Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Latvia Riga Latvian Academy of Sciences
AO Edited

Latvian Academy of Sciences

Latvia’s first skyscraper, nicknamed ‘Stalin’s birthday cake.’

Riga, Latvia

Added By
Olga Lisina
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
views of the city from the observation deck   Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
View from St. Peter’s Church Spire, Riga   Nenea hartia/ CC BY-SA 4.0
  Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
views of the city from the observation deck   Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
views of the city from the observation deck   Olga Lisina / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The most prominent artifact of the Soviet legacy in Riga, the Latvian Academy of Sciences, is situated just a few blocks south of the city center. The towering structure looms over the skyline in an attempt to mimic the historic towers of Old Riga. Conceived in 1951 as the House of Kolkhoz (collective farms) workers, the 21-story building was modeled on Stalin’s Seven Sisters—seven monumental high-rises built in postwar Moscow in a style known as socialist classicism, or simply Stalinist architecture. However, Stalin himself was not able to admire Riga’s first skyscraper since the building was completed after his death and was officially opened in 1961, having changed its purpose and being turned into an office and conference building for scientists and researchers.

Smaller in scale than its Moscow ‘cousins,’ the Latvian Academy of Sciences also differs from them in structure, materials, and decorative features. While the Seven Sisters are based on over-engineered steel frames, Riga’s high-rise is a reinforced concrete structure and is decorated not only with ubiquitous Soviet hammers and sickles but also traditional Latvian ornaments. However, the building is still unmistakably recognizable as a monument of Stalin’s era and a controversial reminder of Latvia’s stay under Soviet rule. That is why the building is nicknamed by locals as the Kremlin, Stalin’s cake, and even Stalin’s tooth.

The building's observation deck offers panoramic views of Riga from the 17th-floor circular terrace.

Related Tags

Soviet Architecture Architecture Stalin

Know Before You Go

Latvian Academy of Sciences is open everyday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with an entry fee of 8 euros.

Community Contributors

Added By

Olga Lisina

Edited By

linkogecko

  • linkogecko

Published

February 12, 2025

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://neighborhood.lv/en/real-estate/latvian-academy-of-sciences/
  • https://www.lza.lv/images/LZA_augstceltne/zinatnu_akademija_en.pdf
Latvian Academy of Sciences
Akadēmijas laukums 1
Latgales priekšpilsēta
Riga, LV-1050
Latvia
56.943546, 24.121846
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Žanis Lipke Memorial

Riga, Latvia

miles away

Great Choral Synagogue Memorial

Riga, Latvia

miles away

Riga Central Market

Riga, Latvia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Riga

Riga

Latvia

Places 27

Nearby Places

The Žanis Lipke Memorial

Riga, Latvia

miles away

Great Choral Synagogue Memorial

Riga, Latvia

miles away

Riga Central Market

Riga, Latvia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Riga

Riga

Latvia

Places 27

Related Places

  • Lit in the evening.

    Tashkent, Uzbekistan

    Hotel Uzbekistan

    Once a luxurious flagship of the Soviet Union, this Brutalist structure remains a landmark of Tashkent’s communist past.

  • Belgrade, Serbia

    Sava Centar

    A retro Yugoslav congress, cultural, and business hall built in the 1970s, with an iconic world clock.

  • Icarus statue at night

    Belgrade, Serbia

    Icarus on the Air Force Command Building

    An Art Deco Icarus statue adorns this abandoned gem of Yugoslav Modernist architecture.

  • Chisinau, Moldova

    Romanita Collective Housing Tower

    Once the tallest building in Chisinau, this unique tower is a relic of Soviet architecture.

  • Okta Centrum AS

    Rapla, Estonia

    Okta Centrum AS

    This abandoned office building is a lasting example of Soviet-era architecture.

  • Väike-Õismäe District.

    Tallinn, Estonia

    Väike-Õismäe District

    A series of concentric circles represented a bold new experiment in socialist urban planning, and it notoriously difficult to get around.

  • Sokhumi, Georgia

    Amra Pier

    A beautiful but deteriorating monument of Soviet architecture.

  • Kyiv Institute of Information.

    Kyiv, Ukraine

    Kyiv Institute of Information

    This exquisite, alienesque piece of Soviet architecture is being threatened by modern shopping malls.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.