🏗️ Unique ArchitectureKaunasEasy access
Kaunas Modernist Architecture
Kaunas, KaunasHalf dayBest: Year-round
Over 6,000 interwar modernist buildings that earned Kaunas a UNESCO designation — a cityscape of Art Deco, Bauhaus, and functionalist architecture unique in Europe.
Kaunas holds a unique distinction in European architecture: its interwar New Town contains over 6,000 buildings constructed between 1919 and 1939 in various modernist styles, earning UNESCO World Heritage status in 2023 as 'Modernist Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism, 1919-1939.'
When Kaunas served as Lithuania's temporary capital (Vilnius was occupied by Poland), the city underwent a building boom that drew on Art Deco, Bauhaus, functionalist, and national romantic styles. The result is a remarkably coherent modernist cityscape that is unique in Central Europe. Key buildings include the Post Office, the Pienocentras building, the Officers' Club, and dozens of elegant residential villas. A walking tour reveals a city that was determinedly forward-looking during its brief moment as a capital.
Why Visit
A UNESCO-recognized modernist treasure. Kaunas's interwar architecture is a European rarity — an entire city center built in the optimistic styles of the 1920s and 1930s.
54.8972, 23.9028
Visitor Tips
- 1The tourist office has excellent walking tour maps
- 2Guided architectural tours available
- 3Laisvės Alėja is the main boulevard for modernist buildings
- 4The Kaunas 2022 European Capital of Culture legacy continues