“Senatorių pasažas” (Senators’ Passage)

Senatorių Pasažas (Senators’ Passage) is a new public space in Vilnius Old Town that has become a gastronomic hotspot. The history of this architectural complex dates back to the 17th century, when the prominent and wealthy Vainiai family built a palace here. Later, the Pociejai family, who resided in the palace, gave it a Classicist appearance and expanded the ensemble with a new wing – the oficina.
In the 19th century, new owners converted the palace into rental apartments for affluent townspeople, while the ground floor was occupied by various shops. Until the Soviet occupation, the palace maintained a transitional courtyard – the main entrance was on Dominikonų Street, with an exit on the Stiklių Street side.
During the Soviet era, the palace was nationalized, the courtyard was closed off, and the buildings were repurposed for administrative use, significantly compromising their historic structure and architecture.
It wasn’t until 2017, when the complex came into new ownership, that a thorough restoration process began. Although the initial plan was to simply renovate the premises for office use, a deeper exploration of the site’s history inspired the architects to envision something greater – Senatorių Pasažas: a publicly accessible, walk-through courtyard with restored historical layers and a revived Vainiai (Pociejai) Palace.
The project was guided by extensive historical and architectural research, resulting in an ensemble that not only reveals authentic heritage, but also harmoniously integrates modern, warm, and sensitive contemporary architecture.