Page 29 iGap travelguide 2023
P. 29
iGap Travel Guide
29
Kaunas has been moulded and remoulded time
and again according to the traditions and beliefs of
the countless communities and ethnic groups that
have called it home – from Tatars to Jews, Poles,
Russians, Israelis, and Germans. The city’s unique
DNA and the endless layers of its multicultural past
can be explored at a variety of museums, galleries,
fortifications, squares, and religious sites. One
particularly unique opportunity to dig deeper into
specific periods in the city’s rich history and the
intriguing narratives tied to them comes in the form
of an interactive online map.
The digital archive
atminies vietos
(memory maps) was
launched back in 2014 initially to help the curators of
the European Capital of Culture programme collect
first-hand accounts of historical events from former
and current Kaunas residents. Today, the digital archive
can be accessed easily by anyone with a smartphone
or computer and presents the city’s urban landscape
as a map of collective memories that are attributed to
different buildings, courtyards, squares, monuments,
and museums, that travellers can explore freely on
their own. Paying particular attention to the stories
that have repeatedly been omitted from official
records due to their painful or conflicting accounts,
atminies vietos
sees physical structures reveal forgotten
stories – with accounts from Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews)
taking centre stage.
Undoubtedly, the most visited historical landmark is
the Ninth Fort. It is here that Kaunas’ and the wider
country’s dark 20th century past is poignantly told.
Built in the 19th century, this imposing stronghold
was occupied by German troops during WWI, later
becoming a labour prison for political dissidents as
well as a centre for torture and mass killings during
WWII. The area marking the Holocaust memorial is
where 50,000 people (30,000 of them Lithuanian
Jews) were murdered by Nazi soldiers, alongside
Jews from other parts of Europe and Lithuanian and
Russian prisoners of war. Inside the striking stained
glass-enclosed Ninth Fort Museum, heart-wrenching
displays pay tribute to the individual victims of the
Holocaust, detail the true horrors of the Kaunas
ghetto, and honour the Righteous Among the
Nations – the Lithuanians who risked their lives to
save their Jewish neighbours from a harrowing fate.
Monthly exhibitions and workshops are additionally
available, so be sure to check the website before
planning your trip, as are guided tours of the site in
various languages, including English.
Kaunas’ multi-ethnic heritage continues to be upheld
today by its ever-evolving Erasmus and international
student community. The distinctly student city
is home to six different universities, with the
Kaunas University of Technology, Vytautas Magnus
University, and Lithuanian University of Health
Sciences drawing in the largest numbers yearly. While
the region as a whole has a population of around
300,000, a mighty 50,000 are believed to be students,
lending the city a lively feel, with plenty of trendy
bars, internationally-focused restaurants, craft beer
pubs, and art and jazz festivals to explore and enjoy.
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the vibrant
atmosphere, there are a number of late-night
hotspots that certainly deliver. For a more high-
end setting where the stunningly crafted interiors
match the perfectly curated cocktails, trendy bar
Klimas is the place to go. Named after Petras Klimas,
a renowned diplomat and one of the 20 signatories
of the Act of Independence of Lithuania in 1918,
Klimas provides the ideal end to a history-focused
sightseeing day. Craft beer lovers who don’t mind
crowds will find delightful locally brewed varieties at
the Kaunas staple Vingių Dubingių Brewery, while live
music can be enjoyed at Sandėlis by Volfas Engelman
– an Old Town venue located in a charming historic
warehouse that plays host to all manner of talent.
AN INTRIGUING IDENTITY
29
Kaunas has been moulded and remoulded time
and again according to the traditions and beliefs of
the countless communities and ethnic groups that
have called it home – from Tatars to Jews, Poles,
Russians, Israelis, and Germans. The city’s unique
DNA and the endless layers of its multicultural past
can be explored at a variety of museums, galleries,
fortifications, squares, and religious sites. One
particularly unique opportunity to dig deeper into
specific periods in the city’s rich history and the
intriguing narratives tied to them comes in the form
of an interactive online map.
The digital archive
atminies vietos
(memory maps) was
launched back in 2014 initially to help the curators of
the European Capital of Culture programme collect
first-hand accounts of historical events from former
and current Kaunas residents. Today, the digital archive
can be accessed easily by anyone with a smartphone
or computer and presents the city’s urban landscape
as a map of collective memories that are attributed to
different buildings, courtyards, squares, monuments,
and museums, that travellers can explore freely on
their own. Paying particular attention to the stories
that have repeatedly been omitted from official
records due to their painful or conflicting accounts,
atminies vietos
sees physical structures reveal forgotten
stories – with accounts from Litvaks (Lithuanian Jews)
taking centre stage.
Undoubtedly, the most visited historical landmark is
the Ninth Fort. It is here that Kaunas’ and the wider
country’s dark 20th century past is poignantly told.
Built in the 19th century, this imposing stronghold
was occupied by German troops during WWI, later
becoming a labour prison for political dissidents as
well as a centre for torture and mass killings during
WWII. The area marking the Holocaust memorial is
where 50,000 people (30,000 of them Lithuanian
Jews) were murdered by Nazi soldiers, alongside
Jews from other parts of Europe and Lithuanian and
Russian prisoners of war. Inside the striking stained
glass-enclosed Ninth Fort Museum, heart-wrenching
displays pay tribute to the individual victims of the
Holocaust, detail the true horrors of the Kaunas
ghetto, and honour the Righteous Among the
Nations – the Lithuanians who risked their lives to
save their Jewish neighbours from a harrowing fate.
Monthly exhibitions and workshops are additionally
available, so be sure to check the website before
planning your trip, as are guided tours of the site in
various languages, including English.
Kaunas’ multi-ethnic heritage continues to be upheld
today by its ever-evolving Erasmus and international
student community. The distinctly student city
is home to six different universities, with the
Kaunas University of Technology, Vytautas Magnus
University, and Lithuanian University of Health
Sciences drawing in the largest numbers yearly. While
the region as a whole has a population of around
300,000, a mighty 50,000 are believed to be students,
lending the city a lively feel, with plenty of trendy
bars, internationally-focused restaurants, craft beer
pubs, and art and jazz festivals to explore and enjoy.
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in the vibrant
atmosphere, there are a number of late-night
hotspots that certainly deliver. For a more high-
end setting where the stunningly crafted interiors
match the perfectly curated cocktails, trendy bar
Klimas is the place to go. Named after Petras Klimas,
a renowned diplomat and one of the 20 signatories
of the Act of Independence of Lithuania in 1918,
Klimas provides the ideal end to a history-focused
sightseeing day. Craft beer lovers who don’t mind
crowds will find delightful locally brewed varieties at
the Kaunas staple Vingių Dubingių Brewery, while live
music can be enjoyed at Sandėlis by Volfas Engelman
– an Old Town venue located in a charming historic
warehouse that plays host to all manner of talent.
AN INTRIGUING IDENTITY
