Pamėnkalnis Villa
Pamėnkalnis Villa (Pamėnkalnio St. 34) represents not only Vilnius’ impressive interwar modernist architecture but also the tangled fates of the 20th century. Designed by Jan Borowski and Izaak Smorgoński for Colonel Antoni Kiakszto, this private two-story residence with a garden was completed in 1938. Skillfully built into the hillside, it featured a functional layout and modernist aesthetics. The tranquility was short-lived; in 1940, the villa became a sanctuary for war refugees like Polish writer Leopold Tyrmand. Artists and Soviet officials also resided there. From 1946-1971, writer Tomas Venclova spent his childhood and youth in the first floor apartment with his parents Eliza and Antanas Venclova; their home was later turned into a museum. Today, Pamėnkalnis Villa opens its doors, inviting the public to discover its unique architecture and the rich stories of its past residents and eras.
Vilnius is a city of literature for me primarily because studied literature here at the University. This is where metaphors became flesh. I saw Onė Baliukonytė, expecting a baby, wearing an elegant dress made of a fabric that resembled a sack. And Judita Vaičiūnaitė buying a cake in Žibutė cafe. Marcelijus Martinaitis, horrified by our “leaky”, as he would call them, sentences in our dissertations. The author of Tūla dropping by the residence hall to borrow money. Jonas Strielkūnas with jacket sleeves as long as time. And other unofficial individuals.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work.
Let it be a line from “it was all a long time ago”: “moonlight above Vilnius how wondrous the moon and the snowflakes”.
Giedra Radvilavičiūtė
Because a great deal of litterateurs have lived here, big and small. They have sung praises to this city, each in their own way, capturing its territories with their poems.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work.
I will wait by Vilnius, by the fairy tale city, where Neris flows in a red glow (Paulius Širvys) But this one might be cited by many, so here’s a backup: I could never leave you, my city (Czesław Miłosz).
Giedrė Kazlauskaitė
Vilnius is a city whose streets are covered in literary quotes, both literally and metaphorically, a city delightfully rife with multilingual literary tradition and people who read, write and love books. I’m surprised every time at how much is happening here. It’s a city which serves as a source of inspiration, a city which contains every literary genre. The status of Vilnius as a city of literature is probably merely a confirmation of something that literary Vilnians have always been aware of.
Your favourite quote about Vilnius, or a passage from a literary work.
„Nuo Vilniaus niekur nepabėgsi. Nėra pasauly kito tokio miesto...“ “There’s no running away from Vilnius. There’s no other city like it in the world…” (Ričardas Gavelis, Vilnius Poker)
Akvilina Cicėnaitė
Pamėnkalnis Villa
Pamėnkalnio g. 34,
LT-01114 Vilnius, Lietuva
pamenkalnio.vila@vilniusliterature.lt
+370 678 83665
Opening Hours:
I–V, 9:00 – 18:00