When Lithuania’s capital was seized by Poland in 1919, the Baltic nation named a small central city as its new political seat. During its 20 years in the role — Vilnius was won back in 1939 — the once-industrial Kaunas would earn the nickname “Little Paris” and see the construction of some 10,000 new public and private buildings. The result: an unmatched concentration of showpiece modern architecture, in addition to the Gothic, Baroque, and Byzantine Revival treasures of earlier eras. By Stephanie Vermillion
Today, there are more than 6,000 examples of interwar Modernism still standing in Kaunas, which is projected to join UNESCO’s World Heritage List as soon as this summer. And the city has been named a European Capital of Culture for 2022 — alongside Novi Sad, Serbia, and Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg — in part because of its distinctive architectural legacy.
Here, are three essential Kaunas landmarks, past, present, and future:
A baroque retreat
The architecture of Kaunas features the Pažaislis Church & Monastery. It dazzles with its late-Baroque style — construction began in 1662 — and recently acted as a backdrop in HBO’s Catherine the Great. Reserve a tour to see the grounds of the Camaldolese hermitage, with its hexagonal, Venetian-inspired church and frescoes by Florentine painter Mykolas Arkangelas Palonis. A 17th-century guesthouse has been transformed into Monte Pacis (doubles from USD 74 or INR 5788) — a boutique hotel with plush suites and a fine-dining restaurant (entrées USD 14 or INR 1,095 – USD 34 or INR 2,659) beloved for its list of Lithuanian wines.
An interwar icon
The simple but grand M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art is the definition of Kaunas Modernism. Designed in 1930 by architects Vladimiras Dubeneckis, Kārlis Reisons, and Kazimieras Kriščiukaitis, the striking crown-shaped front entrance is a nod to the artist M. K. Čiurlionis — the fin-de-siècle painter and composer whose work, a primary focus of the collection, often incorporated crown motifs. The museum will celebrate the Capital of Culture status with a special exhibition: That Which We Do Not Remember (through November 30) by South African artist William Kentridge, who can trace his Lithuanian-Jewish heritage back to Kaunas.
A contemporary hub
The USD 28 million (INR 2,19,03,00,000) National Science & Innovation Center, also known as Science Island, is a peek into the future of the architecture of Kaunas. The sleek, low-slung structure was designed by SMAR Architecture Studio to sit in harmony with the grassy surroundings of Nemunas Island: glass walls overlook an 82-acre park and the copper roofs of Old Town across the river. When it opens later this year, the centre will show how sustainability and technology can work in tandem.
(This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com)
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