Jewish Gymnasium in Kaunas
(Survived
)
<p style="text-align: justify;">Jewish exact sciences gymnasium building is associated with the modernist era in Lithuanian architectural history. Although it did not stand out as having very innovative aesthetic solutions (the only things to spice up its symmetric and level facades were horizontal stripes and a quite striking rooftop edge), at that time it was considered a quite modern structure. It was said that the gymnasium building was “amongst the most beautiful and modern not only in Kaunas, but the entire Lithuania. They will have 16 classrooms, halls for painting, gymnastics, kindergartens, showers, bathrooms and more”. The fact that it is designed for educational purposes is made clear by wide windows which were supposed to let in enough daylight for classes.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The new gymnasium in Kaunas was a significant event; therefore, its opening for 1931 academic year was mentioned by quite a big celebration which was attended by “up to 250” guests, including the Minister of Education K. Šakenis, City Mayor J. Vokietaitis, then Lithuanian representative in USA K. Balutis, US consul in Kaunas, etc. The school, which cost 800 thousand litas, was built using a government loan and private contributions, amongst which were a US resident from Alytus philanthropist E. Čeisas who donated 250 thousand litas.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This modest building which reminds the interwar period can be held as an example of an increasingly modern, yet nowhere near avant-garde architecture of Kaunas of that time. The school, built in an urbanistically relevant location in front of the National Theatre, is also impressive because of its size – it is one of the largest educational institutions ever built in the temporary capital.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Vaidas Petrulis</em></p>
Adresas: Kauno m. sav., Kauno m., Kęstučio g. 85
Architektūros tipas: Professional
Architektai: Boruchas Klingas
Metai: 1931
Laikotarpis: Interwar
Architektūros šakos: Architecture, Separate building, Education, Gymnasium
Medžiagos: Masonry (brick)
Nuotraukos: 17
Susiję objektai
Telšiai Žemaitė (Former M. Valančius) Gymnasium
Telšiai Žemaitė (Former M. Valančius) Gymnasium
1935 - 1936
Kaunas central post office
Kaunas central post office
1930 - 1932
Dormitory for the victims of war
Dormitory for the victims of war
1934 - 1935
Jonas Vileišis House in Kaunas
Jonas Vileišis House in Kaunas
1930
M. Bruskienė Residential House in Kaunas
M. Bruskienė Residential House in Kaunas
1932 - 1933
Kaunas County Municipality Palace
Kaunas County Municipality Palace
1932 - 1934
Borisas Goldbergas Residential House in Kaunas
Borisas Goldbergas Residential House in Kaunas
1937
Vatican Diplomatic Mission (Nunciature) in Kaunas
Vatican Diplomatic Mission (Nunciature) in Kaunas
1930 - 1931
Residential House of Artist A. Žmuidzinavičius
Residential House of Artist A. Žmuidzinavičius
1928
Apartment House of Company “Butas” in Kaunas
Apartment House of Company “Butas” in Kaunas
1931 - 1932
Antanas Gylys Hospital Building
Antanas Gylys Hospital Building
1932 - 1934
J. Papečkys Residential House in Kaunas
J. Papečkys Residential House in Kaunas
1937
Petras Mačiulis Residential House in Kaunas
Petras Mačiulis Residential House in Kaunas
1935 - 1936
Christ's Resurrection Church in Kaunas
Christ's Resurrection Church in Kaunas
1933 - 1940
Cinema theater "Romuva"
Cinema theater "Romuva"
1938 - 1940
