Red Cross sanatorium in Birštonas
(Survived
)
<p style="text-align: justify;">As of 1924 the resort was owned by Lithuanian Red Cross (in 1933 it delegated its Director Lt. Col. Dr. Matulionis) who not only took care of the renewal of health service infrastructure but also (especially until 1935) actively demolished old and built new (mostly wooden) buildings, with the works being led by architect V. Landsbergis.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The idea to open a Red Cross health resort in Birštonas was systematic – the opening of the same facilities was also planned in Kaunas, Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Panevėžys. The draft for the “crucial mineral bath building”, prepared in 1930 by engineer Romanas Steikūnas, had an exceptional design when compared with the other Red Cross buildings. The health resort was symmetric, masonry, two-storey with a dome (only one floor was actually built) covering the spacious lobby inside which has several reception offices and waiting rooms. Apart from the new sanatorium, there was also a separate building for dirt baths and another for laundry.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The most common visitors to try out the new dirt and mineral baths and relax were from Kaunas. “For Kaunas locals Birštonas is the prime suburb for weekends. <...> nothing, not even rain can stop them from coming here to have mineral carbonic and mud healing baths.” The press at that time talked about how the “positive effect on health” is created not only by resort's environment or the quality of new procedures but also the staff. Of course, some also noted that the expensive construction of the health resort resulted in unaffordable prices for the treatment services: “there are things which need to be changed, especially during the crisis – officials, farmers cannot afford the baths”.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Viltė Migonytė</em></p>
Adresas: Birutės g. 31, Birštonas
Architektūros tipas: Professional
Architektai: Romanas Steikūnas
Metai: 1930
Laikotarpis: Interwar
Architektūros šakos: Architecture, Separate building, Culture/ Sport/ Leisure/ Other, Sanatorium, Health resort
Medžiagos: Masonry (brick)
Nuotraukos: 12
Susiję objektai
Kurhaus of Aukštoji Panemunė, Kaunas
Kurhaus of Aukštoji Panemunė, Kaunas
1935
Red Cross tuberculosis sanatorium in Aukštoji Panemunė
Red Cross tuberculosis sanatorium in Aukštoji Panemunė
1932
Kaunas German Upper Exact Sciences Gymnasium (now A. Puškinas Gymnasium)
Kaunas German Upper Exact Sciences Gymnasium (now A. Puškinas Gymnasium)
1923 - 1930
P. J. Krasauskas Residential House
P. J. Krasauskas Residential House
1938
Villa "Baltoji" / "White"
Villa "Baltoji" / "White"
1900 - 1914
Burštein villa in Palanga
Burštein villa in Palanga
1939
Birštonas Kurhaus
Birštonas Kurhaus
1850 - 1931
Building of Birštonas resort administration
Building of Birštonas resort administration
1930
Villa Pelėda (The Owl)
Villa Pelėda (The Owl)
1939
Textile companies complex in Juozapavičiaus av. 82 / Skuodo st. 2
Textile companies complex in Juozapavičiaus av. 82 / Skuodo st. 2
1870 - 1939
Villa of Teachers union in Zarasai
Villa of Teachers union in Zarasai
1935 - 1936
B. Fleišman summer houses in Lampėdžiai
B. Fleišman summer houses in Lampėdžiai
1932 - 1935
Mineral Baths Building of Doctar Jurgis Veckūnas in Aukštoji Panemunė
Mineral Baths Building of Doctar Jurgis Veckūnas in Aukštoji Panemunė
1930
Kiosk of Giršas Barenblatas in Aukštoji Panemunė
Kiosk of Giršas Barenblatas in Aukštoji Panemunė
1934
House of L. Janulionis in Aukštoji Panemunė
House of L. Janulionis in Aukštoji Panemunė
1937
The house of Ekaterina Bajovienė in  Aukštoji Panemunė
The house of Ekaterina Bajovienė in Aukštoji Panemunė
1934
The house of Rožė Gertienė in Aukštoji Panemunė
The house of Rožė Gertienė in Aukštoji Panemunė
1934
House of Boleslovas Jakutis in Aukštoji Panemunė
House of Boleslovas Jakutis in Aukštoji Panemunė
1939
House of Feliksas Dobkevičius in Aukštoji Panemunė
House of Feliksas Dobkevičius in Aukštoji Panemunė
1934
Villa of Povilas Vaidyla in Aukštoji Panemunė
Villa of Povilas Vaidyla in Aukštoji Panemunė
1925 - 1926
Vlla in Smetona av. 81
Vlla in Smetona av. 81
1930
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As of 1924 the resort was owned by Lithuanian Red Cross (in 1933 it delegated its Director Lt. Col. Dr. Matulionis) who not only took care of the renewal of health service infrastructure but also (especially until 1935) actively demolished old and built new (mostly wooden) buildings, with the works being led by architect V. Landsbergis.


The idea to open a Red Cross health resort in Birštonas was systematic – the opening of the same facilities was also planned in Kaunas, Klaipėda, Vilnius, and Panevėžys. The draft for the “crucial mineral bath building”, prepared in 1930 by engineer Romanas Steikūnas, had an exceptional design when compared with the other Red Cross buildings. The health resort was symmetric, masonry, two-storey with a dome (only one floor was actually built) covering the spacious lobby inside which has several reception offices and waiting rooms. Apart from the new sanatorium, there was also a separate building for dirt baths and another for laundry.


The most common visitors to try out the new dirt and mineral baths and relax were from Kaunas. “For Kaunas locals Birštonas is the prime suburb for weekends. <...> nothing, not even rain can stop them from coming here to have mineral carbonic and mud healing baths.” The press at that time talked about how the “positive effect on health” is created not only by resort's environment or the quality of new procedures but also the staff. Of course, some also noted that the expensive construction of the health resort resulted in unaffordable prices for the treatment services: “there are things which need to be changed, especially during the crisis – officials, farmers cannot afford the baths”.


Viltė Migonytė