ANDREJSALA: TRANSFORMATION

THROUGH TIME

Part III

MOORAGE AND WATERWAYS

Moorages were first built in Andrejsala in the 1890s. The east bank of Andrejosta was used for temporarily storing construction

material and wood fuel.

A fragment of a year 1871 map shows the depth of the Daugava.

A map highlighting the Daugava by I. Konstantinov (1907). Source: MHRN.

Freight traffic through Andrejsala increased particularly after the completion of Rīga’s Railway Bridge, since this limited the

accessibility of the more upstream market warehouses.

A map of the Rīga Port’s upstream part (1910). Source: MHRN.

PASSENGER RIVERBOAT TRAFFIC

In 1894, merchant A. Augsburg had two moorages built in Andrejsala in order to use them as passenger riverboat stops.

Rīga and surroundings, a year 1896 map (fragment), shows the passenger riverboat routes. Charted by M. Siliņš. Source: MHRN.

In 1904, in Andrejosta near the herring handling facility, there was one moorage for riverboats taking passengers from central Rīga to Vecmīlgrāvis. A makeshift moorage started operating near Union’s cold-storage warehouse in 1910 and was given a permanent status in 1912.

A Rīga map of 1933 by P. R. Mantinieks (fragment). Source: LNL.

The 1930s saw continued use of passenger riverboats in the Daugava. Also in the 1960s Andrejosta’s moorage #3 was used

by passenger vessels.

Passenger boat Baltika at the Andrejosta moorage of the Rīga Port in early 1960s. Source: MHRN.

COMMERCIAL PORT’S EXPANSION

In early 20th century, theRīga Port became RussianEmpire’s international tradeoutpost #1 in terms ofturnover. In the period from 1901 to1905, Rīga handled 15.2percent of the total amountof Russia’s export.

A 1886 map with depth marks of the Daugava (fragment).

In 1906, Andrejosta’s depth was increased, and in 1908, near the herring facility, it reached 5.5 metres. Before the 1st World War, the navigation route’s depth near Andrejsala was 7.6 metres, and the moorages were 7.3 metres deep.Between the World Wars, the port’s and embankment’s improvement continued, as did the deepening of the Daugava.

A 1930 map of the Rīga Port’s area.Source: MHRN.

The retreating German forces blew up the moorages in Andrejsala. The first among them that was renewed and was 76 metres long became operational in September 1945. The “Andreja district” had three moorages altogether.

A 1954 navigational chart of the Rīga Port.

After the war, Andrejosta had a tugboat moorage, which later moved to Andrejsala’s north part. In Andrejosta, there was a yacht moorage and a shipyard. In the 1950s, Andrejosta’s moorage was 7.5 metres deep, later increased to about 8 metres.Andrejsala’s sea vessel moorage was a vital part of the port, and year-by-year it was transformed in order to handle even bigger ships. Thus, at some point, the moorage #5 near the elevator was 14.4 metres deep.

A 1999 navigational chart of the Rīga Port with depth marks.

The Rīga Commercial Sea Port with ships near Andrejsala in the 1990s. Source: MHRN.

In 1988, a tanker called Ardatova was anchored in Andrejosta, in order to be transformed into a training vessel. Twelve years later it

got a new name Kapella and then was transferred to the Eksportosta Harbour, where it remains to date.

Training vessel Kapella at the Eksportosta Harbour. Source: JAU.

HERRING HANDLING FACILITY

In 1893, Rīga’s herring handling facility moved from Klīversala to Andrejsala’s southwestern part, where it became the area’s first major economic formation. The sorting of herring arriving in Rīga

was mandatory starting from the 16th century.

A 1899 map of Rīga (fragment). Source: LNL.

Herring was quality-checked for three categories: “royal”, “flawed” and “double-flawed”. There were two quality checkers and 25

measuring and cooper personnel. In 1892, a new brick building was built for the herring quality administration.

The building that initially housed the herring quality administration (1940s). Source: MHRN.

Along with the administration building, the herring sorting business got five new wooden barns and four wooden sheds, as well as a

roofed yard. The total storage space measured about 11,300 square feet (1,050 sq metres).

The compound of herring sorting business in Andrejsala (1934). Source: MHRN.

After the 1st World War the herring sorting facility went out of business and its storage space was let out to other companies. Starting in

early 1920s, it housed a salt mill. In mid-1930s, three storehouses were rented by Sērkociņu skaliņu eksporta centrāle

(“Matchstick Export Central”).

RĪGA PORT’S ELEVATORS

A major milestone in the economic growth of Andrejsala was the construction of an elevator and building of the railway branches. The

idea to build the elevator first came around in the latter half of the 19th century, but its construction was signed off in 1892. Engineers A. Agte and W. Liebreich designed it for the Rīga City and the Rīga

Exchange Committee, the project securing a go-ahead in 1893.

