The façade featured a niche containing a statue by Danish sculptor David Jensen of the Teutonic Landmeister Wolter von Plettenberg.

In the Russian Empire, the Governorate of Livonia was administered with the co-operation of the Livonian Noble Corporation, the estate of nobility who owed fealty to the Emperor.

The Noble Corporation, also known as the "knighthood" began at the dissolution of the Teutonic Order in Livonia in the 16th century, and comprised the leading representatives of the Baltic-German nobility who made up the ruling class in Latvia and Estonia until the First World War.

Ulmanis assumed the title of President in 1936 and the continuous dissolution of the Saeima served the purposes of his authoritarian régime, the building was instead to house the presidential administration.

After the restoration of independence on 4 May 1990, the building was home to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia, which functioned as an interim parliament until the Constitution was fully re-established with the election of the next Saeima.