Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital and my fifth post-Soviet nation: a short but sweet affair. Work in the day, Hesburger (Finnish fast food chain) and old town drinks at Who Hit John bar by evening, it's a recipe for success. Of course, we will always find some time to check out the fine Soviet architecture on offer.
Just a short walk from the old town, the Palace of Concerts and Sports, built in 1971, is one of the finest examples of this in the Baltic States. Following the brutal conclusion of the Second World War, Soviet policymakers issued orders for the creation of a new generation of leisure venues across the bloc, including cinemas, sports and concert halls and circuses - the large round buildings seen across the former USSR donning the title “цирк”. Soviet planners sought to paint over the horrors of war, providing a sense of peace and relaxation at home, and instil a sense of Soviet nationhood, from Vilnius to Vladivostok. The Palace of Concerts and Sports was one such place. The circa 4,400-capacity venue, until 1990, was a major destination for concerts, events and sports - international and domestic basketball fixtures.
Towards the end of the 1980s, the Palace of Concerts and Sports became the locus for anti-Soviet sentiment in the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1988, the palace was the venue for the Congress of Sąjūdis, a movement that played a key role in Lithuania’s independence movements. Later, in 1991, locals gathered there to commemorate the lives of 13 Lithuanians who lost their lives at the hands of Soviet troops during that same independence struggle. Following the collapse of the USSR, the palace was still used but had mostly been converted into leased exhibition and retail spaces. After a while, the cost of renovating and maintaining the facility was likely deemed unsustainable, given the development of newer, modern sports centres across the city. Sad news for any urbEX fans, in 2004, it was permanently closed after being deemed unsafe for any edgy travel photographers to wander.
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