Department of Cultural Heritage and Historical Cellars

Located in the very heart of Vilnius Old Town, the building stands out with its mannerist ornamentation and rich detailing. Despite its imposing character, it subtly integrates into the historical environment – preserving the structures and proportions characteristic of the Old Town, while reinterpreting historical architectural elements.

The building was constructed between 1987 and 1990, a time when postmodernism emerged as a counter-movement to prevailing functionalism, aesthetic uniformity, and the mass construction of standard rectangular buildings. It became one of the most striking examples of the era’s pursuit of individuality, with its decorative elements emphasizing an ideological resistance to the austerity of Soviet modernist architecture.

Designed on a triangular plan framed by Ašmenos and Mėsinių streets, the project was shaped by the discovery of Gothic cellars dating back to the late 15th – early 16th and 17th centuries. These historical remains served as the main inspiration for the architectural concept of the new building.

Inside, the building recreates structures typical of the Old Town – staircases imitating enclosed courtyards and open arched galleries. The interior is adorned with artworks, including a sculpture by M. Šimelis suspended beneath a pyramid-shaped skylight. Visitors are invited to explore winding corridors, small rooms, towers, views of the Old Town, and other unexpected elements of the postmodern labyrinth.