The House of the Black Cat is one of Riga Old Town's easiest buildings to remember, thanks to the two arched black cat figures perched on its roof. The story goes that a tradesman, angry at being refused entry to the Great Guild, placed the cats with their tails pointed toward the guild house.
Whether or not you care about the legend, the building is a good small stop on an Old Town walk. Look up from the street and you get Riga's mix of merchant pride, architectural playfulness, and local gossip in one quick glance.