The Palace of Justice (Latvian: Latvijas Tiesu pils) is a set of courthouses and administrative buildings in Riga. It serves as the location for the sittings of the Supreme Court of Latvia, of the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia and houses the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice.
History
Senate
Between 1918 and 1940 the highest judicial power in Latvia was the Senate of Latvia (Latvijas Senāts). The first section of the building was constructed between 1936 and 1938 as a new home for the Senate and the Ministry of Justice under the authoritarian regime of Kārlis Ulmanis. The foundation stone was laid by War Minister Jānis Balodis and it was officially opened by Justice Minister Hermanis Apsītis. Before the second world war, the building was not fully completed. During the Stalinist era, the wing that now houses the Supreme Court was constructed.
Executive building
Old Senate chamber. The judicial motto viens likums - viena taisnība visiem (one law, one truth for all) alludes to the building's origins.
During the alternating Nazi and Soviet occupations the building was home to the Reich Commissariat and the Latvian SSR Council of Ministers. Since the 1990s the usual meeting place of the Cabinet of Latvia has been the old Senate chamber.
Location
The building is located on Brīvības bulvāris (Freedom Boulevard) at the triangular intersection of Elizabetes iela, Tērbatas iela (Tartu street) and Brīvības. Next door is the Riga Regional Court (Rīgas apgabaltiesa).
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