Kaunas Ninth Fort: A Journey Through Dark History
ID: GYG1281211-1959806
Category:
Country: Lithuania
Duration:
01:15 hours
Description
Explore the powerful history of Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum. This guided tour introduces the fort’s transformation from a military fortress to a prison and a place of mass killings during the Holocaust.
Discover the complex and often tragic history of Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum on a guided tour lasting approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The experience is structured around three key historical periods that shaped the fort’s identity.
First, you will explore the late 19th–early 20th century origins of the Ninth Fort as part of the Kaunas Fortress, built by the Russian Empire for defensive purposes. Learn about its military architecture, strategic role, and how it functioned within the wider system of fortifications.
The tour then moves into the interwar period, when the fort was transformed into a prison of hard labor by the Lithuanian state. Here, you will hear about the daily life of prisoners, the conditions of confinement, and the broader context of political repression.
Finally, the most profound part of the tour focuses on the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust. The Ninth Fort became a site of mass executions, where tens of thousands of Jews from Lithuania and across Europe were murdered. Through historical accounts and authentic locations, the guide will present this period with clarity and respect.
During the tour, you will also have a rare opportunity to walk along the defensive wall—an area not accessible without a guide—offering a unique perspective on the fort’s structure and history.
Highlights
- Discover three key historical periods at Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum.
- Walk along the defensive wall, accessible only with a guide.
- Experience powerful stories in authentic surroundings.
Guiding languages
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Keep in mind that museum is quite cold, so be sure to have warm clothing, even if it is warm outside.
Meeting point is Zemaiciu pl. 73 The ticket office of the Ninth Fort Museum (museum itself is in another building) there you will buy entrance tickets and then you will continue with me to the guided tour. I can pickup with my car group of up to 4 people with my car and then to bring back to the city. It costs extra 10€ for one side and 15€ both ways. Price is per group. If you also choose additionally Kaunas Old Town tour, then pick up and drop-off is free both ways. Bigger groups have to arrive to Ninth Fort Museum by them selves.
INCLUDED
- Includes professional guided tour services at Kaunas Ninth Fort Museum.
NOT INCLUDED
- Transportation is available only for small groups up to 4 people with my car. Bigger groups have to reach museum by themselves.
- Entrance tickets are not included. You have to buy them at museum.
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 24 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 24 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.
