Alberta Iela 2a (Albert Street 2a), Riga

Like Albert Street 2, the building at 2a Albert Street is also known as the Apartment House of Captain Vladimir Bogoslavsky. Constructed in 1906 to a design by Mikhail Eisenstein, it is one of the last Eclectically Decorative Art Nouveau buildings erected in Riga.

Although designed in a style similar to that of the neighboring buildings on Albert Street, this building is distinguished by a false floor. This feature not only allows more natural daylight to enter the building but also provides additional space on the façade for decorative elements, including geometric and stylized ornaments. Bands of glazed red tiles add further color and emphasis to the façade.

In keeping with the Art Nouveau tradition of incorporating Egyptian motifs, the building features two sphinxes at its main entrance, symbolizing security. Above the entrance, on either side, are female figures holding torches, symbolizing purification and the power of fire.

Sir Isaiah Berlin, the Russian-British philosopher and historian, spent the first years of his life here, from 1909 to 1915. A commemorative plaque engraved in Latvian, English, and Hebrew attests to his connection with the building. From 1916 through the 1930s, the property was owned by a Latvian landlady named Lube. Since 1997, it has been part of the Historic Centre of Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, the building serves as a private apartment block.