Location: Kaunas
Top Things to do in Kaunas
Countries
Top 6 Historic Sites in Kaunas, Kaunas County
Kaunas (/ˈkaʊnəs/; Lithuanian: [ˈkɐʊˑnɐs] ( listen); also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the centre of a county in Trakai Municipality of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. In the Russian Empire, it was the capital of the Kaunas Governorate from 1843 to 1915. It served as temporary capital of Lithuania during the interwar period, while the traditional capital of Vilnius was part of Poland between 1920 and 1939. During that period Kaunas has been nicknamed the Little Paris because of rich cultural and academic life, fashion, construction of countless Art Deco, Lithuanian National Romanticism architectural style buildings as well as popular furniture, interior design of the time and widespread café culture. The city interwar architecture is regarded as one of the finest examples of the European Art Deco and received the European Heritage Label, it also resulted in naming Kaunas the first city in Central and Eastern Europe as a UNESCO City of Design. In 2022, Kaunas will be the European Capital of Culture, together with the Luxembourgish city of Esch-sur-Alzette.
Restaurants in Kaunas
1. Ninth Fort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 459 reviews
Reviewed By andTilly - Bratislava, Slovakia
You can walk around the place even if the musem is closed. It takes at least 30 min to see everything just from the outside - and it’s nice to go after hours - less crowded and you get to see it anyway. The area is large, clean and cared for. From the top of the fort (it looks like a little hill) there is a nice view over the city, though it’s a very sad place, knowing that tens of thousands souls ceased the exist here, and the remains lay under your feet. P.S. Dogs are not allowed at all, and there are no trash bins on the site.
2. Sugihara House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 188 reviews
Chiune Sugihara memorial museum is an institution dedicated to commemoration of the deeds of Japanese consul Chiune Sugihara. He was working in Kaunas in 1939-1940 and is mostly remembered for saving more than 6000 Jewish refugees.
Reviewed By OlivierH1041
What Sugihara did was exceptional especially knowing that his honor and respect To his superiors could have been tarnished in his society. Remember that if his wife did not push and support him saving Jews, would Sugihara still have done it?
3. Kaunas Cathedral of the Annunciation
4. Kaunas Town Hall
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 96 reviews
Reviewed By UriusT - Vilnius, Lithuania
Majestic and picturesque on it's worst days, the Kaunas rotuse (town hall) inspires everyone to look higher. Towering above the surrounding square, this sleek beaut might be confused for a church by the unknowing. A favorite spot for wedding photos, the photogenic structure is planted in the hearts and souls of all who see it. I remember the first time I saw it. I was so shocked how different it looked compared to the more squat, flat and boxy Vilnius and Klaipeda town halls. This was something so different. In all the years since it keeps a special place in my heart. Well maintained, it's a perfect tourist attraction for visitors with a sizable square of equally impressive and historic buildings surrounding it.
5. The Old Zapyskis Church
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 6 reviews
The old Zapyškis Church of St. John the Baptist. A national heritage monument of the Republic of Lithuania. According to the ancient legends, in the distant past near the river Nemunas, where the plains of Zapyškis stretch today, there was an ancient Lithuanian temple with a stone altar. After the introduction of Christianity, the Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great built a Catholic shrine on the site of these ruins. It remained being called after him until the beginning of 20th century. However, the archaeological research indicated that the old church of St. John the Baptist was built in the 16th century by John and Paul Sapiega. It is a valuable Lithuanian Gothic monument, that suffered from the misfortunes of wars and floods. In 2020 after several years of reconstruction, the church has opened its doors to the public. The whole area is adapted for cultural activities, but the inside has the same medieval atmosphere.
6. Lietukis Garage Massacre Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 2 reviews
