The modern culture forum White Night 2017 in Riga, Latvia, presented Museum of the Moon which was suspended above the Bastejkalns park river. More than 30,000 visitors came to see the moon over the weekend!
The White Night programme included 34 culture and art projects, including concerts, installations and performances in an urban environment, exhibitions, multimedia projects, poetry readings and movie programmes. All White Night events were free of charge and are hosted in different parts of the city.
Moon in Latvian Culture
Mēness, (Latvian), Lithuanian Mėnuo, in Baltic religion, the moon, the god whose monthly renewal of strength is imparted to all growing things. The “young,” or “new,” moon, sometimes called Dievaitis (Lithuanian: “Little God,” or “Prince”), is especially receptive to human prayers and is honoured by farmers.
Mēness, dressed in a starry gown and riding in a chariot drawn by gray horses, displays traits of a war god but is known chiefly as the main suitor of Saule, the sun goddess, or as one of the rivals for the hand of Saule’s daughter. In some traditions Mēness marries Saule but is unfaithful to her; for his infidelity he is punished by Pērkons, the Thunderer.