A Gloomy Corner of Stabu Street

Stabu Street received its name from a pillory which for many years stood on the edge of Riga’s main street (Smilšu or Vidzeme Street, now known as Brīvības Street) near the outskirts of the city. To deter other, criminals were chained to the pillory or burnt alive the. Only in 1849 was the pillory was removed. Unfortunately, the aura of this place, which had accumulated over the centuries, did not disappear.

During the years of the Soviet occupation the Committee of State Security (the KGB) took over the house built on the corner of Brīvības and Stabu Streets. Its cellars contained prisoners who were tortured and killed. Sometimes a person was invited here for a “friendly chat” and asked to “cooperate.” The citizens of Riga called this house the  “corner house”, and this simple expression acquired a sinister definition.
A memorial stone to all the Latvian inhabitants who were tortured during the Soviet occupation was unveiled here on 14 June, 2003.