PLACES TO VISIT

Saint Anthony Palace

During the period between the two world wars, the Mansion of Saint Anthony, where the Franciscan Gymnasium is located today, was also known as Saint Anthony House, Saint Anthony College, the Institute, or the American Palace. Historically, this building has a very colorful past. First of all, it was a gift of gratitude to the Lithuanian people in America who generously took on the construction of the Franciscan Gymnasium between the two world wars. The palace was intended for the accommodation of emigrants returning to Lithuania from abroad. Unfortunately, this noble idea was cut short by the Second World War. The Nazis and later Soviet security structures established themselves in Saint Anthony Palace. Footprints of people who were imprisoned and tortured here can still be found in the cellars of the building, where prisoners’ records and drawings remain on the walls. Today, the Franciscan Gymnasium operates in the palace, but visitors can still explore its most mysterious corners with a guide.