Kaunas with approximately 400 thousand inhabitants is one of the most
significant cities of Lithuania. It is the second largest city of the
country. Current area of Kaunas is 156 square kilometres. It was
founded in the 12th century and owes its existence to its favourable
geographic position. Kaunas is situated in the centre of Lithuania, at the
confluence of the two biggest rivers the Nemunas and the Neris, 100 km
from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and 250 km from the port city
Klaipeda.
 For
years Kaunas has been a major center of nation's spiritual
resistance and struggle for national identity. For twenty years (from
1920 to 1940) the city was a provisional capital of Lithuania. The
spirit of activity and movement prevails in Kaunas today.
Hundreds of years of cultural heritage is preserved in the historical and
architectural monuments, museums, theatres, art galleries and churches of Kaunas.
Kaunas Old Town
Kaunas enjoys a remarkable Old
Town which is a concentration of valuable ancient architectural monuments:
the remnants of the 13th century Kaunas Castle, the Cathedral, the Jesuit
and ST. Trinity Churches as well as the Old Town Hall, nicknamed the
"White Swan" for its charming architecture.
The Old Town Hall Square, the most important architectural accent of the
Old Town, is reminiscent of the Middle Ages with the early Gothic Vytautas
Church and the late Gothic Perkunas House (The House of Thunder) not far
away. The Old Town squares and buildings of the surrounding streets are
brisk with numerous restaurants, bars and cafes as well as art galleries
and Lithuanian folk art souvenir shops, popular among tourists.
 Laisves
Aleja in the center of the town - the "crown jewel" of Kaunas -
is the main focus of attraction for both inhabitants and tourists. Laisves
Aleja is also the main business area of Kaunas with offices, shops,
restaurants, and banks. It is 1621 m long and declared a non-smoking zone.
 Pažaislis
Monastery, the pearl of the Lithuanian mature Baroque of the European
scale settled by Kauno Marios (Kaunas Lagoon), hosts international Pažaislis
music (classical) festivals every summer. The city offers a number of
opportunities for cultural and leisure activities:  several
drama, pantomime and dance theatres, a puppet-show, and the Musical
Theatre, which is the initiator of the perfect annual Operetta festival in
Kaunas Castle.
The International Kaunas Jazz Festival represents an annual emotional
fiesta of music. The unique features of this festival include carillon
jazz, the Jewish theme in jazz performed in a synagogue, and others.
There
are many museums in Kaunas. M.K.Čiurlionis Art Museum offers a chance
to see the works of M.K.Čiurlionis, the genius of the Lithuanian art
who is ranked alongside M.Shagal, V.Kandinski and K.Malevičius. M.Žilinskas
Art
Gallery displays a large variety of Western works of art of the latest
centuries. Visitors to the Museum of Devils (with over 3,000 items), the
only museum of its kind in the world, will experience a number of merry
impressions. Vytautas the Great War Museum acquaints its visitors with the
history of Lithuania. Nearby is a nice symbolic Statue of Liberty and the
eternal fire commemorating those who died for Lithuanian independence.
  Quite
different is the 9th Fort Museum, which was an integral part of
the Kaunas fortress during the occupation of the Tsarist Russia, served as
a branch of the Lithuanian prison during in-between-war period it, and was
a death camp during Nazi occupation.
Kaunas
is also a city of students and athletes, with 5 higher education schools
and the famous Arvydas Sabonis’ basketball team Žalgiris.
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