Elementary School for Jewish Children in Kaunas
Elementary School for Jewish Children in Kaunas
1930 - 1931
Sports Hall in Kaunas
Sports Hall in Kaunas
1938 - 1939
Č. Pacevičius Villa
Č. Pacevičius Villa
1935
Residential House of Architect Stasys Kudokas
Residential House of Architect Stasys Kudokas
1937
Agriculture Bank in Kaunas (now KTU Central Administration Building)
Agriculture Bank in Kaunas (now KTU Central Administration Building)
1933 - 1935
Palace for Firefighters in Kaunas
Palace for Firefighters in Kaunas
1929 - 1930
Grigorijus Gumeniukas Residential House (Adapted to Kaunas 3rd Gymnasium)
Grigorijus Gumeniukas Residential House (Adapted to Kaunas 3rd Gymnasium)
1934 - 1935
Evangelical and Reformed Church in Kaunas
Evangelical and Reformed Church in Kaunas
1937 - 1947
Health Insurance Fund
Health Insurance Fund
1933 - 1935
The Palace of the Common Labourers in Kaunas
The Palace of the Common Labourers in Kaunas
1938 - 1939
Palace of Physical Education
Palace of Physical Education
1932 - 1934
Palace of Klaipeda Pedagogic Institute’s Sports and Gymnastics
Palace of Klaipeda Pedagogic Institute’s Sports and Gymnastics
1937 - 1938
Funicular of Žaliakalnis
Funicular of Žaliakalnis
1931
Elementary School (now Jonas Jablonskis Gymnasium) in Kaunas
Elementary School (now Jonas Jablonskis Gymnasium) in Kaunas
1931
Jonas and Gediminas Lapėnai Apartment House
Jonas and Gediminas Lapėnai Apartment House
1932
The headquarter of milk processing company "Pienocentras"
The headquarter of milk processing company "Pienocentras"
1931 - 1934
Commerce, Industry and Crafts palace
Commerce, Industry and Crafts palace
1937 - 1939
A garage of Amerikos lietuvių prekybos akcinė bendrovė company
A garage of Amerikos lietuvių prekybos akcinė bendrovė company
1929 - 1932
Office of the Bank of Lithuania in Kėdaniai
Office of the Bank of Lithuania in Kėdaniai
1931 - 1932
Office of Former Insurance Company Lloyd
Office of Former Insurance Company Lloyd
1938
Simonas Volpertas Private Clinic in Šiauliai
Simonas Volpertas Private Clinic in Šiauliai
1930
Former Frida Arkusienė Residential House
Former Frida Arkusienė Residential House
1939
Gymnasium named after Petras Vileišis in Pasvalys (former School of Commerce)
Gymnasium named after Petras Vileišis in Pasvalys (former School of Commerce)
1933 - 1935
Residential Houses at 83 and 85 Laisvės Av. in Kaunas
Residential Houses at 83 and 85 Laisvės Av. in Kaunas
1931 - 1940
A project for Culture House in Kudirkos Naumiestis
A project for Culture House in Kudirkos Naumiestis
1939
Draft project for the Mother and Child Museum in Kaunas
Draft project for the Mother and Child Museum in Kaunas
1938
Draft project for the Adelė and Paulius Galauniai House
Draft project for the Adelė and Paulius Galauniai House
1930
Telšiai St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
Telšiai St. Nicholas Orthodox Church
1935 - 1937
Kaunas Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Kaunas Church of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
1935 - 1938
Raseiniai Old Post Office
Raseiniai Old Post Office
1933 - 1934
House of Vladas Stankūnas in Kaunas, Savanoriu av. 58
House of Vladas Stankūnas in Kaunas, Savanoriu av. 58
1934
Kaunas German Upper Exact Sciences Gymnasium (now A. Puškinas Gymnasium)
Kaunas German Upper Exact Sciences Gymnasium (now A. Puškinas Gymnasium)
1923 - 1930
Juozas Daugirdas Apartment House
Juozas Daugirdas Apartment House
1930
House in Kaunas at 4 L. Sapiegos St.
House in Kaunas at 4 L. Sapiegos St.
