Palanga summer reading spot
The summer residences of the Lithuanian National Martynas Mažvydas Library – the history of the Palanga reading room in 1965. started in the Birutė mountain chapel. It was possible to read periodicals in it for one summer, but due to the small space, the reading room did not meet the needs of vacationers. So in 1966 it moved to a building designed by Albinos Čepis (1917–1989), the resort’s chief architect at the time, on Vytautas Street.
The reading room is located in a uniquely shaped, eye-catching glass building that resembles a frozen wave. Already in the first year of work, it was recognized as the best in the inspection of reading rooms in the Soviet Union. The building stood out from the industrial style structures of the time due to its aesthetics, light forms and reminded the old resort villas. The pride of the building is a more than 150-year-old oak built into the structure, which “still grows” in the main hall of the building and gives the reading room an exceptional comfort.
in 2014 the reading room is included in the register of cultural heritage values of Lithuania. A commemorative plaque has been hung to commemorate its creator, architect A. Čepis.
in 1979 the sculpture “Girl” (sculptor A. Vertulienė, architect V. Daninskis) was built on the territory of the building.
Exhibitions of Lithuanian artists, book presentations, meetings with book authors and other cultural people, art education, concentration management exercises take place in the reading room.
Vytauto g. 72, Palangos m., Palangos m. sav.
