Contents
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Devil Museum in Kaunas Guide Outside Old Town
- 3 Vytautas the Great Military Museum
- 4 AB Underground Printing House Kaunas
- 5 Seventh Fort Kaunas
- 6 M.K. Ciurlionis State Art Museum Kaunas
- 7 Resurrection Church of Christ Kaunas
- 8 Stumbras Museum Kaunas
- 9 Pazaislis Monastery Kaunas
- 10 Pazaislis Monastery Kaunas
- 11 Carmelite Church Of The Holy Cross Kaunas
- 12 Kaunas Artists House
- 13 Enjoy the sun and have a swim at Lampedziai Lake
- 14 Find Cheap Flights To Kaunas Airport Lithuania
- 15 Kaunas Map
Introduction
Although Kaunas Old Town has the visitor plenty to offer when enjoying a city trip. Interwar architecture, unique museums and parks, statues, and so on. Take a trolley bus, use one of the two funiculars, or stroll and discover some hidden gems in this Kaunas Travel Guide.
Devil Museum in Kaunas Guide Outside Old Town
The best way to describe the Devil’s Museum in Kaunas is “unique”. The prominent Lithuanian painter and activist Professor Antanas Zmuidzinavicius (1876 – 1966) initiated this collection of worldwide fame. The story of the beginning of the collection is not a habitual one. In 1906, a man from Samogitia gave the painter a wooden sculpture of a devil as a present.
The Start of A Collection
A bizarre coincidence followed this as the well-known priest and writer Juozas Tumas-Vaizgantas on the 13th of June (Zmuidzinavicius’ patron saint’s day) brought him a wooden statue named “Trampled Devil” dating back to the 18th century showing Saint Archangel Michael trampling a devil. The statue was so huge that the priest sawed the saint off and brought the devil as a present.
This was the start of the collection and soon devils from around the world arrived at the painter’s house. The painter first exhibited the collection in his studio, but in 1961 he donated the collection to the state and the exhibition opened for the public in 1966. In 1983 it moved to its current place in the wing next to the memorial museum.
Address | V. Putvinskio gatve 64, Kaunas |
Telephone | +370 37 20 41 02 |
Open | Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 – 17:00 |
Closed | Monday |
Vytautas the Great Military Museum
Located in the heart of Kaunas, the Vytautas the Great Military Museum is a reminder of the nation’s rich military history and heritage. Established in 1921, this museum offers a deep dive into the past, showcasing the bravery and resilience of the Lithuanian people.
The museum was founded by General Vladas Nagevičius and was initially housed in a wooden building. It was later moved to its current location in 1930, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Vytautas the Great, the Grand Duke of Lithuania. The museum’s architecture reflects the Art Deco and early functionalism styles, making it a visual treat for visitors.
Exhibits and Collections
The museum boasts an extensive collection of artifacts, including weapons, uniforms, and military equipment from various periods. One of the most notable exhibits is the wreckage of the Lituanica, the aircraft in which Steponas Darius and Stanislovas Girėnas tragically died while attempting a nonstop flight from New York to Kaunas in 1933. Additionally, the museum features expositions dedicated to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the defense of the Kaunas Fortress in 1915, and more.
Address: K. Donelaičio gatve 64
AB Underground Printing House Kaunas
Founded and run by Vytautas Andziulis (born in 1930) and Juozas Bacevicius (1918-1995), the AB Underground Printing House operated at great risk during the last decade of the Soviet occupation of Lithuania.
The printing house is hidden 3 meters under a greenhouse in the garden of Andziulis on the outskirts of Kaunas. Dug by hand between 1978 and 1980 and reinforced with sturdy concrete walls, during its lifespan it published 23 titles dealing with subjects ranging from Lithuanian history to religion and poetry.
This was all done on a hand-cranked machine built from spare parts gathered by Andziulis, a professional printer. The printing house is now part of the Vytautas the Great Military Museum. It’s preserved and you can visit it by appointment.
Set in the village of Saliai 10 kilometers north of the city center, it’s best reached by car or possibly by bicycle, but it’s off the public transport route. The exhibition has labels in Lithuanian only, and the staff won’t speak any English.
Address | Spaustuves 2, Saliai |
Telephone | +370 60 18 65 21 |
Open | Monday – Thursday 10:00 – 17:00 |
Closed | Sunday |
Seventh Fort Kaunas
The seventh fort is one of twelve forts built between 1882 and World War I to protect what was then part of Russia from a Western invasion. The Seventh Fort, completed in 1902, is part of the largest surviving fortress complex built in the days of the Russian Empire. Well-preserved due in part to the fact that, unlike the First, Second, and Third Forts, it never saw action.
It served as storage space for the Central State Archive when Kaunas was the country’s provisional capital, before entering its darkest period. On July 6, 1941, Lithuanian auxiliary police units murdered some 3,000 Jews at the site.
After the war, the fort fell in ruins. Privatized in 2009, it opened to the public two years later. There’s still a lot of work to do, with restoration so far covering the barracks and dining room with tsarists-era propaganda painted on the walls. Tours of the site are available.
Address: Archyvo g. 61
M.K. Ciurlionis State Art Museum Kaunas
Painter, composer, mystic, and depressive are some words used to describe Lithuania’s favorite artist. During his short lifetime, the Polish-speaking Ciurlionis (1875 – 1911) penned the first Lithuanian symphony, Miške (in The Forest, 1901), painted, dabbled in photography, and even found time to get married, have a daughter, and learn Lithuanian. The museum features many of his original paintings and offers the chance to sit in a small lecture theater and listen to his music. Posters, postcards, and CDs of his work are on sale.
The museum also houses a small exhibition of work by some of his contemporaries. This includes a series of bizarre sculptures made from tree bark and sewn together by Elzbieta Daugviliene.
