For more than one hundred and fifty years buildings of the arts have taken a significant place in the urban fabric of Latvia’s towns and cities as well as in the rural landscape. They form an integral part of cultural heritage. The lack of research on buildings of the arts and their overall development in the province was a reason underlying a new in-depth study of the buildings of the arts. Describing the typology of the buildings, several terms never used before in scientific publications have been introduced in the Thesis: buildings of the arts, community centres, buildings of performing arts and exhibition buildings. The Aim of the Thesis is to determine general tendencies in the development of the architecture of buildings of the arts in Latvia and to introduce new factual material in scientific use by identifying and inventorying buildings of the arts, their stylistic and functional expressions in Latvian architecture and by analysing the overall development of the architecture of community centres, exhibition buildings and buildings of performing arts between the second half of the 19th century and the 1920s. The Thesis inventories and classifies construction history of buildings of the arts chronologically, stylistically and typologically. To draw scientifically-based conclusions, information about the architecture of buildings of the arts in the entire territory of Latvia was inventoried and analysed, putting emphasis on the quality of architecture as the main selection criterion rather than selection by region.A large database was created of construction history and architecture of community centres, buildings of performing arts and exhibition buildings. New factual material about buildings of the arts in rural areas was summarised. Development patterns of community centres, buildings of performing arts and exhibition buildings as regards their typology, functions and style were established. The Thesis can serve as a basis for creating comprehensive reference materials for the specialists working in the field (architects, builders, restorers, conservation specialists of cultural objects, etc.) and for any person interested in culture and its development. The findings of the Thesis contain professional information for thorough assessment of Latvia’s cultural heritage. Part of the information has already been used in publications available to a wider audience and for promoting cultural heritage.