Kėdainiai reveals its history through many different facets: the Old Market Square, religious buildings from several centuries, and traces of a former Scottish community. The city park is another highlight. It forms part of the former Kėdainiai Manor Estate and has paths for pedestrians and cyclists. This makes it easy to shape your trip around architectural history, traditional crafts, or activities in the park.
Old Market Square and Old Town
The Old Market Square was established in the 15th century as the city’s first market square. The Old Town of Kėdainiai is a state-protected national urban monument. The buildings of the synagogue complex also tell the story of the square: the complex was built from the late 18th century to the first half of the 19th century. The Great Summer Synagogue was built in the 18th century, after the older synagogue was destroyed in a fire.
A synagogue on the Old Market Square opened as a Multicultural Centre on August 16, 2002. The Glass Houses in Kėdainiai date from the 17th century. Together, these places and dates offer different historical points of reference, rather than limiting the Old Town to a single period.
Churches and a distinctive monument
Original 17th-century wall paintings are preserved in the single-nave Lutheran church. “Single-nave” describes a church building with one nave; the surviving paintings form a distinct part of its historic interior. Here, architecture and preserved interior paintings stand side by side.
The Evangelical Reformed Church is located in the Renaissance Old Town. Krzysztof II Radziwiłł and Anna funded its construction; it was completed in 1652 by their son Janusz II Radziwiłł. Its completion by the next generation gives the building a clearly dated history and a family connection. By comparison, the Lutheran church’s wall paintings tell a different story about the surviving heritage.
Another striking landmark is the 28-metre-high minaret. It was built in 1880 to adorn the park and commemorate the wars with Turkey. It is Lithuania’s only free-standing minaret; of the structures built at the time, only this minaret has survived. Its height, purpose, and exceptional status make it a distinctive focal point in the city’s history.
City park: paths and activities
Kėdainiai City Park is part of the former Kėdainiai Manor Estate. Its paths are intended for pedestrians and cyclists. The park offers a different way to experience the area than visiting the churches, synagogues, and other buildings in the Old Town.
The park also has an area for inline skating and skateboarding. Visitors planning a trip around different interests will find a place for these activities as well as the paths. The paths and the designated area offer different ways to stay active and should be considered separately from exploring the Old Town’s history.
Traditional crafts at Arnet’s House
Arnet’s House is an architectural monument and a tangible testament to the Scottish community that lived in Kėdainiai in the 17th and 18th centuries. The house thus combines architectural significance with a connection to the history of this community.
The Traditional Crafts Centre at Arnet’s House offers workshops for adults and students, including school pupils. The programme includes weaving, ceramics, and wood carving. These crafts complement the building itself: alongside learning about the house’s historical significance, visitors can also discover traditional techniques. Those interested in the city can choose between exploring its architectural history and focusing on hands-on crafts.
Explore the Old Town on foot
A guided walking tour of the Old Town offers insight into the city’s most significant historic buildings and its history. It can help put individual buildings into a broader historical context. Check the tour provider for booking details.
Discover more destinations: Pašuliai, Garliava, Jonava, Birštonas, Kulautuva, Karmėlava, Ariogala, Prienai
For the regional travel overview: Kaunas County.
