The first Anniversary dedicated to 25 operating years of Riga Polytechnic (RP) was celebrated in 1887.
Within the Anniversary, the history of Riga Polytechnicum was re-examined, emphasizing its importance and contribution not only to the formation and development of higher polytechnic education in the Baltics, but in the entire Russian Empire.
The Anniversary celebrations began on 1 October with a torchlight procession from Riga Castle Square, further along Pils and Smilšu streets, Basteja and Teātra boulevards, Suvorova (at present – Barona) Street and Troņmantnieka (at present – Raiņa) Boulevard to the university building – at present the building of the University of Latvia.
The next day, on 2October, the Anniversary was also celebrated by the Preparatory Courses of the University, which had existed since 1862. Its students and lecturers, as well as invited former lecturers, gathered in the Hall of Riga Polytechnicum (at present – UL Small Hall).
In honour of the Anniversary, a collection of memorial articles was published before the celebration, introduced by the historical description «Festschrift der Polytechnischen Schule zu Riga zur Feier ihres XXV jährigen Bestehens» by Professor Gustav Kieseritzky, in which the author comprehensively described the establishment and operation of the university for the first 25 years.
Another important written evidence of this period is the «Album academicum» of Riga Polytechnicum, compiled in German under the direction of Professor Theodor Groenberg, which contains information on the work of most former and current students and lecturers.