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This place, located 26 km from the Lithuanian capital, is located in the Vilnius district, near the town of Purnuškiai and Lake Girija. There is no shortage of signs indicating where the center of the continent is, but the first steps should be considered as a rotten bridge that lacks several boards. The path that follows continues in places surrounded by meadows that have not seen the scythe for a long time. When you get close to the stone that marks the center of Europe, you should try to see the faded coordinates, and it seems that the stone itself wants it not only to be swept away by the rain.
The only clean place is the square in front of the sculptor Gediminas Jokūbonis’s composition: a column of white granite, the upper part of which is decorated like a crown of stars. However, the impression is that nature is trying to make up for its lost territory: grass has sprouted under the column. There is no shortage of them among the tiles that cover the space in the middle of the park, next to the marble-paved site that marks the countries of the world.
There are several rows of wooden benches throughout this place. It is true that to sit and rest, you must first traverse the uncut grasslands. On the other hand, some of those benches are crooked, tattered, and don’t seem safe or durable.
The visitor center in the townhouse seems a little tidier. It allows you to send a postcard confirming that you have been in the center of the continent, with a mailbox next to it. This seems to have seen better days, and the exit is unlocked and open: there is a risk that the postcard sent by the traveler will not reach the recipient and remain in central Europe.
Managed by Cabbage / 15min photo / European Geographical Center
You must quickly reach the new owner
Why is this place deserted? For a long time, this territory was in the possession of the then Ministry of Economy (now the Ministry of Economy and Innovation) and at least several attempts were made to lease it. The tenant would have been in charge of maintaining the place, making it attractive for tourists to entertain themselves throughout the year. But there were no people willing to take over the management of this center.
2018 In April, the park was under the auspices of the Property Bank. How 15 minutes Marius Jakštas, Director of the Turto bankas Asset Management Department said, the objects in the center were to be sold at a public auction, but tenants were found, but for a short time, the Municipality of Vilnius District decided to take over the geographic center European and keep it.
The Property Bank remains responsible for the order of the European Geographic Center.
“After the transfer, the buildings were leased, but when the Vilnius district municipality expressed its desire to take over the property, the lease was terminated,” replied M. Jakštas.
According to Jolanta Gulbinovič, Chief Specialist of the Department of Public and International Relations of the Municipality of the Vilnius District, upon seeing the abandoned condition of this complex, in 2019. He requested the Property Bank in March to transfer this state property to the property municipal. In July of the same year, the municipal council adopted a decision approving the acquisition of the European Geographical Center complex.
“Currently, the procedures to coordinate the Government Resolution on the transfer of the complex of the European Geographical Center to the property of the Municipality of the Vilnius District are in progress, which have been prolonged due to changes in legal acts.” 15 minutes J.Gulbinovič commented. He pointed out that in June of this year, the Government modified the decree that regulates the transfer of state property for its administration, use and disposition by the right of trust and approved the procedure for the transfer of state property by the right of trust and municipal property. .
Managed by Cabbage / 15min photo / European Geographical Center
No funds have been allocated for the management of the park.
Therefore, the Property Bank remains responsible for the order of the European Geographic Center. According to M.Jakštas, the territory of the park has already been cut and ordered several times, but after the transfer procedures are delayed, Turto bankas will again organize the arrangement of the territory so that the place is fully organized on the day of the signing of the transfer deed.
“Currently, procedures have been started for the transfer of the object to the Vilnius district municipality, which is planned to be completed in 2020. in the third quarter (July-September),” said M. Jakštas.
However, according to a representative of Turto bankas, the institution has not provided funds for the disposition of the European Geographical Center in this year’s budget. Therefore, if the transfer were to be delayed again, only then would other site monitoring issues be addressed.
Managed by Cabbage / 15min photo / European Geographical Center
This location of the European Geographical Center in the Vilnius district was determined in 1989 by researchers from the French National Institute of Geography. The stone that marks the geographic center of Europe was unveiled on May 24, 1997. In 2004, after joining the EU, the sculptor G. Jokūbonis created a monument: a white granite column with stars on top .
2019 The Vilnius district municipality wrote in the report that after taking over the management, use and disposal of the European Geographical Center with the right of trust, the center is expected to become an attraction for the development of cultural activities, educational and tourist in this area.
If the transfer were delayed again, only then would other site monitoring issues be addressed.
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