onstruction design of the Small Guild, the architecture and arts monument, was ordered in April 1861 to the Riga town’s architect J.D. Felsko under whose guidance the construction was started on 22th May 1864 by setting in the foundation stone where the newspapers of those days, a calendar, an adress-book, signatures from all seniors of the Guild and from all seniors of crafts-corporations, a short chronicle of St. John’s Guild and various other documents were contained. On 9th February 1866 the new building was solemnly consecrated. The further reconstruction and interior decoration was resumed in 1888. The main reconstruction initiator of the Small Guild of those days was the senior Fridrich Brunstermann. The Small Guild house was built as a location place of rooms for crafts-corporations, ceremonies and representations where the disposition of rooms has developed gradually, supple menting it in the course of time with donations and gifts of separate crafts corporations. In 1999-2000, the renovation and restoration of the Small Guild was conducted. Actually the finish of the whole Small Guild is done in accordance with the documents and photographies of the last quarter of the 19th century. Also nowadays the building of the Small Guild is rather precisely characterised by the final quotation of the 1936 issue – “ This building offers us a unique picture of the art of old Riga crafts corporation, a true example of citizenship and unselfishness. Also the present refined looks of these luxurious interior rooms of the building are of high arts and historical value as a document of our oldest and recent arts culture…”
