A new statue of Alexander Jagiellon (Aleksandras Jogailaitis), a fifteenth-century Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland, was unveiled in Kaunas on Monday. Cast of bronze in Kyiv, the statue is a present from the businessman Pranas Kiznis.
The unveiling ceremony in Ramybės Park began with a video greeting from President Gitanas Nausėda.
“The monument to Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Aleksandras Jogailaitis will not only decorate the temporary capital, it will also revive and strengthen the memory of this great historical figure,” Nausėda said via a video link. “It is symbolic that the monument is unveiled on July 15, the day of the Battle of Žalgiris.”
Kaunas Vice Mayor Andrius Palionis thanked Pranas Kiznis who presented the statue to the city.
“This sculpture has found a place worthy of itself here in Kaunas. Our city has always been and will remain the heart of Lithuanianness, a true cradle of patriotism, and therefore historical signs are valued and welcomed here,” he said.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by one of the statue’s authors, Olesy Sydoruk, and patron Kiznis.
The bronze sculpture of Alexander Jagiellon was cast in Kyiv by Ukrainian sculptors Sydoruk and Boris Krylov.
The statue’s installation in Ramybės Park was designed by architect Kęstutis Mikšys and donated to Kaunas by the Kiznis Foundation.
Alexander Jagiellon was the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1492 until his death in 1506. He was elected the King of Poland in 1501.
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