Kaunas Railway Station
Encyclopedia
Kaunas Railway Station is a Lithuanian Railways
central railway station at the eastern edge of central part of Kaunas
, Lithuania
. Kaunas Railway Station was included into the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Lithuania in 2003.
lost the Crimean War
, the importance of use of tactical use of modern inventions, as well as railways
.
In February 1851 the Government of Russia
made a decision to build the Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway line. Starting from 1858 the line connecting Saint Petersburg
and Warsaw
was being built. In the territory of Lithuania, the construction of the railway section Daugavpils
–Vilnius
–Grodno
including the branch Lentvaris
–Kaunas
–Kybartai
(Virbalis
) was started in spring 1859. The first railway stations in Lithuania were constructed on this line (21 stations): the super class stations in Lentvaris and Virbalis, as well as the first class stations in Kaunas
and Vilnius. Due to the hilly and unfavorable for the direct rail passage terrain around Kaunas' centre, the Kaunas Railway Tunnel
and largest in Lithuania railway bridge
over the Nemunas
river were constructed. On the 15 August 1861 the first train left Kaunas and reached Lentvaris. Kaunas Railway Station was officially opened on 21 February 1862. In 1944, the Station was bombed by the withdrawing German army
. The present-day Kaunas Railway Station was built on the foundation of the old station and designed by architect P. Ashastin. Its architecture was based on the principles of classicism: strict symmetry, separate and large-scale inner spaces, horizontally continued shape, massive valls and centrally oriented stairs. Kaunas Railway Station reconstruction started in 2005 and was finished on 9 April 2008.
Lithuanian Railways
Lithuanian Railways is the national, state-owned railway company of Lithuania. It operates all the railway lines in the country.Lithuanian Railways' main network consists of 1749 km of broad gauge railway of which 122 km are electrified. They also operate 22 km of standard gauge...
central railway station at the eastern edge of central part of Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. Kaunas Railway Station was included into the Registry of Immovable Cultural Heritage Sites of the Republic of Lithuania in 2003.
History
After the Russian EmpireRussian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
lost the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, the importance of use of tactical use of modern inventions, as well as railways
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
.
In February 1851 the Government of Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
made a decision to build the Saint Petersburg – Warsaw Railway line. Starting from 1858 the line connecting Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
was being built. In the territory of Lithuania, the construction of the railway section Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
–Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
–Grodno
Hrodna
Grodno or Hrodna , is a city in Belarus. It is located on the Neman River , close to the borders of Poland and Lithuania . It has 327,540 inhabitants...
including the branch Lentvaris
Lentvaris
Lentvaris is a city in eastern Lithuania, 9 km east form Trakai, an important center of transportation, because many roads and railroads cross here.Lake Lentvaris is located near the city.- History :...
–Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
–Kybartai
Kybartai
Kybartai is a city in the Marijampolė County, Lithuania. It is located west of Vilkaviškis and is on the border of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia....
(Virbalis
Virbalis
Virbalis is a city in the Vilkaviškis district municipality, Lithuania. It is located west of Vilkaviškis.As German Wirballen, Polish Wierzbołów, or Russian Verzhbolovo , it is frequently mentioned in historical as well in modern literature...
) was started in spring 1859. The first railway stations in Lithuania were constructed on this line (21 stations): the super class stations in Lentvaris and Virbalis, as well as the first class stations in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
and Vilnius. Due to the hilly and unfavorable for the direct rail passage terrain around Kaunas' centre, the Kaunas Railway Tunnel
Kaunas Railway Tunnel
Kaunas railway tunnel is one of the two tunnels existing in Lithuania and the only railway tunnel operating in the Baltic states. It connects Vilnius and Kaunas. The length of the tunnel is 1,285 metres , height – 6,6 metres, width – 8,8 metres...
and largest in Lithuania railway bridge
Railway Bridge, Kaunas
Railway Bridge in Kaunas crosses Nemunas river to connect Central Kaunas and lower Freda of Aleksotas district. Because of its green paint, it is often called Green . Construction of the bridge started in 1859 and ended in 1862. The exploitation of the bridge started on the 4 February 1862...
over the Nemunas
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
river were constructed. On the 15 August 1861 the first train left Kaunas and reached Lentvaris. Kaunas Railway Station was officially opened on 21 February 1862. In 1944, the Station was bombed by the withdrawing German army
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. The present-day Kaunas Railway Station was built on the foundation of the old station and designed by architect P. Ashastin. Its architecture was based on the principles of classicism: strict symmetry, separate and large-scale inner spaces, horizontally continued shape, massive valls and centrally oriented stairs. Kaunas Railway Station reconstruction started in 2005 and was finished on 9 April 2008.