Transportation

Airports[edit]

Kaunas International Airport

Kaunas International Airport (KUN) is one of the biggest airports in the Baltic states. In 2010 it handled 809,732 passengers and 4,449 tonnes of cargo. An Irish low-cost airline Ryanair announced Kaunas Airport as their 40th base and first in the Central Europe in February 2010.^[72] Kaunas Airport was the fastest growing airport in the Baltic states in 2009 and 2010. The smaller S. Darius and S. Girėnas Airport, established in 1915, is located about three kilometres (1.9 miles) south of the city centre. It is one of the oldest still functioningairports in Europe used for tourism and air sports purposes and now hosts the Lithuanian Aviation Museum.

Highways[edit]

Kaunas is served by a number of major motorways. European route E67 is a highway running from Prague in the Czech Republic toHelsinki in Finland by way of Poland, Kaunas Lithuania, Riga (Latvia), and Tallinn (Estonia). It is known as the Via Baltica between Warsawand Tallinn, a distance of 670 km (416 mi). It is the most important road connection between the Baltic states. Kaunas also is linked toVilnius to its east and Klaipėda, on the Baltic Sea, via the A1 motorway and Daugavpils (Latvia), via E262(A6) highway.

Bridges[edit]

Vytautas the Great Bridge

Since Kaunas is located at the confluence of two rivers, there were 34 bridges and viaducts built in the city at the end of 2007, including:

• Vytautas the Great Bridge, connecting Old Town with Aleksotas across the Nemunas;
• M. K. Čiurlionis Bridge, an automotive bridge across the Nemunas;
• Lampėdžiai Bridge across the Nemunas that serves as western bypass of Kaunas;
• Petras Vileišis Bridge, connecting Old Town with Vilijampolė across the Neris River;
• Varniai Bridge, connecting Žaliakalnis with Vilijampolė across the Neris River;
• The Green railway bridge, built in 1862.

Railways[edit]

Kaunas Railway Tunnel

Kaunas is an important railway hub in Lithuania. First railway connection passing through Kaunas was constructed in 1859–1861 and opened in 1862.^[73] It consisted of Kaunas Railway Tunnel and the Railway bridge across the Nemunas river. Kaunas Railway Station is an important hub serving direct passenger connections to Vilnius and Warsaw as well as being a transit point of Pan-European corridors I and IX. Some trains run from Vilnius to Šeštokai, and, Poland, through Kaunas. International route connecting Kaliningrad, Russia and Kharkiv, Ukraine, also crosses Kaunas. The first phase of the Standard gauge Rail Baltica railway section from Šeštokai to Kaunas is under construction, and it is expected to be completed by 2013.^{[needs update]}

Hydrofoil[edit]

There used to be a hydrofoil route serving Nida port through Nemunas and across Curonian Lagoon. It has been repeatedly discontinued and reopened, so the most current status is unclear. The company still exists and have its boats in working condition.^[74]

Public transportation[edit]

Van Hool AGG300

The public transportation system is managed by Kauno viešasis transportas (KVT).^[75] There are 16 trolleybus routes, 37 bus routes.^[76] In 2007 new electronic monthly tickets began to be introduced for public transport in Kaunas. The monthly E-ticket cards may be bought once and might be credited with an appropriate amount of money in various ways including the Internet. Previous paper monthly tickets were in use until August 2009.^[77] Kaunas is also one of the major river ports in the Baltic States and has two piers designated for tourism purposes and located on the banks of Nemunas river and Kaunas Reservoir – the largest Lithuanian artificial lake, created in 1959 by damming the Nemunas near Kaunas and Rumšiškės.^[78] In 2015, Kauno autobusai bought four Van Hool AGG300 to serve the mostly populated 37th route. These are the longest buses used in the Baltic states.^[79]

Sports[edit]

Kaunas S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno Sporto Centras

Interior of Žalgiris Arena

Sports in Kaunas have a long and distinguished history. The city is home to a few historic clubs such as: LFLS Kaunas football club (est.1920), LFLS Kaunas baseball club (est.1922), Žalgiris basketball club (est.1944). Ice hockey was first played in Lithuania in 1922. The first Lithuanian ice hockey championship composed of four teams (LFLS, KSK, Kovas, and Macabi) was held in Kaunas, in 1926.^[80]

Kaunas is home to some historic venues such as: the main stadium of the city – S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno Sporto Centras (total capacity 9,000), which is also the Lithuanian soccer club FBK Kaunas's and Lithuanian national football team home stadium established in 1923, and Kaunas Sports Hall, completed in 1939 for the Third European Basketball Championship. S.Dariaus and S.Girėno Stadium is also used as the only large athletics stadium in Lithuania.

