LT:
Pelėdų kalnas – unikali Kauno Žaliakalnio vieta, pasižyminti ne tik kvapą gniaužiančia senamiesčio panorama, bet ir turtinga istorija. XIX a. kalno šlaite apsigyveno ne vienas žymus Lietuvos inteligentas – skulptorius J. Zikaras, dailininkas J. Šileika ir kiti. 1922 m. čia pastatyta pirmoji meno mokykla Lietuvoje, veikianti iki šiol. 1924 m. skulptorius Vincas Grybas kalną juosiančią tvorą papuošė pelėdų skulptūromis, dėl kurių šis kalnas ir vadinamas pelėdų.
EN:
The hill got its name in 1924, when the fence surrounding a 3.5-hectare area was decorated with a grand total of 108 owls. The sculptures were created by Vincas Grybas (1890–1941), a student at Kaunas art school located on the very same hill.
Grybas went on to become one of Lithuania's most important artists of monumental sculpture of the first half of 20th century. The statue of Vytautas the Great (its recreated version is now standing in front of the Kaunas City Municipality on Laisvės alėja) is among his greatest works. The Lithuanian artist and political activist who also studied in France was killed together with hundreds of Jews in 1941 in Jurbarkas, a city on the banks of Nemunas, where he resided before WW2.
About 60 owls are still sitting on the fence of Kaunas art school, today Kaunas College J. Vienožinskis Faculty of Arts. A few sculptures were noticed in various places around Kaunas - it’d be nice of someone brought them back or paid for making new ones (approx. 300 Euros for a sculpture) but it’s also very important to preserve and restore the 60 that are still intact, together with the fence. There are also intense talks about installation of an observation deck as the panorama of the Old Town, Centre and Vilijampolė is simply breath-taking - and has served as an inspiration for numerous artists.
View from the hill:
