SEIMAS OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

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The Seimas Palace is one of the most important and best-known buildings of Lithuanian modern architecture. In 1970, it was decided to design the Palace of the Supreme Council next to the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania on the busiest avenue in Vilnius. The design competition of the current palace was won by a team led by the famous Lithuanian architects, the Nasvyčiai brothers. The architects were faced with the challenge of finding an artistic form that suited the purpose of the parliament and the compositional relationship of the palace to its natural and architectural surroundings.

The architecture of the building is characterised by the repetition and harmony of materials – the decorative plaster, the colour, and the shapes of the exterior lighting fixtures are all repeated both inside and outside. There are no ornate chandeliers or gilded details, as this is the workplace of the nation’s representatives. The architects strived for subtlety and restraint when designing the interior of the palace, but one of the most exceptional details of the interior is the unique stained-glass window entitled Šventė (Feast) by artist Kazys Morkūnas. The interior of the palace is one of the most impressive examples of modernism in Lithuania.

The building commemorates the history of the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, and the Visitor Centre of the Seimas, set up in 2019, offers the public an opportunity to learn more about the workings of a modern parliament and the legislative procedures, as well as to meet with members of Parliament.