Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania building is a symbiosis of two different architectural styles. The building consists of two volumes, belonging to two different eras: from Gediminas Avenue and Lelevelio Street respectively.

The first, being the old wing of the building, is characterised by its ornate historicist forms, representing the early 19th century. The richness of the decorations in this building not only evokes the spirit of the time, but is also unique in terms of its technology – it was the site of the first privately-owned autonomous power plant in Vilnius, and the first light bulb in Vilnius was lit here.

The large five-storey building is a later addition to the Ministry. This building is a typical example of socialist modernism, and the architect, Elena Nijolė Bučiūtė, was one of the most prominent female architects of her generation.

The functionality and austere architecture of the new Ministry of Agriculture building illustrates the prevailing attitude in the early 1970s towards architecture as a field of construction rather than art. The way of thinking at that time was that if the building is functional, that also means that it is beautiful. The façade is divided by strips of windows to fulfil the function. The architectural expression uses red clay bricks, echoing the adjacent Opera and Ballet Theatre, and a stepped façade is designed for the link between the blocks. A well-preserved hiding place is located in the basement of the building, representing the authenticity of the period.