{"id":1344,"date":"2025-09-24T01:11:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T01:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/uncategorized\/kaunas-offers-a-chance-to-see-the-central-post-office-before-reconstruction\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T20:56:47","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T20:56:47","slug":"kaunas-offers-a-chance-to-see-the-central-post-office-before-reconstruction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/news\/kaunas-offers-a-chance-to-see-the-central-post-office-before-reconstruction\/","title":{"rendered":"Kaunas offers a chance to see the Central Post Office before reconstruction"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As part of the week-long European Heritage Days programme, visitors will have the opportunity to see the Kaunas Central Post Office building – abandoned for several years and closed to the public. After the restoration works, which will begin shortly, one of Lithuania\u2019s most iconic buildings will become home to the National Institute of Architecture.<\/p>\n\n

On Thursday, everyone is welcome to take part free of charge in the guided tour and discussion \u201cHeritage as a Partner: (Not) the Last Date\u201d, organised by the \u0104\u017euolynas Library and the National Institute of Architecture. Tours during 15:00\u201319:00 will be organised in groups of 15 on a first-come, first-served basis.<\/p>\n\n

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Photo: Darius Matonis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Everyone who would like to see architect Feliksas Vizbaras\u2019 interwar modernist masterpiece before the most significant changes in its history are welcome at the former Kaunas Central Post Office entrance, at Laisv\u0117s Ave. 102. No registration is required.<\/p>\n\n

An interwar architectural landmark<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The Kaunas Central Post Office building is one of the most important representative structures of the interwar period. Although the need for a new post office building became evident as early as 1924, the final decision was taken only in 1929, as the commemoration of the anniversary of Vytautas the Great\u2019s death approached.<\/p>\n\n

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Photo: Darius Matonis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The initial proposal in 1929 was prepared by Kleopas Gaigalis, an engineer at the Post Administration, but shortly afterwards engineer Feliksas Vizbaras. The architect designed a building that integrates organically into the development of the city\u2019s main street, combining modernist architecture with explorations of the so-called \u201cnational style\u201d.<\/p>\n\n

According to the architect himself, the design sought to meet \u201cthe requirements of modern construction today: more space and light, a clear layout of premises, and the avoidance of unnecessary so-called architectural embellishments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Construction of the Kaunas Central Post Office building was completed at the end of 1931. By the end of that year, the city\u2019s main post office moved in, followed in early 1932 by the Post Administration of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The official opening began on the morning of 8 January with the building blessed by Rev Juozas Tumas-Vai\u017egantas.<\/p>\n\n

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Photo: Darius Matonis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The Ministry of Culture\u2019s newest institution<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

In 2020, Lietuvos pa\u0161tas announced that the building, in poor condition, would be sold at auction. Proactive residents of Kaunas urged the city and national authorities to take action more quickly, proposing potential uses and visions for the site. <\/p>\n\n

Later, the Ministry of Culture purchased the building and decided to establish the National Institute of Architecture there. The plans include spaces for exhibitions and educational activities, conference halls, a professional literature reading room, and a caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n

As part of the conservation and adaptation (construction) works, the worn engineering systems and courtyard infrastructure will be renewed, the historic building itself will undergo comprehensive restoration, and a contemporary cultural centre of national and international significance will be established, dedicated to architectural art and history.<\/p>\n\n

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Photo: Darius Matonis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

The project for the conservation and construction works at the Kaunas Central Post Office was prepared in 2025 by UAB Projektavimo ir restauravimo institutas (architect Marija Nemunien\u0117). The total value of the building\u2019s renovation design and construction works is approximately EUR 16.5 million. <\/p>\n\n

The National Institute of Architecture is expected to open its doors to visitors in early 2028. It is headed by the founder of the Contemporary Art Centre in Vilnius. Under his leadership, the CAC became one of the most important contemporary art institutions in Eastern Europe, helping to shape the international careers of several generations of Lithuanian artists, curators, and art historians. <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As part of the week-long European Heritage Days programme, visitors will have the opportunity to see the Kaunas Central Post Office building – abandoned for several years and closed to the public. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1343,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1344"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1351,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1344\/revisions\/1351"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nai.lt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}