Centras
10. House of Ignas Parčevskis
Centras
Department of Statistics to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania is situated across two buildings on Gediminas Avenue. 29 Gediminas Avenue was built in the beginning of the 20th century by the architect Aleksandras Antonovičius for the nobleman Julijonas Koganas. The building was considered to be one of the two tallest rentable houses in Vilnius. 31 Gediminas Avenue joined in the 1980s, functioned as a counting centre and was designed by Aleksandras Lukša. These two completely different buildings, even though contrasting against each other, create a harmonious structure of symmetrical vertical facades.
The main building of Statistics celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2014, and the Department of Statistics celebrates its 100-year anniversary this year. Throughout this century, the building’s purpose continued to change. It was once a hotel and later on a Vilnius branch of a Polish cooperative bank; for a short period of time the building was host to the headquarters of the Lithuanian Activist Front, while finally, it became the centre of operations for Central Statistical Bureau.
The luxury of the main façade of the building really stands out and incorporates two ionic columns, which hold the top three floors, a row of small balconies of the second floor, and a Renaissance-like baluster at the top of the house. Inside of the building, there is a unique spiral stairway, which is decorated with white marble and is covered with gothic vaults. From the outside, the stairway looks like a small tower peeking out. The visitors will also get a chance to try an authentically constructed lift, which is in the centre of the stairway, and will give you the feeling of being a nobleman, hotel guest or bank client from 1914.
