Riga is the largest, most developed and most metropolitan of the three Baltic capitals. As one of the pillars of the Hanseatic League – the medieval trade confederation of the European cities, it was open to the world and subjected to the strong influence of Western Europe for centuries. The capital of Latvia was often compared to London as it was the city where many different cultures existed, and to Paris because of the intense cultural and entertainment life of the city. Riga is also – like the other capitals of the Baltic states – a very green city which is attached to its rich traditions.