The university status Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, founded during the Interwar period, is the only state-supported institution of tertiary physical education in Lithuania. The National Football Academy – the national centre for the training of the best Lithuanian young players of football was established in Kaunas in 2006.

Žalgiris basketball club, one of Europe's strongest basketball clubs, now plays in the Euroleague. Kaunas has also hosted the knockout stage of the European Basketball Championship of 2011. The largest indoor Žalgiris Arena in the Baltics has just been completed in Kaunas. The arena is used to host sports games as well as concerts. The city is also the birthplace or childhood home of many of the country's top basketball stars, among them Arvydas Sabonis, Šarūnas Marčiulionis, Žydrūnas Ilgauskas, Linas Kleiza,Donatas Motiejūnas and Šarūnas Jasikevičius.

Granitas Kaunas is the strongest and most prominent men team handball club in Lithuania. The first golf club "Elnias" in Lithuania was opened in Kaunas in 2000. Nemuno žiedasis the only in Lithuania motor racing circuit, situated in Kačerginė, a small town near Kaunas. A yacht club operates in the Kaunas Reservoir Regional Park.

Demography

1897 Russian census revealed the following ethnic composition in the city (by mother tongue, out of 70,920):^[69]

1. Jews 25,052 – 35%
2. Russians 18,308 – 26%
3. Poles 16,112 – 23%
4. Lithuanians 4,092 – 6%
5. Germans 3,340 – 4.5%
6. Tatar 1,084 – 1.5%
7. Other 2932 – 4%

In 1926 the total population of the city was 98,918 with

1. Jews 29,427 – 31.8%
2. Poles 29,104 – 31.48%
3. Lithuanians 27,669 – 29.92%
4. Germans 4,164 – 4.51%
5. Russians 2,082 – 2.26%.^[70]

Today, with almost 94% of its citizens being ethnic Lithuanians, Kaunas is one of the most Lithuanian cities in the country.

Ethnic composition in 2011, out of a total of 315,933:^[71]

1. Lithuanians – 93.6%
2. Russians – 3.8%
3. Ukrainians – 0.4%
4. Poles – 0.4%
5. Belarusians – 0.2%
6. Other – 1.6%

Municipality council[edit]

Kaunas city municipality main building

Kaunas city municipality council is the governing body of the Kaunas city municipality. It is responsible for municipality laws. The council is composed of 41 member elected for four-year terms.

The council is the member of The Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania.

Mayors[edit]

Litas commemorative coindedicated to Kaunas city

• 1921–1931 – Jonas Vileišis
• 1931 – Juozas Vokietaitis
• 1932–1933 – Antanas Gravrogkas
• 1933–1939 – Antanas Merkys
• 1940 – Antanas Garmus
• 1990–1991 – Vidmantas Adomonis
• 1991–1992 – Vilimas Čiurinskas
• 1992–1995 – Arimantas Račkauskas
• 1995 – Rimantas Tumosa
• 1995–1997 – Vladas Katkevičius
• 1997 – Alfonsas Andriuškevičius
• 1997–2000 – Henrikas Tamulis
• 2000 – Vytautas Šustauskas
• 2000 – Gediminas Budnikas
• 2001–2002 – Erikas Tamašauskas
• 2002–2003 – Giedrius Donatas Ašmys
• 2003–2007 – Arvydas Garbaravičius
• 2007–2011 – Andrius Kupčinskas
• 2011 – Rimantas Mikaitis
• 2011 – 2015 Andrius Kupčinskas
• 2015- Visvaldas Matijošaitis

Economy

Kaunas is a large centre of industry, trade and services in Lithuania. The most developed industries in Kaunas are: food and beverage industry, textile and light industry, chemical industry, publishing and processing, pharmaceuticals, metal industry, wood processing and furniture industry. Recently information technology and electronics have become an important area of business activities in Kaunas. The city also has large construction industry, including commercial, housing and road construction.^[53]

