“Bega” Restored Buildings Become Part of an Open Cultural Heritage Project

This September, Klaipėda will launch a distinctive cultural heritage initiative, the prelude to which has already taken place within the restored administrative buildings of the Klaipėda Stevedoring Company Bega.

Bega opened its historic premises to the communities of Klaipėda’s history teachers and professional guides, hosting an introductory heritage tour that marked the first step of the project The Stories of Klaipėda’s Red Brick Architecture.

Throughout Saturdays in September, the project will invite residents and visitors alike to join educational tours exploring Klaipėda’s red-brick architectural heritage — including university buildings, manor estates, museums, hotels, former administrative premises, and other historically significant sites. Participants will have the opportunity to discover not only the architecture itself, but also the personal histories and communities that shaped Klaipėda prior to 1945.

More than a series of guided tours, the project reveals the multicultural character of pre-war Klaipėda, its social fabric, and the rhythms of everyday life that were profoundly transformed by the Second World War.

The initiative seeks to strengthen Klaipėda’s historical identity, preserve the city’s living memory, and activate urban spaces as an open platform for cultural experience and historical reflection.

The project is implemented by the public institution Raudos plytos, whose mission is to research, document, and promote the history of the Klaipėda region through its red-brick architectural heritage. The initiative is partially funded by the Klaipėda City Municipality, while financial support and public access to the restored heritage buildings are provided by the Klaipėda Stevedoring Company Bega.