Pažaislis Church and Monastery Ensemble

Standing on a hill on the shore of the Kaunas Lagoon, the Pažaislis church and monastery are recognised as the most beautiful masterpiece of High Baroque architecture in Northern and Eastern Europe. This place, much loved by tourists, overwhelms with its beauty and surprises with its history and its special atmosphere. The history of the 17th-century ensemble and descriptions of its architectural and artistic treasures would not fit into one thick book. The hexagonal shape of the church and the first concave façade in Europe are unique in the whole region. The interior of the church is adorned with 140 surviving frescoes, 17th-century paintings and decoration created by the most famous Lombard sculptors. There is more marble here than in any other Baroque church in Lithuania. Breathtaking films could be made about each period of the monastery's history, the wars and fires it survived, and the spiritual practices of the various congregations housed here. But as soon as you step through the monastery gates, life slows down and peace envelops you. Monte Pacis, the Mount of Peace – these are other names for Pažaislis. This impressive sanctuary on the outskirts of Kaunas, at that time in a remote forest, was built in the 17th century for the Camaldolese monks by Krzysztof Zygmunt Pac (1621–1684), Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The Camaldolese are hermit monks (following the example of the Desert Fathers) who keep a very ascetic rule. The monks prayed six times a day, could leave their cells only with their superior's permission and spoke only in special circumstances. On entering the monastery they received two habits for the rest of their lives and for their burial. Since 1992 the monastery has been home to the Sisters of St Casimir. They look after the restoration of Pažaislis and organise retreats and educational programmes. The whole history of the monastery from the 17th to the 21st century is presented very attractively in a modern exhibition that is also suitable for families with children. Just a few hundred metres away are the Kaunas Lagoon pier, a beach and the Kaunas Hydroelectric Power Plant.