Latvian Academy of Sciences
Encyclopedia
The Academy of Sciences is the official science academy
of Latvia
and is an association of the country's foremost scientists. The academy was founded as the Latvian SSR Academy of Sciences . It is located in Riga
. The President of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is Juris Ekmanis
.
, between 1953 and 1956, as a gift from the workers and peasants of the other Soviet republics to the Latvia
n people, and is decorated with several hammers and sickles
as well as Latvian folk ornaments and motifs. Being 108 metres (354 ft) tall, it was the first skyscraper
in the republic
and was the tallest building until the construction of the Hansabanka Central Office (121 metres (397 ft)), and at the time, one of the highest reinforced concrete
buildings in the world.
The building, designed by Lev Rudnev
, is a cousin to similar Stalin-era skyscrapers, which were representative of what became known as Stalinist architecture
(sometimes referred to as Socialist Classicism). The architecture of the skyscraper resembles many others built in the Soviet Union
at the time, most notably the main building of Moscow State University
. Local nickname
s for this building include Stalin's birthday cake and the Kremlin.
The view of Riga cityscape is open for public viewing from the 17th-floor balcony (height of 65 metres (213 ft)).
Academy of Sciences
An Academy of Sciences is a national academy or another learned society dedicated to sciences.In non-English speaking countries, the range of academic fields of the members of a national Academy of Science often includes fields which would not normally be classed as "science" in English...
of Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
and is an association of the country's foremost scientists. The academy was founded as the Latvian SSR Academy of Sciences . It is located in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
. The President of the Latvian Academy of Sciences is Juris Ekmanis
Juris Ekmanis
Juris Ekmanis, — Professor, President of Latvian Academy of Sciences.-Biography:*1961-1986, Junior Research Associate Riga Polytechnical Institute...
.
Building
The Academy of Sciences edifice was built after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, between 1953 and 1956, as a gift from the workers and peasants of the other Soviet republics to the Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
n people, and is decorated with several hammers and sickles
Hammer and sickle
The hammer and sickle is a part of communist symbolism and its usage indicates an association with Communism, a Communist party, or a Communist state. It features a hammer and a sickle overlapping each other. The two tools are symbols of the industrial proletariat and the peasantry; placing them...
as well as Latvian folk ornaments and motifs. Being 108 metres (354 ft) tall, it was the first skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
in the republic
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
and was the tallest building until the construction of the Hansabanka Central Office (121 metres (397 ft)), and at the time, one of the highest reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
buildings in the world.
The building, designed by Lev Rudnev
Lev Rudnev
Lev Vladimirovich Rudnev was a Soviet architect, and a leading practitioner of Stalinist architecture.-Biography:Rudnev was born to the family of a school teacher in the town of Opochka . He graduated from the Riga Realschule and entered the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg...
, is a cousin to similar Stalin-era skyscrapers, which were representative of what became known as Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture
Stalinist architecture , also referred to as Stalinist Gothic, or Socialist Classicism, is a term given to architecture of the Soviet Union between 1933, when Boris Iofan's draft for Palace of the Soviets was officially approved, and 1955, when Nikita Khrushchev condemned "excesses" of the past...
(sometimes referred to as Socialist Classicism). The architecture of the skyscraper resembles many others built in the Soviet Union
Seven Sisters (Moscow)
The "Seven Sisters" is the English name given to a group of Moscow skyscrapers designed in the Stalinist style. Muscovites call them Vysotki or Stalinskie Vysotki , " high-rises"...
at the time, most notably the main building of Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
. Local nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s for this building include Stalin's birthday cake and the Kremlin.
The view of Riga cityscape is open for public viewing from the 17th-floor balcony (height of 65 metres (213 ft)).
See also
- All-Russia Exhibition CentreAll-Russia Exhibition CentreAll-Russia Exhibition Centre is a permanent general-purpose trade show in Moscow, Russia....
- Eighth Sister (Moscow)Eighth Sister (Moscow)The Eighth Sister is the unbuilt project for the Zaryadye skyscraper in Moscow. It would have been eighth sister to the group of seven postwar Stalinist skyscrapers in Moscow, Russia. The architect was Dmitry Chechulin....
- Hotel LeningradskayaHotel LeningradskayaThe Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel is one of Moscow's Seven Sisters, skyscrapers built in the early 1950s in the Stalinist neoclassical style. Stalinist neoclassical architecture mixes the Russian neoclassical style with the style of American skyscrapers of the 1930s. A main element of...
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RussiaMinistry of Foreign Affairs of RussiaMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation is the central government institution charged with leading the foreign affairs of Russia. Its predecessor organisation is the Ministry of External Relations of the USSR...
- Ministry of Heavy Industry of RussiaMinistry of Heavy Industry of RussiaThe Ministry of Construction of Heavy Industry of the USSR was a central government institution charged with leading the heavy industry of the Soviet Union...
- Moscow State UniversityMoscow State UniversityLomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
- Palace of SovietsPalace of SovietsThe Palace of the Soviets was a project to construct an administrative center and a congress hall in Moscow, Russia, near the Kremlin, on the site of the demolished Cathedral of Christ the Saviour...
- Seven Sisters (Moscow)Seven Sisters (Moscow)The "Seven Sisters" is the English name given to a group of Moscow skyscrapers designed in the Stalinist style. Muscovites call them Vysotki or Stalinskie Vysotki , " high-rises"...
- Triumph-PalaceTriumph-PalaceTriumph-Palace is the name of an apartment building in Moscow. It is sometimes called the Eighth Sister because it is similar in appearance to the Seven Sisters skyscrapers built in Moscow by Joseph Stalin through the 1950s...
- Warsaw Palace of Culture and ScienceWarsaw Palace of Culture and ScienceThe Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw is the tallest building in Poland, the eighth tallest building in the European Union. The building was originally known as the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science , but in the wake of destalinization the dedication to Stalin was revoked; Stalin's...