10. Vilnius University Šiauliai academy

About

In 1939, when Germany occupied Klaipėda, it was decided to relocate its Institute of Commerce to Šiauliai. For this purpose, an unfinished hotel, designed by Šiauliai city engineer-architect Steponas Stulginskis, was chosen. The premises of the hotel under construction were adapted for use as an educational institution, based on a design by engineer Eugenijus Manomaitis. The building was modern and stylish at the time. In 1948, the opening ceremony was celebrated by the Teachers’ Institute, which was later reorganised into the Pedagogical Institute and, after the restoration of independence, into a university.

In 1983, the so-called New Palace was added to the old building. Within it, architect Albertas Ratnikas designed a sports hall, and architect Liucija Šileikienė designed the educational laboratory blocks – an architectural extension reflecting the late modernist trend, with specialised lecture rooms, monumental artworks and architectural features characteristic of the period.

Today, the university welcomes its visitors with a renewed look after the renovation of the old building, which was completed in 2008. The exterior of the old building has been preserved, but the interior has undergone major changes, showing that the library has become a modern space: the layout has been changed, and the four floors of the library are connected by an atrium that creates a common space, and the predominant colour scheme is fresh and bright.