella was built in 1900, before the First World War, when economic life was developing, the nation already owned its own ships, houses, factories and shops, and people could buy their own land. This house has served as a residential building for some time.
Aparthotel Amella is located on Emilijas Benjaminas Street, which intersects with Karla Milenbaha Street. These streets were formerly known as Gogola Street (based on Russian novelist Nikolai Gogol) and Puskin Street (based on Russian poet Alexander Pushkin). From 2024 the street names are changed to honor well-known personalities in Latvia who have left their mark on history.
Emilia Benjamina was an outstanding figure of her time, who marked an important place in the press and public life of Latvia with her activity and entrepreneurship. Her life and work are an inspiring example today, showing that with courage and strength we can achieve great goals and influence society. Emilia’s legacy is a precious story of personal perseverance and overcoming difficulties, which is still relevant and inspiring today.
Although Emilijas Benjaminas Street is not long, it is home to a number of important landmarks, including the Church of St Nicholas and the Latvian Academy of Sciences, a 21-storey office building in Riga, believed to be the first high building in Latvia. The construction of the Latvian Academy of Sciences took place between 1951 and 1961.
Karl Milenbach was a Latvian linguist, educator, one of the founders of Latvian linguistics and Latvian lexicography.
The design of the building was created for Olga Heinike, daughter of Peter and wife of Gustav Heinike (02.11.1863, Odessa – 12.10.1932, Riga). Gustav Heinike was a well-known lawyer in Riga, a Lutheran, a member of the Doma Church – Riga Cathedral congregation. The Heinike building was designed by architect Rudolf Phillip Donberg.
Gustav and Olga cherished family values and were the parents of two children, Iraida and Peter. The building was constructed to give the family and their friends the opportunity to stay in Riga, in one place.
Gustav and Olga’s daughter, Iraida Heinike, is a well-known poet of the first half of the 20th century who used her literary pseudonym, calling herself Irina Odoyevtseva. History has shown that during the Second World War, Iraida also lived with her husband in Paris, in a villa in the Biarritz, seaside resort on the Basque coast, which they had bought in 1932. Iraida spent 65 years of her life abroad.
The renovation of the Aparhotel Amella was completed in 2021. During the process, in 2020, the house was awarded 1st place in the “Facade Renovation” nomination in the “Latvian Construction Award of the Year 2020” competition.
Aparthotel Amella started its business on 15 July 2022 and, following the wishes of the original owner of the building, it is dedicated to the values of family-friendliness, offering accommodation in the central part of the Latvian capital with a comfortable infrastructure for families with children, providing everything they need, even for the smallest family members – domestic pets.
During the renovation process, special attention was paid to the restoration of the building’s tower. The tower is a metal structure of 2 storeys 13.9 m high. Every smallest detail, all decorative elements were restored by good master builders. The total weight of the tower was very high, all the elements were made of iron (Rheinzink). It was not easy to find a master metal artist to take on the complex and time-consuming work. The artist Uldis Madernieks took part in the restoration of this tower. The restoration and the rebuilding of the tower in the original form took half a year. During the renovation process itself, the doors and blind windows of the tower were carefully restored. In addition to the renovation process, a restoration technologist, Kristīne Gulbe, was involved, who made colour samples from the Histolith Klassik catalogue and gave precise instructions on the painting technology.
What does the red door mean? There are a million theories. In China, it is believed that energy with a positive charge flows through a red door and that this door means: ‘Welcome’. In America, many years ago, red doors were for buildings where travellers were welcomed. Red doors are not unusual in Art Nouveau buildings in Riga.
The area around the building was once a strong gathering place for merchants, but during the Soviet era the buildings and the place gradually fell into disrepair. Now the area has been reborn and development and growth are visible every day.
Rudolph Phillip Donberg – architect. Graduated from Riga Polytechnic Institute in 1893. Worked under architect professors Gustav Hilbig and Wilhelm Boxlaff, but since 1894 – independent architectural practice. At the same time, he was a tax collector for several insurance companies. More than 80 multi-storey stone residential and public buildings were built in Riga according to his designs. In the 19th century he worked in an eclectic style, but in the early 20th century Donberg’s work reflects the language of forms of all the artistic and stylistic movements of Riga Art Nouveau.
The architect lived at 23 Stabu Street in Riga.
Some of the best known works: the building at 21 Lāčplēša Street, the building at 8 Emīlijas Benjamiņa Street
Read more about Art Nouveau in Riga HERE.
Read more about Art Nouveau architects HERE.
