Kaunas

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Kaunas :: Kaunas_University_of_Medicine :: Kaunas_University_of_Technology

Kaunas (, approximate English transcription Simplified phonetic transcription for Lithuanian [koŭnas; ; , sometimes anglicized as Kovno; , formerly Ковно), is the former temporary capital and second largest city in Lithuania.

Basic information

The city is situated on the main freeways Via Baltica (E67) and Vilnius—Klaipėda (A1). Geographically Kaunas is located by Kaunas lagoon (the largest body of water in Lithuania), at the junction of the two largest Lithuanian rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris.

Coat of arms

In June 30, 1993 the current historical emblem of Kaunas city was established by a special Presidential decree and approved as standard. It features a white aurochs (which is the city's heraldic symbol) with a golden cross between his horns set against a deep red background. This emblem was the result of much hard work by the Lithuanian Heraldry Commission, and finally realized by the artist Raimondas Miknevičius.

History

At the location of the current Kaunas old town, at the confluence of two large rivers, there was a settlement as far back as the tenth century BC. According to legend, the town was founded in 1030, but it is first mentioned in written sources in 1361. In the thirteenth century, a stone wall was built for protection from constant raids by the Teutonic Knights. In 1362, the town was captured by the Teutonic Knights, who destroyed the castle, but it was recaptured in 1404.

In 1408 the town was chartered with Magdeburg Rights by Vytautas the Great. The castle was rebuilt at the beginning of the 15th century. Kaunas then started to grow as an important city at trade route intersections and as a river port. In 1441 Kaunas joined the Hansa and Hansa merchant offices opened. Already in the 16th century Kaunas had a public school, a hospital, a drugstore and was one of the best formed towns in Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The 17th and 18th centuries were unfortunate for Kaunas. In 1665 the Russian army attacked the city several times. In 1701 the city was occupied by the Swedish army, and also suffered from plagues in 1657 and 1708, and fires in 1731 and 1732. After the final partition of the Polish-Lithuanian state in 1795 the city was occupied by Russia. In 1812 the Grand Army of Napoleon was crossing the Nemunas, so the city was twice devastated that year. During the Partitions it was one of the centres of the November Uprising (1830-1831) and the January Uprising (1863-1864). To prevent further problems with the local population, the Russian authorities placed a huge military garrison in the town. The Russian military fortifications from that time still survive throughout the town.

In 1862 a railway connecting the Russian Empire and Germany was constructed, making Kaunas a significant railway hub. In 1898 the first power plant started operating. After Vilnius was occupied by Russian bolsheviks in 1919, the government of the Republic of Lithuania established its main offices here. Later, when Vilnius was seized by Poland, Kaunas became the seat of the Lithuanian government (officially styled temporary capital) until 1940, when the country was occupied by the Soviet Union and the capital was returned to Vilnius.

Between the World Wars industry prospered in Kaunas, as it was the largest city in Lithuania. In 1940 it was annexed by the Soviet Union into the Lithuanian SSR. The Jewish population of Kaunas, 37,000 people, was attacked by anti-Communist Lithuanian partisans, killing 3,800 people (see the Jager Report), some of these massacres were even filmed. Under German occupation 1941-1944 most of the remaining Jewish population was confined in the Kaunas Ghetto (also known as the Kauen concentration camp), and many were shot at the Ninth Fort. Only 3,000 or so Jews survived the war. After World War II Kaunas became the main industrial city of Lithuania - it produced about a quarter of Lithuania's industrial output.

After the proclamation of Lithuanian independence in 1991, Soviet attempts to suppress the rebellion focused on the television and radio transmitters in Sitkūnai, which were a critical part of the remaining free media. They were protected by the ordinary people, who came to their defence, despite the risk of harm.

Historical population

Year	Number of inhabitants
1723	28.000
1796	8.500
1813	3.000
1825	5.000
1840	8.500
1860	23.300
1897	71.000
1923	92.000
1940	154.000
1959	214.000
1966	275.000
1989	418.087
2001	378.943
2004	366.652
2005	361.274

Ethnic groups

With almost 93 percent of citizens being ethnic Lithuanians, Kaunas is one of the most Lithuanian cities in the country. In terms of the number of people of native ethnicity, Kaunas is the largest city in the Baltic States: it has a larger number of Lithuanians than Vilnius, and a larger number of Lithuanians than Riga has Latvians or Tallinn has Estonians.

Ethnic groups as of 2001:

Lithuanians 92.9%
Russians 4.4%
Ukrainians 0.5%
Poles 0.4%
Others 1.8%

Ethnic groups as of 1939:

Lithuanians 60%
Jews 25%
Poles 10%
Others 5%

Ethnic groups as of 1919:

Poles 42%
Jews 31%
Lithuanians 16%
Russians 1.5%
Others 1%

Sights

The axis of central Kaunas is formed by two pedestrian streets: the 2 km long Laisvės alėja and its continuation, Vilnius street. The main sights in this area are:

The Basilica, the largest Gothic building in Lithuania, with a late Baroque interior.
Pažaislis abbey (impressive complex in the baroque architectural style).
The massive Neo-Byzantine Church of St. Michael the Archangel.
The M. K. Čiurlionis Museum, that commemorates the work of this avant-garde artist who tried to combine paiting and music into a single artistic medium.
The A. Žmuidzinavičiaus Museum (best known as the Devil's Museum), that 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 Hitler and Stalin devils, doing the dance of death over a playground littered with human bones.
The only Lithuanian state-operated zoo is located in Kaunas.
St. George's Church, which was rumored to have been turned into a dance studio during the Soviet Occupation.

Transportation

Kaunas has 16 trolleybus routes, 34 bus routes, wide maxicab carrier network, and it is also one of the biggest river ports in the Baltic States. The city is located in the centre of Lithuania, making it highly significant from a logistical point of view. Kaunas International Airport (KUN) is capable of handling 300000 passengers and 100000 tonnes of cargo per year.

Sports

Kaunas is home to the Žalgiris basketball club, one of Europe's strongest. 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 and Šarūnas Jasikevičius. The main stadium of the city is "S.Dariaus ir S.Girėno Sporto Centras" (total capacity 9000) which is also the home stadium for Lithuanian soccer club FBK Kaunas.

Education

Kaunas is often called a "city of students" with about 50000 students studying in the universities of Kaunas.

Yearly events

Kaziukas Fair (beginning of March).
International open-air "Kaunas Jazz Festival" (April-May).
International dance competition "Amber Couple" (beginning of May).
Day of Kaunas city (middle of May).
International poetry festival "Spring of poetry" (end of May).
Pažaislis music festival (June-August).
Traditional folk music competition "Play, Jurgelis" (November).
Christmas tree lighting (end of November).

Trivia

Two of the country's three funiculars are located in Kaunas.
Main pedestrian street of the city is named Laisvės alėja (Liberty avenue), which is probably the longest pedestrian street in Europe.
National hero Romas Kalanta has committed self-immolation in Kaunas (in protest against Soviet occupation of Lithuania).
Emma Goldman classic of anarchism was born in Kaunas.

External links

Cities in Lithuania | Castles in Lithuania | Kaunas | Lithuanian county capitals | Towns in Kaunas County

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