Ninth Fort

Devintasis fortas

A former tsarist fortress and Nazi execution site, now a powerful memorial and museum commemorating Holocaust victims. Its towering Soviet-era monument and sobering exhibits make it a significant historical stop.

Things to do

• Explore the Old Fort — Walk through the preserved 19th-century tsarist fortress with its thick brick casemates, cells, and underground passages that later became a prison.
• See the Ninth Fort Monument — Stand before the towering 32-meter Soviet-era concrete memorial by sculptor Alfonsas Ambraziūnas, erected in 1984 to honor the victims of Nazism.
• Visit the Museum Exhibition — Tour the modern museum building's exhibits detailing the Holocaust, Soviet deportations, and the fort's grim history as an execution site.
• Walk the Execution Fields — Reflect at the fields where over 30,000 people, mostly Jews, were murdered and buried in mass graves during World War II.
• Read the Escape Inscription — Find the wall marking the daring 1943 escape of 64 prisoners who fled after being forced to burn corpses to hide Nazi crimes.
• Reflect at Memorial Plaques — Pause at the multilingual plaques and monuments commemorating the tens of thousands of local and deported foreign Jews killed here.

Food to try

• Cepelinai — Try Lithuania's iconic potato dumplings stuffed with minced meat, served with sour cream and bacon bits, found in nearby Kaunas restaurants.
• Šaltibarščiai — Sample the bright pink cold beet soup made with kefir, cucumber, and dill, a refreshing summer staple served with boiled potatoes.
• Kugelis — Enjoy this hearty baked grated-potato pudding with bacon, a comforting traditional dish popular throughout the Kaunas region.
• Šakotis — Taste the distinctive spit-baked 'tree cake' with its spiky branches, a festive Lithuanian dessert sold at markets and bakeries.
• Kibinai — Grab these savory Karaim pastries filled with meat, a beloved snack you can pick up in Kaunas before or after your visit.

Local customs & good to know

• Show quiet respect — This is a site of mass murder and mourning, so keep your voice low and behavior solemn, especially near the mass graves.
• Photograph thoughtfully — Photography is generally allowed but be sensitive when taking pictures at memorial and execution areas out of respect for the victims.
• Allow enough time and transport — The fort sits about 7 km northwest of Kaunas center off the A1 highway, so plan for a taxi, car, or bus to reach it.
• Check opening days — The museum is typically closed on Tuesdays and adjusts hours seasonally, so verify times before traveling to avoid disappointment.

Nearby

• Kaunas Castle — 5 km
• Kaunas Old Town — 5 km
• Kaunas — 5 km
• Pazaislis Monastery — 13 km