In the presence of ex-presidents Guntis Ulmanis and Valdis Zatlers, the reconstruction and restoration of Riga’s first building – Riga Castle was symbolically started. The construction works will be carried out by SBRE, which is a union of Skonto Būve and Re&Re.

 As a gift from the commissioning party Real Estate Latvia (VNĪ), the builders got a set of tools for polishing gold incrustations, in return they gave the commissioner a sandglass, symbolising the starting time of the project.

Wide scale complicated repair works are about to be carried out on Riga Castle, starting with the basement fortification and ending with interior restoration.  The frontal part of the castle will serve the needs of the Chancery of the President; it consists of several rooms, such as the White Hall, Celebration Hall and others, which are currently in critical condition and out of use. The total area of Riga Castle’s frontal part to be repaired is 8 688 m^2, the total area of the East wing is 1 671.3 m². The total  area undergoing reconstruction is 10 359.3m^2.