The largest part of Lithuania’s cultural heritage consists of archaeological, urban and architectural items. Archaeological and mythological heritage sites are situated all over the country by a great diversity: mounds, ancient ramparts and defensive fortifications, ruins and remains of buildings, places of religious worship, etc. Urban values include historic old towns, historic parts of cities, old villages and similar places. Architectural objects – buildings, their parts, accessories, building complexes and ensembles. More than 800 archaeological objects, 70 historical towns and cities, about 580 manor houses, about 300 parks have been identified in the Register of Cultural Heritage, and about 43 ethnographic villages have survived. The wooden heritage of manors and ethnographic villages is a peculiar and special phenomenon not only in the Lithuanian, but also in the European cultural space. Only in a few European countries can we still find these unique objects of ethnic cultural heritage.
An important part of the cultural heritage consists of movable cultural values: archaeological findings, monumental works of art, chapels, chapel pillars, crosses and other art treasures (easel painting, wall painting, stained glass, metal plastic, ceramics, moulding, sculpture, carving, alto, organ, artistic furniture or equipment, other works of fine or applied art). Most of them have survived in Lithuanian churches and monasteries.
Properly protected and maintained cultural heritage is the most important part of the Lithuanian cultural landscape, helps to form the image of Lithuania, contributes to the creation of the country’s well-being and tourism, especially cultural and cognitive development.
