Church of St. Francis Xavier, Baroque church in Old Town Kaunas, Lithuania
The Church of St. Francis Xavier is a Baroque building in Kaunas Old Town featuring a symmetrical facade with two towers crowned by domes and crosses. The structure displays the classical proportions and ornamentation typical of this architectural style from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Work on this church started in 1666 under Jesuit leadership and took over 50 years to finish in 1720. The formal dedication ceremony happened 2 years later, establishing it as a major house of worship in the city.
This church served as a center for Jesuit spiritual life and shaped how people worshipped in the city for centuries. Visitors today can sense the ongoing role it plays in the local religious community.
The church sits in Town Hall Square in the heart of the Old Town and is easy to reach on foot. It remains an active place of worship, so visitors should be respectful during services on weekends.
This was the first Jesuit church built in Kaunas, coming after the order settled and founded their community here in 1642. The decades-long construction process shows how committed the Jesuits were to creating a lasting religious landmark in the city.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.