Church of St. Gertrude

About

Church of St. Gertrude (Lithuanian: Šv. Gertrūdos bažnyčia) is located in the Old Town of Kaunas and is one of the oldest Brick Gothic churches and buildings of Gothic architecture in Lithuania.

Located just off Laisvės alėja (Freedom Avenue), the church is somewhat hidden away and can be accessed from Laisves aleja through a gate at a hotel which is located nearby the Court building on Laisves alėja. The exact date when the church was built is unknown, but it must have been in the late 15th century or early 16th century. It was built as a churchyard chapel in the location of the former burial-ground nearby the city border near the road leading to Vilnius.

In 1503, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Alexander designated the church as a parish church of Kaunas. In the middle of the 16th century a bell tower was attached. The church was damaged in 1655 during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667).

It was rebuilt only around 1680. Around 1750 a wooden hospital was attached to the church. In 1782, it was abandoned for a long time, and at the time there were 5 monks from order of St.

Roch residing. In 1796, the church was renovated, organs installed, and living quarters for a parson established...