Baltic States – CIS, Forum, History, Latvia, Real Estate

The Culture Ministry is currently in discussions with the involved institutions and is calculating the monthly maintenance costs for the building. Once this is completed, the ministry will make an informative report to the government and request for the necessary financing so that the building can remain open to the public.

As reported, the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia has set-up an exhibition in the building as part of the European Capital of Culture Year in Riga, which tells about the activities and atrocities committed by the Soviet State Security Committee (KGB) in Latvia.

After the occupation of Latvia on June 17, 1940, the building became the headquarters of the State Security Committee of the Latvian SSR, commonly known as the "čeka". It did not take long for part of the basement and the ground floor to be reconstructed as prison cells and a place of torture and execution.