7. Matrimonial Palace of Panevėžys

About

In 1984, The Institute for Planning of Urban Development in Panevėžys designed the so-called Matrimonial Palace of Panevėžys (which is, in fact, a civil registration office). In three years (1985–1987) the building was completed. However, due to an error in the calculations of the building’s construction, the opening was delayed until 1989.

The Palace was built near the newly planned J. Urbšio str. During that period, all projects had to be approved by the central government in Moscow. Since it would not allow proceeding with the preparation of the project for the Palace, the design of the building was done under the title of “Bureau of Good Services”. It meant that the architect had to prepare two projects for the same building.

The two-story edifice features typical late-modernistic multifaceted forms and consoles. There was a great emphasis on symmetry. The facades were finished using decorative textural plaster. The foyer, administrative offices and utility spaces are on the first floor. In the centre of the hallway, there is the main stairway above which you can see the stained glass called “Jaunystė” (“Youth”), created by Kazys Morkūnas. On the second floor, there is yet another foyer with a stairway and two service rooms – one for marriages, the other for name-giving ceremonies. The features of the authentic interior design (redwood ceiling, copper lights, stained glass etc.) are preserved.