The First New Year's Tree in Riga - Riga, Latvia
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Metro2
N 56° 56.838 E 024° 06.388
35V E 324005 N 6315245
This sign is located in Town Hall Square...close to the Museum of the Occupation.
Waymark Code: WMFB7V
Location: Latvia
Date Posted: 09/23/2012
Views: 23
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The octagonal sign is implanted in the pavement in front of the Blackheads House...closer to the Museum of Occupation. Each side has an engraving in a different language. The English side reads:

"The First New Year's Tree in Riga in 1510"

This website (visit link) provides a little bit more info:

"When searching for the historical beginning of the first Christmas tree, one must go very deep into the past. Just like Santa Claus one finds that the first Christmas tree was combination of many different facts, legends and customs. The first documented use of a tree in a winter Christmas celebration was in several locations in Northern Europe including Estonia, and Latvia, in the year 1510 according to documents from the Blackheads Fraternity chronicles and from various sources in Germany. It is not totally clear whether the birthplace of the Christmas Tree was in Tallinn or Riga. As the two Black's Fraternity were related, one might conclude that it happen in both cities in the same years..."
Group that erected the marker: unknown

URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]

Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Town Hall Square
Riga, Latvia
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