INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF THE FACULTY OF CHEMISTRY AND GEOSCIENCES OF VILNIUS UNIVERSITY

At the intersection of Naugarduko and Mindaugo Streets, an irregularly shaped land plot incorporates the Institute of Chemistry of the Faculty of Chemistry and Geosciences of Vilnius University. The distinctive feature of the building is its yellowish unplastered brick façade, also known as the brick style.

The interior of the central part of the building is formal, the lobby spaces are divided by columns and segmental arches, decorated with decorative elements and stained-glass windows, while the auditorium of the Department of Physical Chemistry is decorated with a fresco painted in 1986 by Romas Grigaitis. The building is also full of secret passageways and staircases, which at times evoke the experience of navigating a maze.

The building was first used as a Technical School of Chemistry. It featured modern classrooms, workshops and laboratories with ventilation and central heating, as well as a library with relevant publications. Constant investments were also made in the sensitive equipment needed for the work, that is, both the equipment normally used in laboratories and specific instruments. The technological solutions inside the building act as a reminder of the Institute’s long history.

The building has survived all the changes of government in Lithuania during the 20th century, and has retained its function as a chemical science institute to this day.