Centras (Kaunas)

Centras
Eldership
Vienybės aikštė in the New Town
Country	Lithuania
County	Kaunas County
Municipality	Kaunas city municipality
Area
• Total	4.58 km2 (1.77 sq mi)
Population
• Total	14,723
• Density	3,200/km2 (8,300/sq mi)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Centras (English: City Centre) is an elderate in the city of Kaunas, Lithuania, based on two neighbourhoods of Kaunas - the Old City and the New City. It lies at the confluence of two major Lithuanian rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris. The borough borders Žaliakalnis in the north, Šančiai in the east, Aleksotas in the south and Vilijampolė in the west.

Kaunas Old Town - the oldest part of Kaunas town, located to the east of the confluence of the Nemunas and Neris rivers, occupies 144 hectares. There are a lot of surviving Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, especially in the western part of the Old Town. Many notable buildings and facilities are located in the Old Town, such as the Kaunas Town Hall, the Kaunas Castle and the Historical Presidential Palace, House of Perkūnas, also the Kaunas Cathedral, the Church of St. Gertrude, Vytautas' church and many other churches. Great variety of museums, such as Museum of the History of Lithuanian Medicine and Pharmacy, Povilas Stulga Museum of Lithuanian Folk Instruments, Maironis Lithuanian literature Museum, Communication History Museum, Museum of Gemology and Kaunas City Museum are situated. The largest seminary in Lithuania - Kaunas Priest Seminary is located at the westernmost part of the Old Town. The seat of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kaunas is based nearby. The main Kaunas street in the Old Town, and its continuation in the New Town - the pedestrian Laisvės Alėja runs across the elderate. Laisvės Alėja is the longest pedestrian street in the whole Europe – 1.7 km. Laisvės Alėja connects Vilnius Street and Kaunas Cathedral. There was a horse-drawn tram in Laisvės avenue until 1929 which was called this way because a tram on a railing (Lith. konkė) was drawn by horses. Banks, various offices, restaurants, cafes, and many modern shops are situated in this street. It is a favorite place for walk and meetings of Kaunas citizens.