Primary foreign investors in Kaunas are companies from the United States, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, and Russia.^[54] Head offices of several major International and Lithuanian companies are located in Kaunas, including "Kraft Foods Lietuva", largest Generic Pharmaceuticals producer in Lithuania "Sanitas", producer of sportswear AB "Audimas", one of the largest construction companies "YITKausta", JSC "Senukai", largest producer in Lithuania of strong alcoholic drinks JSC "Stumbras", Finnish capital brewery JSC "Ragutis", JSC "Fazer Gardesis", JSC "Stora Enso Packaging",^[55] producer of pharmaceuticals, and the only producer of homoeopathic medicines in Lithuania JSC "Aconitum".^[56] Due to its geographic location, Kaunas is considered one of the biggest logistics centres in Lithuania. The largest wholesale, distribution and logistics company in Lithuania and Latvia JSC "Sanitex",^[57] as well as a subsidiary of material handling and logistics company Dematic in the Baltics^[58] have been operated in Kaunas. Currently, the feasibility study for Kaunas Public Logistics Centre is being prepared by the national state-owned railway company Lithuanian Railways.^[59] The "Margasmiltė" company currently has been working on a project that concerns exploitation of Pagiriai anhydrite deposit. The project includes mining of anhydrite, a mine with underground warehouses, building the overground transport terminal, as well as an administrative building. The Pagiriai anhydrite deposit is located 10.5 km (6.5 mi) south from the downtown of Kaunas, at a 2.2 km (1.4 mi) distance to the southwest from the Garliava town. The resources of thoroughly explored anhydrite in the Pagiriai deposit amount to 81.5 million tons.^[60]

The "UBIG group" (a branch of commercial Ūkio bank) is a management company of diversified holdings that operates in the property development, banking, aluminium, mining, logistics, textiles, sports, financial intermediary, and other sectors. The Lithuanian Central Credit Union – national cooperative federation for credit unions established in 2001, is located in Kaunas. At present the Lithuanian Central Credit Union has 61 members.^[61]

There are also some innovative companies located in Kaunas, such as leading wholesaler of computer components, data storage media "ACME group", internet and TV provider, communications JSC "Mikrovisata group", developer and producer original products for TV and embedded technologies JSC "Selteka". Joint Lithuanian-German company "Net Frequency", based in Kaunas, is a multimedia and technology service provider. Kaunas is also home to JSC "Baltijos Programinė Įranga", a subsidiary of No Magic, Inc., producing world-leading software modeling tools. A LED lighting assembly plant was opened in Kaunas by South Korean company LK Technology in February 2011.^[62] JSC "Baltic car equipment" is one of the leaders in Baltic countries, in the field of manufacturing electronic equipment for automobiles. It also specialises in development of new telemetry, data base creation, mobile payment projects.^[63] Kaunas Free Economic Zone^[64] established in 1996 has also attracted some investors from abroad, including the development of the new 200 MW Cogeneration Power Plant project, proposed by the Finnish capital company Fortum Heat Lithuania.^[65] Before its disestablishment, Air Lithuania had its head office in Kaunas.^[66] Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant is the largest one in Lithuania.

Some notable changes are under construction and in the stage of disputes. The construction of a new landmark of Kaunas – the Žalgiris Arena – began in the autumn of 2008.^[67]It was completed in August 2011. Currently discussions are underway about the further development of the Vilijampolė district on the right bank of the Neris river and theNemunas River, near their confluence.^[68]

Landmarks[edit]

Central Kaunas is defined by two pedestrian streets: the 2-km-long Laisvės alėja (Liberty Avenue), a central street of the city, lined bylinden trees, and its continuation, Vilnius Street, leading to the oldest part – Old Town of Kaunas. Some of the most prominent features in Kaunas include:

• Kaunas Castle, a 14th-century fortification;
• Vytautas' Church, one of the oldest churches in Lithuania and the oldest in Kaunas;
• St. Gertrude Church in Kaunas;
• Kaunas Cathedral Basilica, the largest Gothic building in Lithuania, with a late Baroque interior;
• St. George's Church, which was rumoured to have been turned into a dance studio during the Soviet Occupation;
• Pažaislis abbey, an impressive complex in Baroque style;
• St. Francis Xavier Church;
• Neo-Byzantine church of St. Michael the Archangel;
• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Eternal flame, and Statues of Lithuanian national renaissance figures are located in the Vienybės square in front of the War museum;
• Christ’s Resurrection Church with an unfolding panoramic view of the city;
• Kaunas Zoo, the only state-operated zoo in Lithuania;
• Kaunas Fortress, one of the largest defensive structures in Europe, occupying 65 km2 (25 sq mi), a 19–20th century military fortress, which includes a Holocaust site of the Ninth Fort;
• Kaunas Botanical Garden;
• Napoleon's Hill;
• Kaunas Synagogue;
• House of Perkūnas;
• Kaunas Town Hall and the square;
• Interbellum functionalism architecture complexes;
• Two funiculars – Žaliakalnis Funicular Railway and the Aleksotas Funicular Railway;
• Kaunas Mosque;
• Ąžuolynas Park and the valley of Girstupis River named after Adam Mickiewicz;
• Memorial Petrašiūnai Cemetery;
• Lithuanian open-air Ethnographic Museum displaying the heritage of Lithuanian rural life in a vast collection of authentic resurrected buildings is situated east of Kaunas on the bank of Kaunas Reservoir in a town of Rumšiškės;
• Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital;
• Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations;
• Marine aquarium in the Mega Shopping mall.^[47]

