Due to a major technical failure, the operation of the lift to Gediminas Hill has been suspended for an indefinite period. From now on, the hill can only be accessed on foot – via a steep stone path and wooden steps from the Vilnia River side. This means that access to this national symbol is now more difficult for some members of the public, such as people with disabilities, seniors, and families with small children.

In 2024 alone, 177,000 visitors took the lift to Gediminas Hill, some of them free of charge, taking advantage of the concessions to which they were entitled. These were mainly children, seniors, and people with disabilities.

The lift to Gediminas Hill was installed in 2003 as a one-off facility specially adapted for this location. For more than two decades, the National Museum of Lithuania has consistently taken care of the technical condition of the lift, regularly performing maintenance and repair work to ensure that visitors can safely and comfortably ascend the hill.

Today, the lift is completely worn out. In 2017, the lift was out of service for more than 40% of working days, and in 2018, for almost a third of the year. In subsequent years, the number of downtimes continued to grow. Over the past two years, the lift has broken down about 70 times. The Lithuanian National Museum has spent an unexpectedly large amount of money on unplanned lift repairs over the past decade: while repair costs in 2018 were six times higher than normal maintenance costs, in 2019 this difference was already thirteen times higher.

Not only are there more and more malfunctions, but they are also becoming more serious, and the current malfunction is one of the most complex in the entire period of operation. Even if the current malfunction is successfully repaired, it would only be a short-term solution.

Due to the unique design of the lift, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find spare parts, and each repair takes longer and costs more. Therefore, it is necessary not only to address the current situation, but also to seek a long-term solution – a new, modern lift that would ensure the safety, comfort, and accessibility of all visitors.

Problems with the accessibility of the national symbol

For many years, the operation of the lift has been unpredictable, and due to constant breakdowns, tourist groups often refused to climb the steep path and skipped the national symbol on their itineraries. With no guarantee that the lift will work, high-level delegations have not been taken to Gediminas Hill for three years.

With more and more cultural events taking place on Gediminas Hill, problems are arising with regard to their accessibility, and the upcoming Šventaragio festival will also face this problem. Visitors will have to walk up to the concerts.

The need for a new lift

Over the past ten years, the Lithuanian National Museum has repeatedly approached the Ministries of Finance and Culture regarding the need for a new lift, so when this breakdown occurred, it once again requested funding for the design and installation of a new lift.

The museum has calculated that the installation of a new elevator would cost around €8 million. Even if these funds were allocated, the construction of a new elevator would take 3-4 years, so it is necessary to start the design process as soon as possible.