Petrašiūnai Cemetery

Petrašiūnai Cemetery
	A traditional cross at Petrašiūnai Cemetery; (Grave of Bernardas Brazdžionis)
Address	M. Gimbutienės g. 28 (street)
Location	Kaunas, Lithuania
Coordinates	54°53′16″N 24°00′31″E / 54.88778°N 24.00861°E
Type	National cemetery
Construction
Built	1939–1940
Opened	1941
Renovated	2010
Expanded	1955–1961

Petrašiūnai Cemetery (Lithuanian: Petrašiūnų kapinės) is Lithuania's premiere last resting place formally designated for graves of people influential in national history, politics, arts, and science.

Location

Petrašiūnai Cemetery is located about 6 miles (9.7 km) south-east of the center of Kaunas, Lithuania. It covers over 22 acres (8.9 ha) in a quiet area of a peninsula formed by the Neman River where its bend was widened by Kaunas Reservoir. Its name, Lithuanian: Petrašiūnų ("of Petrašiūnai"), is based on Petrašiūnai, the borough of the City of Kaunas where it is placed.

History

The construction of the cemetery began by the end of 1939, burials started in 1941, it was periodically expanded in the late 1950s and needed substantial restoration after the gale of 6 August 2010.^[1] The options for a burial at the cemetery have been formally restricted since 1972,^[2] the authorities designated it as the location where prominent people of Lithuania are buried, the last resting place of accomplished scientists, writers, artists, and politicians.

Notable graves

Vytautas Augustauskas, educator, scientist, sports organizer
Saliamonas Banaitis, printer, educator, and banker; a signer of the Act of Independence of Lithuania
Bernardas Brazdžionis, poet
Kazys Binkis, poet
Leonas Bistras, Lithuanian Prime Minister, translator, philosopher, professor
Kazimieras Būga, philologist
Vladimiras Dubeneckis, architect, painter
Paulius Galaunė, art historian, museum curator, and graphic artist
Marija Gimbutas, archeologist
Algirdas Julius Greimas, philosopher, semiotician^[3]
Juozas Gruodis, composer
Juozas Grušas, Lithuanian playwright, writer, editor, and dramatist
Jonas Jablonskis, philologist
Kazimieras Jaunius, linguist
Steponas Kairys, politician, engineer
Petras Kalpokas, painter
Petras Klimas, diplomat, historian, a signer of the Act of Independence of Lithuania
Sofija Kymantaitė-Čiurlionienė, writer, literary critic
Marija Lastauskienė, writer
Kazys Lozoraitis, diplomat

Stasys Lozoraitis, diplomat, Foreign Minister of Lithuania from 1934 until 1938.
Stasys Lozoraitis Jr. Jr., diplomat
Algimantas Masiulis, actor
Antanas Merkys (symbolic tombstone), Prime Minister
Ričardas Mikutavičius, priest, theologian, poet
Salomėja Nėris, poet
Stasys Raštikis, General of the Lithuanian Army
Petras Rimša, Lithuanian sculptor and medalist
Česlovas Sasnauskas, composer, organist
Kazys Šimonis, painter
Kazys Škirpa, Lithuanian military officer and diplomat
Jonas Semaška, Lithuanian military officer
Mykolas Sleževičius, Lithuanian Prime Minister, lawyer
Algirdas Šocikas, Lithuanian boxer
Aleksandras Štromas, lawyer
Ričardas Tamulis, boxer
Romualdas Tumpa, actor
Juozas Urbšys, diplomat
Juozas Zikaras, sculptor
Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, painter

References

^ Masiokaitė, Austėja (2010-08-10). "Prezidentės sulaukusiame Kaune vis dar aidi pjūklų garsai, o žmonės dalijasi patirtais išgyvenimais (nuotraukos)". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian). ISSN 1392-2351. Archived from the original on 2010-08-18.
^ Giniuvienė, Dalia; et al. (2007). "Pirmosios Lietuvos Respublikos laikotarpis (1918–1940 m.)". Kaunas: datos ir faktai (in Lithuanian). Kauno apskrities viešoji biblioteka.
^ Grabauskas-Karoblis, Giedrius (2009-10-28). "Garsinęs Lietuvą pasaulyje". XXI Amžius. 9 (76). ISSN 2029-1299.

External links

Petrašiūnai Cemetery at Find a Grave

[1] Masiokaitė, Austėja (2010-08-10). "Prezidentės sulaukusiame Kaune vis dar aidi pjūklų garsai, o žmonės dalijasi patirtais išgyvenimais (nuotraukos)". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian). ISSN 1392-2351. Archived from the original on 2010-08-18.

[2] Giniuvienė, Dalia; et al. (2007). "Pirmosios Lietuvos Respublikos laikotarpis (1918–1940 m.)". Kaunas: datos ir faktai (in Lithuanian). Kauno apskrities viešoji biblioteka.

[3] Grabauskas-Karoblis, Giedrius (2009-10-28). "Garsinęs Lietuvą pasaulyje". XXI Amžius. 9 (76). ISSN 2029-1299.

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