LITHUANIAN NATIONAL DRAMA THEATER

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About

• The Lithuanian National Drama Theater is a building hobbled together from a large number of fragments. Even though it has undergone many renovations and repairs, it has successfully survived as a cultural space;

• Since the Soviets forbade the construction of a new theater, Lithuanians reconstructed the former Liutnia Music Society building near the Land Bank (now the Bank of Lithuania);

• The history of the current theatre on Gediminas Ave. dates back to 1951when it moved here from the old Pohulianka Theater on J. Basanavičiaus Street;

• Two major renovations designed by the Nasvytis brothers were completed in 1981 and created a new facade for the building. A third renovation is currently ongoing;

• The sculpture Holiday of the Muses is a striking feature on the building’s facade.
The artist Stanislaus Kuzma came up with the idea at the last minute. He only started to draw sketches of the muses while presenting his idea to fellow architects;

• The current reconstruction is an attempt to improve function while remodeling and expanding a building that was declared a national architectural landmark in 1993.