Kaunas Town Hall

The Kaunas Town Hall is located at the Town Hall Square in the center of the Old Town of Kaunas, Lithuania. The building was built in the 16th century. It is home to the Museum of Ceramics. The Kaunas Town Hall is notable for its slenderness and beauty. Its 53-meter-high tower is the tallest in the ancient city. The current Town Hall in the square was not Kaunas' first. The old one had been destroyed by fire.

The building of Kaunas town hall began in 1542. It was originally a one-story structure with an unpainted front and vaulting basements. The first floor and the eight-story tower on the east of the structure were erected in the 16th century. The bottom floor was modified to accommodate trading and prison guards, while the first floor was modified to accommodate trial, magistrate, treasure, archive, and office. The products were kept in cellars. The tower's basements were utilized as a jail.

The Renaissance renovation was completed in 1638. J. Matekeris designed the second rebuild, which took place between 1771 and 1775. He reconstructed a section of the structure that had been demolished in the 17th century, redesigned the space, and added an additional story to the tower. He decorated the town hall in baroque and classicism styles, renovated the pediment, and put sculptures of Grand Dukes of Lithuania there (they survived only until the 19th century).

Location: Litva