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Kaunas

Coordinates: 54°53′50″N 23°53′10″E / 54.89722°N 23.88611°E / 54.89722; 23.88611
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Kaunas
City
Top to bottom, left to right: Kaunas Castle, House of Perkūnas, Kaunas Town Hall, Kaunas Reservoir, Our Lord Jesus Christ's Resurrection Basilica and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
Flag of Kaunas
Coat of arms of Kaunas
Nickname(s): 
Laikinoji sostinė, Heart of Lithuania, The Little Paris of interwar[1]
Motto(s): 
Diligite justitiam qui judicatis terram
(Latin: Cherish justice, you who judge the earth[2])
Location of Kaunas
Location of Kaunas
Coordinates: 54°53′50″N 23°53′10″E / 54.89722°N 23.88611°E / 54.89722; 23.88611
CountryLithuania
CountyKaunas County
MunicipalityKaunas city municipality
Capital ofKaunas County
First mentioned1361
Granted city rights1408
Elderships
Government
 • TypeCity council
 • MayorVisvaldas Matijošaitis
Area
 • City157 km2 (61 sq mi)
 • Metro
8,089 km2 (3,123 sq mi)
Elevation
48 m (157 ft)
Population
 (2018-01-01)
 • City312,120
 • Density1,935/km2 (5,010/sq mi)
 • Metro
570,163
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
44xxx - 52xxx
Area code(+370) 37
GDP (nominal),
Kaunas county[3]
2015
 - Total€7.4 billion
 - Per capita€12,700
Websitewww.kaunas.lt

Kaunas, also known by several other names, is the second biggest city in Lithuania and used to be a temporary capital.[4] Kaunas is found at the point where the two biggest Lithuanian rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris, meet. It is also near the Kaunas Lagoon, the largest body of water in Lithuania.

In 1361, Kaunas was first mentioned in annals of the Teutonic Knights. The knights were preparing to attack Kaunas Castle.[4][5]

In 1408, Vytautas the Great gave the city Magdeburg Rights.[6][4][6]

References

[change | change source]
  1. "Kodėl Kaunas buvo vadinamas mažuoju Paryžiumi?". lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  2. Raffa, Guy P. (2009-08-01). The Complete Danteworlds: A Reader's Guide to the Divine Comedy. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226702872.
  3. "Indicators database - Oficialiosios statistikos portalas". osp.stat.gov.lt.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Enciklopedija apie Lietuvą. Kaunas: Debesų Ganyklos. 2015. pp. 86, 87. ISBN 978-609-8090-79-6.
  5. "Kaunas History Overview – Kaunas: dates and facts. Electronic directory". KVB. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Kauno miesto savivaldybė Miesto istorija". Archived from the original on 2021-03-04. Retrieved 2021-03-07.