‘To entirely recreate its authenticity’: the transition in Lithuanian urban conservation in the 1980s–1990s

The inscription of the Vilnius Historic Centre onto the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994 marked a pivotal moment, symbolizing international recognition of Lithuania's urban heritage and its re-established independence. This study reveals how Soviet-era conservation practices, despite their flaws—such as ineffective implementation and methodological principles like 'sanation' that undermined authenticity—were paradoxically validated post-independence. The research explores the transition from centralized Soviet approaches to emerging civic rights and romantic reconstruction ideas, highlighting the interplay between heritage conservation, national identity, and global recognition. By analyzing the 1987 Vilnius Old Town Regeneration Project, this work provides a nuanced understanding of how heritage practices shape post-Soviet landscapes.

Janušauskaitė, V. (2026). ‘To entirely recreate its authenticity’: the transition in Lithuanian urban conservation in the 1980s–1990s. Built Heritage, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43238-026-00289-1