Riga is situated where the Daugava River flows into the Gulf of Riga on the Baltic coast. The historic center of Riga, which was founded in the 12th century, deserves its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site despite its having been heavily damaged and reconstructed. The Art Nouveau district, north and east of the historic center, is a delight to walk through. The open-air Latvian Ethnographic Museum is home to many old wooden churches and farm buildings, some dating back to the 17th century.