Riga

Latvian Academy of Sciences

Latvia’s first skyscraper and one of the most recognisable sisters of the Moscow skyscrapers. The open terrace on the 17th floor looks out over the whole of central Riga.

The Latvian Academy of Sciences in the sunshine
The Academy of Sciences and the Central Market pavilions
The Academy of Sciences above the rooftops of Riga
The Academy of Sciences and the Daugava
Height
108 m
Floors
21
Built
1951–1961

At a glance

Can you go in
Yes. The observation deck on the 17th floor is open to visitors for a fee
Best view
From the Central Market and from the Daugava embankment
How much time to allow
1 to 2 hours including the observation deck
Architects
Osvalds Tīlmanis, Vaidelotis Apsītis and Kārlis Plūksne

History

The skyscraper was begun in 1951 in the Moscow Suburb, next to the Old Town. It was first conceived as a Kolkhoz Workers’ House, where visitors from the countryside could stay.

While it was being built, its purpose changed and the building was handed to the Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR. It was only fully completed in 1961.

The people of Riga quickly gave the skyscraper nicknames, the best known being the “Stalin cake” and the “kolkhoz workers’ house”. The Academy of Sciences still works here today.

Architecture and numbers

The tower rises in tiers and ends in a spire. If you look closely at the facade, you can find Latvian folk ornaments among the Soviet hammers and sickles.

108 mheight with spire
21floor
65 mheight of the observation deck
1961year completed

What is inside and can you go in

The Academy of Sciences still works in the building, but one part of it is open to everyone.

Observation deck on the 17th floorOpen

Observation deck on the 17th floor

An open circular terrace about 65 metres up. From here you can see the Old Town, the Daugava, the Central Market and the TV tower. A lift takes you up, and the last flights are on foot.

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People behind the building

Osvalds Tīlmanis

Architect

The Latvian architect who led the project together with Vaidelotis Apsītis and Kārlis Plūksne. Their design combined the silhouette of the Moscow skyscrapers with details of Latvian architecture.

Where to take photos

The skyscraper can be seen from all sides of the Moscow Suburb. Here are two tried and tested spots.

View of the building. Central Market

Central Market

From the market pavilions you see the tower above the rooftops, with the famous hangars in the frame.

View of the building. The Daugava embankment

The Daugava embankment

From the embankment and the Stone Bridge the skyscraper rises above the river and the old quarters.

Where to stay nearby

The skyscraper stands between the Old Town and the railway station, so there are many hotels nearby.

What to see nearby

Walking times are from the skyscraper.

Central Market

Central Market

5 min

One of the largest markets in Europe. Its pavilions were made from hangars built for German Zeppelins during the First World War.

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Moscow Suburb

Moscow Suburb

2 min

An old district around the skyscraper with wooden houses, churches and the former Spīķeri warehouses.

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House of the Blackheads

House of the Blackheads

15 min

The most ornate building in the Old Town, on Town Hall Square, rebuilt at the end of the twentieth century.

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Map

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Address

Latvija, Rīga, Akadēmijas laukums 1

Getting there

On foot from the Old Townabout 15 minutes

  1. Walk from the Old Town to the Central Market, whose pavilions look like huge hangars.
  2. Beyond the market cross Gogoļa Street. The skyscraper will be right in front of you.

Other Moscow skyscrapers

1Moscow State University Main Building on the Sparrow Hills Moscow State University Main Building 1953 · 240 m 2Hotel Ukraina on Kutuzovsky Prospekt Hotel Ukraina 1957 · 206 m 3The Kotelnicheskaya skyscraper where the Yauza meets the Moskva River Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building 1952 · 176 m 4The Foreign Ministry building on Smolenskaya Square Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building 1953 · 172 m 5The skyscraper on Kudrinskaya Square Kudrinskaya Square Building 1954 · 156 m 6The Red Gates skyscraper on the Garden Ring Red Gates Building 1953 · 138 m 7Hotel Leningradskaya on Komsomolskaya Square Hotel Leningradskaya 1954 · 136 m

Never built

Hotel Rossiya on the foundation of the Zaryadye skyscraper, 1972 Zaryadye skyscraper1947 project · 275 m Boris Iofan’s design for the Palace of Soviets Palace of Soviets1930s project · 415 m

More “sisters”

The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw Warsaw Palace of Culture and Science Hotel International in Prague Prague Hotel International The House of the Free Press in Bucharest Bucharest House of the Free Press Hotel Ukraine, formerly Hotel Moskva, in Kyiv Kyiv Hotel Moskva (now Hotel Ukraine)

FAQ

Can you go up the Academy of Sciences building in Riga?

Yes. There is an observation deck on the 17th floor, with a paid entry. Check the opening hours before you go, as they change with the season.

How tall is the Latvian Academy of Sciences?

108 metres with the spire. The observation deck is about 65 metres up.

Why is the building called the “Stalin cake”?

Because of its stepped silhouette and lavish decoration, which looks like the icing on a cake.

What is there to see near the Academy of Sciences in Riga?

The Central Market in its former Zeppelin hangars, the Moscow Suburb district and the Old Town with the House of the Blackheads.