Kaunas - Pilis

A settlement existed at the confluence of two large rivers, for many centuries, before Kaunas was first mentioned in written sources in 1361. At that time a brick castle was constructed. Only a year later the castle was captured after a siege and destroyed by the Teutonic Order. It was one of the most important victories of the Teutonic Knights in the 14th in Lithuania. The castle was rebuilt at the beginning of the 15th century.

In 1408 Kaunas was granted city rights by Vytautas the Great. Kaunas began to gain prominence since it was at an intersection of trade routes and a river port. In 1441 Kaunas joined the Hanseatic League. By the 16th century, Kaunas had a public school and a hospital and was one of the best-formed towns in Lithuania.

In 1665, the Russian army attacked the city, and in 1701 the city was occupied by the Swedish Army. Fires destroyed parts of the city in 1731 and 1732. After the final partition of the Polish–Lithuanian state in 1795, the city was taken over by the Russian Empire. During the French invasion of Russia in 1812, Napoleon´s armee passed through twice, devastating the city both times.

When In 1862, a railway connecting the Russian Empire and Imperial Germany was built, Kaunas was a significant railway hub.

As WWII began, about 30,000 Jews were living in Kaunas, comprising about 25% of the city's population. Only very few survived the war.

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The construction date of the first Kaunas Castle is unknown. The stone castle was probably built during the middle of the 14th century.

In 1362, the castle was besieged by the Teutonic Order. At that time, the castle walls were over 11 meters high. After three weeks, the Knights managed to breach the castle's walls, and the castle was taken.

Soon after the castle was retaken, but it remained a point of contention between Lithuanians and Teutonic Knights for years and in 1384 the castle was recaptured by the Teutonic Knights who tried to rebuild it. The Lithuanians launched an attack on the castle later the same year and it was retaken.

After the Battle of Grunwald, the castle lost its strategic military importance and was used as a residence. The castle served administrative purposes after the death of Vytautas the Great.

The castle was used as a prison in the 18th century; later the Russian administration granted permission for houses to be built in the castle's territory, which resulted in significant damage to the castle itself.