If visitors want a great view of Riga, we usually advise them to go on top of the tower of the Latvian Academy of Sciences.

It’s in the center of Riga, it’s easy to go there and the view over Riga is really wide – you can see the Old Town, the so-called Moscow Suburbs of Riga (Maskavas district) and Central Market. The view that is opening to you from the top of the structure is mesmerizing – you can see the 360-degree wide bird’s eye view to Riga from the 17th-floor balcony (height of 65 meters, 213 ft).

The building itself was built after World War II, between 1953 and 1956 and it was the first “skyscraper” in the Republic of Latvia. The building is a cousin to similar Stalin-era skyscrapers in Moscow and Warsaw and is a great example of Stalinist architecture. There is a legend says that this building was built for one Stalin’s birthdays, so some call it a “candle on Stalin’s birthday cake”.

Working Hours:

Mon – Sun · 9AM–10PM

Contacts

Phone: +371 20 088 097

Facts

Founded: February 14, 1946

Entry prices

Adults: 3 EUR
Pensioners: 2 EUR
Children: 1.20 EUR
Professional filming: 15 EUR

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Other Riga Observation Decks

Riga St. Peters Cathedral

Riga TV Tower

Riga Guide - Experiences, Tours & Things to Do

4.9

Based on 123 reviews

4 weeks ago

4 weeks ago

4 weeks ago

Very instructive Riga tour.

Tom Curry

4 weeks ago

Fantastic guide to Riga. Great stories about Latvian history and culture.

Normunds Laposko

4 weeks ago

Raivo Malter

4 weeks ago

Very interesting tour we had. Highly recommend!

Annemie Peetermans

4 weeks ago

Perfect tour of Emil. Funny, good pace and smooth stories

Jack Eastwood

4 weeks ago

Marina was excellent, she knowledgeable about Riga and shared excellent insights and history on the city. Thank you!

Natalie Green

6 years ago

Steph, our guide, was absolutely brilliant. Picked us up from our hotel and told us all about Riga on the commute to and from the bobsleigh track. The g-force bobsleigh was amazing (it feels like a roller-coaster) and we didn't have to wait long. There's also an observation deck where you can view the national park.
The only downside was an error by the office staff overcharging us for the experience, which put a downer on the day, as I was told I wasn't able to do the bobsleigh unless we paid more. This was eventually resolved by the owner when he apologised for the error and confirmed no further payment was needed. I advise you pay the balance in full before the trip to avoid incompetent staff trying to overcharge you.

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Latvian Academy of Sciences

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