The first 17 signs marking the entrances to the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kaunas have been installed in Žaliakalnis and Naujamiestis. They will make it easier for residents and visitors to identify these internationally recognised areas, distinguished by their urban plan, modernist architecture, natural landscape, preserved functions and intangible heritage. 

“UNESCO World Heritage status is not merely a badge of honour for the city. This international recognition demonstrates the uniqueness and outstanding value of Kaunas, inviting people to discover it as one of Europe’s most prominent centres of modernism. The new signs remind us that we have much to be proud of. This heritage is not only about modernist Kaunas’ buildings, but also about the wider interwar city – its streets, squares, green spaces, panoramas and traditions that remain alive today.” says Saulius Rimas, Head of the Urban Development and Heritage Protection Division at Kaunas City Municipality.

According to him, although many residents and visitors recognise the most prominent examples of Kaunas modernist architecture, not everyone is aware that UNESCO World Heritage status was granted not to individual buildings alone but to the cohesive urban ensemble of Naujamiestis and Žaliakalnis. It was this distinctive combination of architecture, urban planning and natural landscape that was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2023.

The new signs display the official name of the World Heritage property – “UNESCO World Heritage Site. Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919–1939”. They also remind visitors that the recognised areas cover a total of 455.3 hectares. The property is surrounded by a buffer zone of more than 404 hectares, encompassing Kaunas Old Town and the Lithuanian Zoo and extending towards the slopes of Aleksotas. 

The 17 signs have been installed at the main entrances to the UNESCO World Heritage areas of Žaliakalnis and Naujamiestis, including locations on Savanorių Avenue, Karaliaus Mindaugo Avenue, Radvilėnų Road, Vydūno Avenue, Laisvės Avenue and elsewhere. Additional ways of marking the area may be introduced in the future. 

The new signs are expected to encourage residents to take even greater care of their surroundings and cultural heritage, strengthen community initiatives and inspire more people to discover modernist Kaunas. Guided tours, educational activities, art projects, new public installations, publications and various cultural events already play an important role in increasing awareness of Kaunas’ modernist heritage. 

One of the largest projects currently under way is the development of a comprehensive database covering all buildings constructed between 1919 and 1939 within the UNESCO World Heritage property. It will contain photographs, descriptions, plans and other relevant information about the buildings. An interactive map is also being developed to make this unique heritage easier to explore.

The city is finalising the management and action plans for the UNESCO World Heritage property, which are expected to be completed this year. These key strategic documents will set out how the property will be managed and administered, as well as the main objectives for the coming years. Minor adjustments have also been made to the boundaries of the buffer zone. An updated version of the nomination dossier and its Lithuanian translation have been completed and are currently being prepared for publication. 

Key information about modernist Kaunas, the European Heritage Label and UNESCO World Heritage status, as well as links to existing databases, heritage-related projects, programmes and news, is available at modernist.kaunas.lt.

Information provided by the Public Relations Division 

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