Museums[edit]

Sculpture near Mykolas Žilinskas Gallery

Lithuanian Aviation Museum

Kaunas is often called a city of museums, because of the abundance and variety of them. The museums in Kaunas include:

• the War Museum of Vytautas the Great;
• the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum, commemorating the work of the early 20th century avant-garde artist M. K. Čiurlionis who sought to combine painting and music into a single artistic medium;
• the Žmuidzinavičius Museum (best known as the Devils' Museum), which houses a collection of more than two thousand sculptures and carvings of devils from all over the world, most of them of folk provenance. Of particular interest are the Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin devils, together doing the dance of death over a playground littered with human bones;

M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum

• Lithuanian Aviation Museum;
• Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy;
• Historical Presidential Palace, displaying exhibits from the interwar period
• Kaunas Museum for the Blind;
• Povilas Stulga Museum of Lithuanian Folk Instruments;
• Tadas Ivanauskas Zoological Museum;
• Sugihara house-museum;
• Communication History Museum;
• The so-called ab underground printing house was a part of the nonviolent resistance press during the Soviet times. Now it is the branch of Kaunas War Museum, located 8 km (5 mi) north of Kaunas in a small Saliu village, near the town of Domeikava. Although the AB printing house worked regularly, it was never detected by KGB.^[48] It was included into the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage Sites of Lithuania in 1999.^[49]
• The apartments of some famous Kaunas natives, including Paulius Galaunė, Adam Mickiewicz, Juozas Grušas, Balys Sruoga, Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas, Salomėja Nėris, Juozas Zikaras, Vincentas Sladkevičius have been turned into public museums.^[50]

Theatres[edit]

Kaunas National Philharmonic Society

Kaunas is notable for the diverse culture life. Kaunas Symphony Orchestra is the main venue for classical music concerts. There is an oldcircus tradition in Kaunas. There was established static circus in the Vytautas park of Kaunas in the beginning of the 19th century. The only professional circus organisation in Lithuania – Baltic Circus was founded in Kaunas in 1995.^[51] Kaunas theatres has played an important role in Lithuanian society. There are at least 7 professional theatres, lots of amateur theatres, ensembles, abundant groups of art and sports. Some of the best examples of culture life in Kaunas are theatres of various styles:

• Kaunas State Drama Theatre
• Kaunas State Musical Theatre
• Kaunas Pantomime Theatre
• Kaunas Chamber Theatre
• Kaunas Dance Theatre Aura
• Kaunas State Puppet Theatre

Parks and cemeteries[edit]

Napoleon's Hill

The city of Kaunas has a number of parks and public open spaces. It devotes 7.3% of its total land acreage to parkland.^[52] Ąžuolynas(literally, "Oak Grove") park is a main public park in the heart of Kaunas. It covers about 63 hectares and is the largest urban stand of mature oaks in Europe. To protect the unique lower landscape of Kaunas Reservoir, its natural ecosystem, and cultural heritage Kaunas Reservoir Regional Park was established in the eastern edge of Kaunas in 1992. By the initiative of a prominent Lithuanian zoologistTadas Ivanauskas and biologist Konstantinas Regelis the Kaunas Botanical Garden was founded in 1923. It serves not only as a recreational area for public, but also serves as a showcase for local plant life, and houses various research facilities.

Lithuania's premiere last resting place formally designated for graves of people influential in national history, politics, and arts isPetrašiūnai Cemetery in Kaunas. It is also the burial site of some signatories of the 1918 Act of Independence. There are four old Jewish cemeteries within city limits.