Lukiškių aikštės ir jos aplinkos urbanistinės sąlygos ir plėtojimo galimybės

Abstract

1. Brief Historical Overview The Lukiškės Square is one of the most interesting and complicated phenomena in the urban structure of the central part of Vilnius. Defined relatively recently (in the second half of the 19th century), the space of the Square was used for various purposes and its surroundings were developed without any unanimous concept. However, due to a favourable position in the city’s structure, the value of the Square was constantly enhanced and it attracted attention of both the authorities and the public. In 1861, several market-places (for firewood, hay, grain, horses and vegetables) already existed there, while the Neris river bank was allotted to a wood lot (Fig 1). Accumulation of market-places was determined by the size of the plot of land which in those days was not characteristic of the open urban spaces of Vilnius. Since it is known that the city planners were Russian military engineers and the province functionaries, one should not be surprised by the fact that the standards of the largest Russian cities were applied. There was also a deliberate attempt of the tsarist administration to impart a Russian image to Vilnius. Vilnius city layouts and photographs made at the beginning of the 20th century (Fig 2 and 3) show that the environment of the Lukiškės Square was urbanized to a small extent, the space of the Square was surrounded by small cottages, with St. Jacob and Philip’s Church and the monastery built at its northern edge more than a hundred years ago. The use of the Lukiškės market-place was becoming increasingly diversified. In 1904, a lively and attractive Kaziukas’ fair was transferred there from the Cathedral Square. Just like in many cities of that time, the decrees issued by the authorities were announced on the Square; it was also used for staging protests against the offenders. In a place adjacent to the .Square (on the other side of St. George’s avenue), public executions of those who did not wish to obey. orders were carried out (in 1863, a sentence to K. Kalinauskas and Z. Sierakauskas, the famous leaders of the rebellion against the tsanst yoke, was executed there). Later, during the years of the Polish occupation, the space was started to be used for solemn parades. As the Russian occupants replaced the Polish ones, the Pilsudskij Monument was just replaced by the Lenin Monument. In August 1991, this Monument was removed and the Lukiškės Square remained simply a space planted with trees. As the attraction of Gediminas Avenue and other central parts of Vilnius increases, the Square is gradually transformed into an unused empty territory for changing the public transport. A territory of almost 4 ha situated in a strategic place of the city centre is suited for both a better purpose and expression corresponding to its value. 2. Functional Vision of the Lukiškės Square [...] 3. Tasks of Harmonizing the Lukiškės Square [...].