In September, Lithuania’s Transport Minister Marius Skuodis said Vilnius Airport should demolish its Soviet-era arrivals terminal. But the building is protected by its heritage status, the Lithuanian National Commission for Cultural Heritage said in a press release.
Constructed in 1954, the arrivals terminal of Vilnius Airport is part of the Heritage Register that protects objects against demolition.
According to Skuodis, the airport “does not fit Lithuania’s image”, so the most “optimal option” would be to tear it down.
Read more: Minister suggests demolishing Soviet-era Vilnius Airport building
“The Soviet heritage is classified as inconvenient,” the Cultural Heritage Commission said. “But we should not talk solely about the period when the building was constructed. We should consider if the architecture is good.”
“Vilnius airport is considered to have such heritage values,” it added.
The Vilnius Airport was included in the Lithuanian Cultural Heritage Register in 1993. In 2007, the building was identified as having valuable architectural features.
Read more: Vilnius Airport to open new departures terminal
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