THE OLDEST 15TH-CENTURY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN MEDIEVAL KAUNAS

The article discusses the evolution of the earliest buildings in the urban environment of Kaunas Old Town. Archaeological research has revealed clear traces of wooden buildings in Medieval Kaunas dating from the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries and from the early 15th century. The earliest buildings of this type, with basements, were in line with the planned urban structure of the town. They were found in some blocks of the southern part of the Old Town, on the western part of Market Square, and by the main street. In all cases, the traces found are very similar. The wooden buildings and their locations in the newly planned town reveal the initial stages in the town’s growth. Masonry houses evolved in Kaunas in several stages. Churches, the first public buildings, appeared in the newly founded town. The next stage is associated with the early development of masonry public buildings from the mid-15th century to the first half of the 16th century. The earliest brick houses emerged in various locations in the urban space. Key words: urban development, Medieval town structure, wooden buildings with basements, masonry buildings. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15181/ab.v23i0.1309