• placement: superzone
  • path: destinations/pois/hero
  • containerId: gpt-ad-859238079651
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "points-of-interest/grutas-park/1080451",
  "destination": "Lithuania",
  "title": "lithuania",
  "type": "Country",
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}
Top Choice

Grūtas Park

Bust of Vladimir Lenin, sculpture park of former Communist-era sculptures, Grutas Park, Grutas, Lithuania

Getty Images/Gallo Images

With Soviet-era statues of Lenin, Stalin and prominent Lithuanian members of the Communist Party that once dominated Lithuanian towns lining the forest trails, Grūtas Park pays black-humoured homage to a dark period of history. Watchtowers pipe marching songs and a train with cattle car is a sobering reminder of mass deportations. There are three exhibition buildings in the park, displaying socialist-realist art, newspapers and USSR maps.

It's 8km east of Druskininkai; take bus 2 via Viečiūnai (two to five daily).

Grūtas Park's surreal mix of setting and subject matter satirises the era neatly. The park was the idea of Viliumas Malinauskas, a former collective farm head who made a fortune canning mushrooms then won the loan of hated objects like statues from the Ministry of Culture.

This open-air sculpture gallery, featuring heroic statues of Soviet partisans and Communist League of Youth Members, makes for great photo ops, and there's a big playground for kids.

  • placement: superzone
  • path: destinations/pois/middle
  • containerId: gpt-ad-802306890984
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "points-of-interest/grutas-park/1080451",
  "destination": "Lithuania",
  "title": "lithuania",
  "type": "Country",
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}

Must-see attractions

Explore all
  • placement: superzone
  • path: destinations/pois/superzone
  • containerId: gpt-ad-969442223804
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "points-of-interest/grutas-park/1080451",
  "destination": "Lithuania",
  "title": "lithuania",
  "type": "Country",
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "continent": "Europe",
  "refresh": 30,
  "refresh_limit": 3
}