The Palanga park is situated
on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Palanga, one of the
biggest health-resorts of Lithuania. The park, which was
founded by count Feliksas Tiskevicius, is celebrating its
centenary. On this occasion the Lithuanian post has printed
a special envelope and a poststamp designed by artist
Grazina Ozkinyte. The whole magazine “Zemaiciu zeme”
1997 / 1 is devoted to
the history and nowadays problems of the Palanga park.
Sculptor Motiejus Narbutas made a medal for this occasion.
The main event of the
centenary commemoration was the conference called “The
future of parks in Lithuania”, which was held 
on
5-7 September, 1997 in Palanga. Pranas Zeimys the mayor of
Palanga and Antanas Sebeckas, the director of the park
opened the conference. The managers and researches of all
times of the Palanga park were remembered. Everyone rose to
honour the memory of the well-known Polish landscape
architect Prof. Longin Majdecki. He had promised to come to
the conference, but unexpectedly died on 14 July, 1997.
The Palanga park was designed
by the famous French landscape architect Edouard André
(1840-1911). Mrs. Florence Andre Kaeppelin from France, the
President of the Edouard
André Association, was the first to speak at the
conference. She talked about her grand grandfather's works
in Europe and South America as well as works of her
grandfather's landscape architect Rene Andre (1867-1942).
Prof. Jurgis Bucas, Kestutis
Labanauskas, Dr. Laimutis Januskevicius, Dr. Petras
Grecevicius and others described the development of the
Palanga park during one hundred year.
Prof.
Olav R. Skage from Sweden talked about the problem of
development of parks in Northern countries. The President of
the Lithuanian Association of Landscape Architects Prof.
Vladas Stauskas analysed the possibilities of use of seaside
dunes for recreation. Dr. Liucijus Dringelis showed how new
buildings penetrate into the parks. As a way out of a bad
situation of urban green areas, colleague Alvydas Zickis
suggested to establish Department for provision of green
areas in the local government. It would
share the work with the departments of Architecture and
urbanistics. Communal economy and Environment protection.
Managers of urban green areas would work as equal partners
with town builders and other urban land users.
The participants of the
Conference took part in a party where a folk group of
Palanga sang. Later they visited a curious farmstead of the
Orvidai near Salantai and several parks in Northern
Lithuania.
This book contains the reports
of the Palanga conference. Big thanks to all who assisted to
arrange and hold the conference and to publish this issue.
Prepared by: Pilkauskas R. The
centenary of Palanga park // Lietuvos zeldynu ateitis /sud.
Regimantas Pilkauskas. - Vilnius: Publishing Office of Vilnius Academy
of Fine Arts, 2001. P. 11.
Photos from the
book Pilkauskas R. The centenary of Palanga park // Lietuvos
zeldynu ateitis /sud. Regimantas Pilkauskas. - Vilnius:
Publishing Office of Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, 2000
