The main cultural assets of Lithuania

The majority of Lithuania's cultural heritage consists of archaeological, urban, and architectural objects. Archaeological and mythological heritage objects are characterized by a wide variety: these are mounds, defensive fortifications, ruins and remains of structures, places of religious cult, etc. Urban heritage mainly consists of historical old towns, historical parts of cities, ancient villages. An important part of cultural heritage consists of movable cultural heritage: archaeological finds, monumental works of art, chapels, crosses and other art valuables (painting, stained glass, ceramics, sculpture, carving, altars, organs, artistic furniture or equipment, other works of fine art or applied art).

The legal framework on cultural heritage conservation

According to Article 42 of The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the State shall support culture and science, and shall take care of the protection of Lithuania’s historical, artistic, and other cultural monuments, as well as other culturally valuable objects. The mission of the State in the area of immovable cultural heritage is to preserve cultural heritage of Lithuania and pass it on to future generations as a guarantee of the survival of the national identity, an integral part of the landscape and a means of formation of Lithuania's image by providing conditions for the society to get to know and use it.

With regard to the assessments, analyses and proposals for heritage protection, the national policy for the protection of immovable cultural heritage is formulated by the Seimas (The Parliament of Lithuania), the Government and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. The Minister of Culture organizes the state administration of the protection of immovable cultural heritage, movable cultural properties and is in charge thereof. Municipalities perform certain functions assigned thereto by the Law on local self-Government and national acts of law.

The Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania implements specific functions related to movable cultural properties and immovable cultural heritage. The Department is accountable to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania. It has 10 territorial divisions located in each county. The Department is also a founder of the state-funded institution, the Centre of Cultural Heritage, which collects and accumulates information on cultural heritage as well as conducting historical and physical research. Movable cultural properties and immovable cultural heritage are inscribed on the National Register of Cultural Properties. The register is administrated by the Department.

The State Commission for Cultural Heritage is an expert and advisor to the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, President of the Republic of Lithuania and to Government of the Republic of Lithuania regarding the national policy of cultural heritage protection, its implementation, evaluation and improvement.

The Lithuanian National Centre for Culture is a state budgetary institution promoting cultural and creative expressions of the society, development of intangible cultural heritage and amateur art. It operates under the Ministry of Culture of Lithuania. The Centre plays an important role within the national cultural institution system, helping society and individuals acknowledge and preserve their cultural identity and representing Lithuanian intangible cultural heritage abroad. It administrates the Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Lithuania.

The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania is the main body in charge of the digitization of Lithuanian cultural heritage. Digitization activities are coordinated by national, regional, and sectoral competence centres situated in museums, libraries and archives. Digital and digitized cultural heritage of cultural and scientific significance is represented on the national system.

The cultural and natural sites on the World Heritage List

There are four cultural properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List:

• Vilnius Historic Centre (1994).
• Curonian Spit (2000) which is a transboundary site together with the Russian Federation.
• Kernavė Archeoligical Site (Cultural Reserve of Kernavė) (2004) which is also under enhanced protection and inscribed on the List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection (2011).
• Struvė Geodetic Arc (2005) which is a transboundary site covering 10 countries from Norway to the Black Sea.

The site “Modern Kaunas: Architecture of Optimism 1919-1939” is a candidate to the World Heritage List and was inscribed on the Tentative List in 2017.

There are three objects inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

• The Baltic Song and Dance Celebrations (2003)
  
• Lithuanian Cross-Crafting and Its Symbolism (2008)
  
• Sutartinės, Lithuanian Multipart Songs (2010)
  

See also the Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Lithuania.

There are three documentary heritage objects inscribed on the International Memory of the World Register:

• The Baltic Way - Human Chain Linking Three States in Their Drive for Freedom (2009)
  
• The Radziwill's Archives and Niasvizh Library Collection (2009)
  
• The Act of the Union of Lublin Document (2017)
  

See also the Lithuanian National Memory of the World Register. Žuvintas Biosphere Reserve is a member of the World Network of UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserves.

Lithuania is a Member State of ICCROM since 21/10/1991

Mandates in ICCROM Council since 1958:

ICCROM Staff since 1959: - None -

Governmental Cultural Institutions

• Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania
  
• Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture
  
• State Commission for Cultural Heritage
  
• Centre of Cultural Heritage under the Department of Cultural Heritage
  
• Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO
  
• Lithuanian National Centre for Culture
  

Museums and Cultural Heritage Institutions

• Restoration Centre of Pranas Gudynas
  
• Lithuanian National Museum of Art
  
• National Museum of Lithuania
  
• National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
  
• State Cultural Reserve of Kernavė (Kernave Archeological Site)
  
• Curonian Spit (Kušių Nerija) National Park
  
• Trakai Historical National Park
  

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