Kaunas

Kaunas, also known by several other names, is the second biggest city in Lithuania and used to be a temporary capital.^[4] Kaunas is found at the point where the two biggest Lithuanian rivers, the Nemunas and the Neris, meet. It is also near the Kaunas Lagoon, the largest body of water in Lithuania.

Kaunas
City
Top to bottom, left to right: Kaunas Castle, House of Perkūnas, Kaunas Town Hall, Kaunas Reservoir, Our Lord Jesus Christ's Resurrection Basilica and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
Flag Coat of arms
Nickname(s):  Laikinoji sostinė, Heart of Lithuania, The Little Paris of interwar[1]
Motto(s):  Diligite justitiam qui judicatis terram (Latin: Cherish justice, you who judge the earth[2])
Location of Kaunas
Coordinates: 54°53′50″N 23°53′10″E
Country	Lithuania
County	Kaunas County
Municipality	Kaunas city municipality
Capital of	Kaunas County
First mentioned	1361
Granted city rights	1408
Elderships	List Aleksotas Centras Dainava Eiguliai Gričiupis Panemunė Petrašiūnai Šančiai Šilainiai Vilijampolė Žaliakalnis
Government
• Type	City council
• Mayor	Visvaldas Matijošaitis
Area
• City	157 km2 (61 sq mi)
• Metro	8,089 km2 (3,123 sq mi)
Elevation	48 m (157 ft)
Population  (2018-01-01)
• City	312,120
• Density	1,935/km2 (5,010/sq mi)
• Metro	570,163
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	44xxx - 52xxx
Area code	(+370) 37
GDP (nominal), Kaunas county[3]	2015
- Total	€7.4 billion
- Per capita	€12,700
Website	www.kaunas.lt

History

In 1361, Kaunas was first mentioned in annals of the Teutonic Knights. The knights were preparing to attack Kaunas Castle.^[4][5]

In 1408, Vytautas the Great gave the city Magdeburg Rights.^[6][4][6]