Address | V. Putvinskio St. 55, Kaunas |
Telephone | +370 37 22 94 75 |
Resurrection Church of Christ Kaunas
This extraordinary, modern white church towering over the city a little way outside the center came about through an idea for a house of worship praising Lithuanian independence in 1922. Work began over a decade later to a design by Latvian architect Karlis Reisons (1894 – 1981) who also designed the city’s Vytautas the Great Military Museum among other notable Kaunas buildings. But it wasn’t finished and consecrated until 2004.
The main tower reaches 70 meters into the heavens and the plain but moving interior has enough room for 3,000 worshipers. The church was a warehouse used by the Nazis and used as a radio factory by the Soviets. Outside are 6 graves, 4 of which are empty.
The other 2 hold the remains of Vytautas Kazlauskas (1919 – 2008), a Lithuanian priest who spent years working in the Vatican, and Mykolas Krupavicius (1885 – 1970), another local gentleman of the cloth known for his nationalist tendencies.
Address: Žemaičių g. 31A
Stumbras Museum Kaunas
Lithuania’s biggest alcoholic spirits producer has been making vodka since 1906 when this factory opened at the personal decree of Tsar Nicholas II. It unveiled the country’s first and only distilled beverage museum in 2009, giving an overview of the distillery’s history and Lithuania’s age-old drinking culture.
See the creation and bottling of a strong drink and, to enhance the experience, enjoy a tasting session. The museum has a shop too. Book your visit in advance.
Address | K. Bugos gatve 7, Kaunas |
Telephone | +370 68 69 43 88 |
Open | By appointment only |
Pazaislis Monastery Kaunas
Pažaislio vienuolyno ansamblis
Given the centuries of war, turmoil, invasion, and occupation, it’s amazing that any of Lithuania’s magnificent Baroque buildings still survive. The impressive Late Baroque church and monastery at Pazaislis on the eastern edge of Kaunas, close to the shore of the sparkling Kauno Marios, is one of the country’s most treasured architectural monuments.
Nuns are still in charge of the monastery and a peaceful guest house, and one of the region’s finest and most coveted restaurants absorbs part of the complex. It’s possible to walk around and explore the grand old church with its dome, frescos, and delicate stucco, even on a Sunday when the venue is officially closed and service is underway.
Paintings in the alcoves of the hexagonal church show violent scenes from the Bible, meditations on death, and Christ’s resurrection. Orchards and gardens surround the complex, but it’s not possible to walk there. A small museum inside the ensemble traces the history of the buildings from their founding to the present.
Address: T. Masiulio g. 31
Pazaislis Monastery Kaunas
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania’s wars with the Golden Horde along the Black Sea coast lead to Vytautas the Great’s resettlement of various Tartars in Lithuania from the 14th century onwards. The Lipka Tatars have lived in the region ever since. Kaunas’ community built the fine-looking Vytautas the Great Mosque (Vytauto Didziojo Mecete) in 1930 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Vytautas’ death.
During the Soviet occupation, it converted to other uses (a circus, then storage) before being restored to its original use.
Stepping inside is something of a shock for those who’ve been visiting churches all day, reminding one more of Kabul than Kaunas. New life is being breathed into it thanks to new Muslim immigrants to the city.
Address | Totorių gatve 6, Kaunas |
Telephone | +370 66 18 65 75 |
Carmelite Church Of The Holy Cross Kaunas
Built on the site of an older church dating from the beginning of the 16th century, local historians say this often overlooked masterpiece once stood in a place called Kaunakiemis, now long since incorporated into the city’s boundaries.
Building work on the current structure began in 1685 and came to completion 15 years later. Featuring two distinctive towers that weren’t completed until the end of the 19th century, the cross-shaped Late Baroque church hides a wealth of chapels, frescoes, and other works of art added over the centuries.
It was for a time a warehouse under the tsarist rule but survived fairly intact through the years of Soviet occupation and even has artwork dating from this period.
Address | Gedimino 1, Kaunas |
Telephone | +370 37 20 13 40 |
Open | Daily between 08:00 and 18:00 |
Kaunas Artists House
The Kaunas Artists House, which presents programs of high artistic level, strives to keep up with the contemporary tendencies of culture and art. The institution organizes its activity in a way that Kaunas inhabitants and city guests would be able to see the best programs of professional Lithuanian and foreign artists, not forgetting the searches for young artists.
Address: V. Putvinskio g. 56, Kaunas
Telephone: +370 37 223 144
Enjoy the sun and have a swim at Lampedziai Lake
After a full day of experiences in Kaunas, one might want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and cool one’s body in the water. What about while flipping through books or magazines in an outdoor library? Located on the city’s outskirts, the Lampėdis Lake delights the city’s residents and guests with a modern landscape and offers a wide selection of entertainment.
Don’t forget to pack some beach clothes and a towel in your suitcase or backpack! The lake Many residents of Kaunas remember the evenings spent in a small cold lake, on the right bank of the Nemunas, or in the most beautiful pine forests.
Today, the lake, which was once a quarry, is much bigger. During the summer, Lampėdžiai still becomes a place of recreation in the city, where folks gather daily.
Beach Bar and a Library
There’s so much space on the main beach that you won’t have to worry about the distance between other people and yourself. Unless you want to enjoy the company of people you meet – then we would suggest spending time playing volleyball on the beach.
Culture on the beach! In the outdoor reading room of Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library, which is located in the summer in the beach bar “Sunny Beach Kaunas”, city residents and guests have the opportunity to pick up various books or magazines on the spot and read in the open air, under the open sky.
2 responses to “Discover Beautiful Kaunas Beyond Old Town – An Essential Kaunas Guide”
Love the imagery. Very infomative. ?
Thank you very much Juste !