1935
P. J. Krasauskas Residential House
P. J. Krasauskas Residential House
1938
Museum of Samogitians "Alka"
Museum of Samogitians "Alka"
1936 - 1941
Gymnasium in Kėdainiai
Gymnasium in Kėdainiai
1935 - 1944
Villa "Šilelis"
Villa "Šilelis"
1938 - 1939
Villa in Naglis st. 8
Villa in Naglis st. 8
Former factory of company "Diana" in Kaunas
Former factory of company "Diana" in Kaunas
1932 - 1938
House in Kaunas, Vytautas av. 52
House in Kaunas, Vytautas av. 52
1929
Residential house of Lidija Vaišvilienė and Olimpija Balsienė
Residential house of Lidija Vaišvilienė and Olimpija Balsienė
1939
Meilach Melamed house in kaunas
Meilach Melamed house in kaunas
1938 - 1939
House of Janina Rožanskienė
House of Janina Rožanskienė
1939
House of Dumbriai in Ukmergė
House of Dumbriai in Ukmergė
1933
Church in Biliakiemis
Church in Biliakiemis
1937 - 1940
Lithuanian Riflemen's Union house in Utena
Lithuanian Riflemen's Union house in Utena
1933
Mausha and Nathan Feinberg‘s house
Mausha and Nathan Feinberg‘s house
1929
House of Lionginas Junknevičius
House of Lionginas Junknevičius
1937
Meat Processing and Bacon Factory of “Maistas” company in Tauragė
Meat Processing and Bacon Factory of “Maistas” company in Tauragė
1931 - 1932
Former Petras Araminas primary school in Marijampolė
Former Petras Araminas primary school in Marijampolė
1934
Primary School in Alytus
Primary School in Alytus
1937
Branch of Lithuanian Bank in Biržai
Branch of Lithuanian Bank in Biržai
1934
Railway station in Plungė
Railway station in Plungė
1931 - 1932
Health Insurance Fund in Panevėžys
Health Insurance Fund in Panevėžys
1936 - 1937
Building of the Panevėžys District Municipality
Building of the Panevėžys District Municipality
1933
Former house of notary Jonas Dikinis in Raseiniai
Former house of notary Jonas Dikinis in Raseiniai
1933 - 1936
Former bus station in Raseiniai
Former bus station in Raseiniai
Raseiniai Primary School
Raseiniai Primary School
1933
House built by Teresė and Mykolas Narbutai
House built by Teresė and Mykolas Narbutai
1932
Kėdainiai County Municipal Hospital
Kėdainiai County Municipal Hospital
1935 - 1937
House built by Uršulė and Zigmas Starkai
House built by Uršulė and Zigmas Starkai
1933 - 1937
Primary school in Palemonas
Primary school in Palemonas
1935 - 1937
Former house of Zofija and Leonas Skukauskas
Former house of Zofija and Leonas Skukauskas
1931
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Jewish exact sciences gymnasium building is associated with the modernist era in Lithuanian architectural history. Although it did not stand out as having very innovative aesthetic solutions (the only things to spice up its symmetric and level facades were horizontal stripes and a quite striking rooftop edge), at that time it was considered a quite modern structure. It was said that the gymnasium building was “amongst the most beautiful and modern not only in Kaunas, but the entire Lithuania. They will have 16 classrooms, halls for painting, gymnastics, kindergartens, showers, bathrooms and more”. The fact that it is designed for educational purposes is made clear by wide windows which were supposed to let in enough daylight for classes.


The new gymnasium in Kaunas was a significant event; therefore, its opening for 1931 academic year was mentioned by quite a big celebration which was attended by “up to 250” guests, including the Minister of Education K. Šakenis, City Mayor J. Vokietaitis, then Lithuanian representative in USA K. Balutis, US consul in Kaunas, etc. The school, which cost 800 thousand litas, was built using a government loan and private contributions, amongst which were a US resident from Alytus philanthropist E. Čeisas who donated 250 thousand litas.


This modest building which reminds the interwar period can be held as an example of an increasingly modern, yet nowhere near avant-garde architecture of Kaunas of that time. The school, built in an urbanistically relevant location in front of the National Theatre, is also impressive because of its size – it is one of the largest educational institutions ever built in the temporary capital.


Vaidas Petrulis