Church of the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis

Church of the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis was the first church built in Vilnius after the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, giving a start to the construction of new churches.

Designing the church was an unusual challenge for Lithuanian architects. According to the project of Gediminas Baravykas, the church was intended to stand out from the surrounding residential buildings that united four Soviet-era microdistricts that previously lacked a spiritual center, and fit in.

At first glance, the large central volume of the church organically rises from the complex urban and natural environment. Although the entire complex was supposed to include a church with a tower and a chapel, a parish house, and a rectory, the project was not fully implemented, and the tower and chapel were not built.

Ten large windows are set into the southern wall of the church – allusion to the Ten Commandments. Special attention was paid to light during the construction of the church. Both externally and internally, natural lighting is modeled to become a sign, a special divine light.

This sanctuary is a modern building located in a park-like area surrounded by pine forests. This place has become a public space, a gathering place for the parish members, uniting the residents of four Soviet-era microdistricts.