Sculpture “Jūratė and Kastytis”

Sculptor N. Gaigalaitė
The sculpture “Jūratė and Kastytis” was created in 1959. In 1961, it was erected at the end of J. Basanavičiaus Street, near the pedestrian bridge to the sea. According to legend, a brave fisherman named Kastytis once cast his net in the Baltic Sea. The goddess Jūratė sent mermaids to warn Kastytis not to disturb the waters of the Baltic, but Kastytis was not afraid. Jūratė wanted to find out who was disobeying her will, so she rose to the surface of the sea. When they saw each other, they fell in love and ended up in an amber palace. Perkūnas quickly found out about the goddess’s love for the fisherman. Enraged, he destroyed the amber palace. Kastytis was killed, and Jūratė was chained to the wall of the amber palace ruins. Sometimes the sea washes small pieces of amber onto the shore. It is said that these are Jūratė’s tears.