LATVIA: A Rail Baltica and Europe-themed wreath formed the centrepiece of the topping out ceremony for the new station building at Riga Central.
The station is being extensively remodelled to improve facilities for services on the existing broad gauge network as well as accommodating the Rail Baltica international corridor.
The ceremonial wreath had a diameter of 1 435 mm, symbolising the European standard railway gauge. It included Latvian pine, Estonian juniper and Lithuanian spruce, as well as an orange tree from Spain, an olive tree from Italy, hops from Belgium, lavender and palm fronds from France, birch from Poland and oak from Germany.
The lifting of the wreath into place on February 29 was accompanied by the sounding of horns by all the trains in the station.
