Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania | former Israel Bunimovicius Palace

The current building of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania is the magnificent Israel Bunimovich Palace on the busy J. Basanavičiaus Street.

Built in 1900, the main façade of the building is an eye-catcher of harmony and luxury, while the interior is decorated with colourful ceiling mouldings and intricate chandeliers. Here, ministry staff rush through the tall corridors every day, constantly opening the embossed carved doors, while meetings are held in the ceremonial halls. The spaces are decorated with ornate ceiling mouldings, gilded details, glazed cockle stoves and inlaid parquet. Life bustles around the building’s main axis – the central staircase, decorated with stained-glass windows created by Kazimieras Morkūnas.

The history of the building is as colourful as that of its owner. Israel Bunimovich was a merchant, a banker, a philanthropist, a charity worker and a public figure. The modern solutions he commissioned meant that the building had many different functions. The building was used for renting apartments, various aid committees, a radio station, banquets and support events, as well as a museum. The building’s amphiladic-transitional room system, usually used in palaces, and the variety of colours in the interior reflect the former owner’s wealth and status in society, which is still visible in the interior today.