The western edge of Rotušės (Town Hall) square was inhabited in the earliest stages of the development of Kaunas town. This is confirmed by the traces of household activities found during the archaeological research. Still, the earliest state of this part of the town is hard to recreate since the later development radically changed the early plan of the land plots. At the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century the Bernardine monastery and Bernardine convent possessions were established here; the town cemetery was located here. In the 18th century the remains of several buildings were incorporated into the newly constructed residential palace. As various written sources mention, there were several town residents’ land plots before the 18th century. Research of the cultural layers has revealed the time period of the decline in the town. The cultural layers from the middle of the 17th century war with Moscow (1655–1667) and a few decades after it indicate the decline: neglected streets and courtyards, cellars, which opened up in place of the ruined buildings were half covered with rubble and later completely filled. Later, Sirutis Palace was constructed in place of the ruined buildings.

Mindaugas Bertašius