Kaunas

Kaunas, formerly Kovno, town, southern Lithuania. It lies at the head of navigation on the Neman (Lithuanian Nemunas) River, there joined by the tributary Viliya (Lithuanian Neris) River.

Founded as a fortress in 1030, Kaunas became a town in 1317 and received its charter of self-government in 1408. It was frequently attacked by the Teutonic Knights and changed hands several times before the defeat of the Knights in 1410. Thereafter its trade grew and the town flourished. In 1795 it passed to Russia by the Third Partition of Poland (with which Lithuania had merged in 1569), and it was devastated by Napoleon’s advance in 1812. The town recovered and in 1842 became a provincial centre. With the coming of the railways later in the 19th century, the trade of the town increased and industries began to develop. From 1920 to 1940 Kaunas was the capital of independent Lithuania. Annexed by the U.S.S.R. in 1940, Kaunas suffered heavy damage during World War II and lost many citizens by deportation before and after the war. Under Soviet rule, Kaunas had a high proportion of ethnic Lithuanians in its population (more than 80 percent in the late 20th century, compared with about 40 percent in Vilnius and 60 percent in Klaipėda) and remained a centre of Lithuanian national sentiment. In 1972 it was the scene of nationalist riots following the funeral of a student who had set himself on fire as an expression of protest against the Soviet regime.

Many historic buildings survive, including the ruins of the castle at the confluence of the rivers. Beside the castle are narrow, winding streets and alleys of Old Town, which contains the Vytautas Church (built 1400), the Holy Trinity Church (1634), and the Jesuit Church (1666). Funiculars and stairways link the Old Town to the higher, newer parts of Kaunas.

Modern Kaunas is an important industrial centre, producing metal castings, machine tools, radios, furniture, and wool, silk, and rayon textiles. Road, rail, and water transportation lines converge there. Power is supplied by a hydroelectric station on the Neman. Kaunas is also a major educational and cultural centre, with polytechnic, medical, agricultural, veterinary, and physical-culture institutes, as well as theatres and museums. Pop. (2008 prelim.) 355,586.