The elevator’s main façade’s architectural design (1893). Source: RCC CDD’s archive.

The elevator’s machine building’s façade’s architectural design (1893). Source: RCC CDD’s archive.

The mesh of elevator’s foundation piles in the architectural design of 1893. Source: RCC CDD’s archive.

An outline of the area (1893). Source: RCC CDD’s archive.

The elevator’s operation began in 1895, with the capacity of 8190 metric tons of light or 12285 tons of heavy grain. The five-storey building’s ground floor’s area was 19.9 thousand sq feet (1,850 square m), positioned 112 ft (34 m) from the Daugava.

The facility was profitable. In 1909 it exported 114,000 metric tons of grain by loading it onto steam ships and sailing ships.

The Rīga City and the Rīga Exchange Committee’s elevator in early 1900s. Source: MHRN.

A cross-section of the multi-storey grain storage and the embankment.

A fragment of a year 1896 map Rīga and surroundings showing the elevator.Charted by M. Siliņš. Source: MHRN.

In 1907, the Russian Transport and Insurance Company made plans for building a three-storey brick storehouse on the Daugava

riverbank, between the Exchange Committee’s elevator and Union’s cold-storage warehouse. The design was executed by K. Pēkšēns.

The storehouse’s architectural design, approved in 1911. Source: RCC CDD’s archive.

However, in 1912 and 1913, the architectural plan was adjusted, as it was now owned by the Latvian Farmers’ Business Company. Instead

of a three-storey building, the updated plan foresaw a five-storey warehouse/elevator, and there were a number of other modifications.

The main façade in the adjusted (year 1913) architectural plan of the warehouse/elevator.

The topographical outline of the warehouse/elevator after the architectural modification.

The 3rd, 2nd and 4th floor of the warehouse/elevator after the architectural modification.

A cross-section of the warehouse/elevator after the architectural modification.

The elevator was finally completed and began its business in 1914. A moorage near it was constructed a year earlier.

During the 1st World War, the Rīga Port stopped external trade, and the elevators lacked grain. Machinery from both elevators was evacuated. During the Latvian

independence warfare in 1919, two grain silos and the embankment were damaged.

From 1919 till 1921, the elevators were used as storehouses, but in 1923 they again were capable of handling grain. An agreement with the USSR provided for export of

grain via Rīga, which was effective until 1927.

A year 1923 map of Rīga (fragment). Source: LNL.

The private grain trade ceased almost entirely in 1931, so the elevator started to be used by a state-owned business of grain

storage and export. In 1934, it became known as the Agricultural Ministry’s Grain Office’s elevator. In 1940, the administration of Rīga made a decision to transfer the city-owned part of the elevator to the

Grain Trade Office of the People’s Commissariat of Agriculture, which became effective in 1941.

Andrejsala’s grain elevators in 1940. Source: MHRN.

The Agricultural Ministry’s Grain Office’s elevator during the 2nd World War (1942).Source: MHRN.

The Rīga Exchange Committee’s elevator in 1942.Source: MHRN.

The Rīga Exchange Committee’s elevator in 1942.Source: MHRN.

The Exchange Committee’s elevator was partially destroyed during the 2nd World War, and the restoration took several stages. The first

reinforced concrete building went back to business in 1947; the structure known as the warehouse/elevator started operating in 1948;

the mechanised grain storage (possibly a part of the former Exchange Committee’s elevator) became operational in 1952. The

elevator was then owned by the USSR’s Supply Ministry’s Zagotzerno company represented by the Grain Products

Administration of its Latvian Bureau.

The steamer Kaluga near the Rīga Port’s elevator in 1957. Source: MHRN.

Loading of grain into the steamer Wismar in 1957.Source: MHRN.

1981 saw the beginning of the Rīga Port’s elevator’s expansion. Its new units were built in the location of the oldest Andrejsala’s

elevator. The silos were commissioned in 1984.

The motor ship Kovda near the Rīga Port’s elevator in 1985. Source: MHRN.

A grain transporting device near the elevator (1983).Source: MHRN.

The motor ship Ričardas Bukauskas near the Rīga Port’s elevator in 1984. Source: MHRN.

Handling of ships near the Rīga Port’s elevator in 1986. Source: MHRN.

The motor ship Baltijskij-40 near the Rīga Port’s elevator in 1987.Source: MHRN.

To date, two structures remain standing: the modified machinery building of the Rīga City and the Rīga Exchange Committee’s

elevator, as well as the warehouse/elevator. It is planned to preserve and adapt them for new functions.

An on-site convention of architects inside the former warehouse/elevator in June 2008. Source: JAU.

Andrejsala’s two elevators in 2008.Source: JAU.