When Klaipėda was known as Memel

During the Middle Ages Nemunas, the largest river in Lithuania, used to be referred to as Memel, while the Curonian Lagoon was regarded as a part of the river and thus the castle built on the shore of the Lagoon by the Master of the Livonian Order was named Memelburg. This is where the name Memel comes from. It was used for several centuries.

This route will invite you to get back to the old Klaipėda.  

Let’s start at the place marked by love – Ännchen von Tharau. Then let’s take a walk on Turgaus Street, then turn left to Tiltų Street towards Birža Bridge and enjoy the buildings and streets of the old Memel, which witnessed the history of the city. The views beyond the bridge, unfortunately, remain captured only in photos: there is not even a trace of the Old Post Office, the Exchange, the monuments of Borussia or Kaiser Wilhelm, as well as the majority of the old buildings on Biržos and Herkus Mantas Streets. We will finish our journey on Lietuvininkų Square, which has been one of the most important areas of the city and once had “harboured” Ännchen too.

If you take your time to stop and enjoy each of the objects for at least several minutes, you will take up to 50 minutes and walk 1.6 kilometres.