Pažaislis Monastery

The construction of the Pažaislis church and monastery on the peninsula of today’s Kaunas Lagoon was initiated in the second half of the 17th century by Kristupas Zigmantas Pacas, Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He invited Italian masters to carry out the work, including architects Giovanni Battista Frediani and Pietro Puttini, painter Michelangelo Palloni, and sculptor Giovanni Maria Merli. More than one hundred frescoes have survived in the monastery, reflecting the richness of Italian Baroque art. Today, the complex is cared for by the Sisters of St. Casimir.

Since 1996, the Pažaislis Music Festival has been held here every summer, bringing international performers to this unique setting. Next to the Pažaislis Monastery Museum, the hospitality complex Monte Pacis welcomes guests, offering accommodation and cuisine inspired by the latest trends in contemporary gastronomy.

Spiritual experiences: every year on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Žolinė) is celebrated here with special religious festivities.