Klaipeda - A Celebration of Lithuania Minor, Klaipeda, Lithuania

My first impression of the Lithuanian town of Klaipėda in was one of space, light and lovely buildings. This thriving port, the fourth largest, on the Baltic Sea has emerged from two major disasters, a great fire in 1854 and the devastation of the Second World War to become an attractive, interesting town with some unusual and unique attractions. I quickly discovered the popularity of sculptures here, particularly to mark its history and culture. Before the Republic of Lithuania was created Klaipėda and the surrounding area was an autonomous region known as Lithuania Minor (Mažosios Lietuvos) and subjected to a very turbulent history. Although unified with the rest of Lithuania in 1923 it still considers itself the heart of the country. The monument celebrating unification represents Lithuania Minor as a brown pole a part of the whole yet not wholly a part. 

Soon after I set off to explore the old town I found some unique buildings in a small courtyard known as the Crafts Yard (Menų kiemas). Fachwerk architecture was popular at the beginning of the nineteenth century when the town was expanding rapidly. This method of construction, recumbent, upright and slanting wooden log carcasses filled with clay and bricks was popular for the construction of warehouses. Clusters of these buildings around the old town and near the port survived the great fire. They have been preserved and converted to different uses. Around the port these unique warehouses, usually two-storeys in height, have been converted into hotels and restaurants. In Crafts Yard they have become craft workshops where visitors are invited to touch, feel and learn about the spirit of past times by making local traditional goods themselves with the help of resident experts. Master classes, seminars and other events are regular features here.  ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).