Exploring Kaunas’ Unique Architecture: A Highlight of the 2025 European Capital of Culture
When Lithuania’s capital was seized by Poland in 1919, the Baltic nation appointed a small central city as its new political seat. During its 20 years in this role — Vilnius was reclaimed in 1939 — the once-industrial Kaunas earned the nickname “Little Paris” and witnessed the construction of approximately 10,000 new public and private buildings. Consequently, this development led to an unmatched concentration of showcase modern architecture, alongside the Gothic, Baroque, and Byzantine Revival treasures of prior eras.