The second life of castles: cultural memory and reconstruction of historical castles in modern Lithuania

In the European tradition, cultural memory of the castle is first of all stone castles, Lithuanian cultural memory -­ hill forts, stone castles, that disappeared long ago. Cultural memory of hill forts goes back to the 19th century. The way of cultural memory of stone castles was long and complicated: Lithuanians had to make a distinction which heritage is own and which is others’, acknowlege that Polish built the most important castles, deal with memory games of the Soviet time. Changes in cultural memory are linked to changes of a political system. Cultural memory consolidates the nation and helps search for cultural identity. During the last 130 years hill forts have been and still are the most important landmark in Lithuanian cultural memory. Reconstructed heritage provides much information about modern society, cultural memory, ideologies of the past and present needs. It is more informative than an “authentic” object itself. When heritage, a silent and neutral witness of the past, undergoes restoration it is consciously or sub-­consciously replaces with what is acceptable for the, fulfils his expectations, restores his memory. The same has happened with castles. They have been made more Lithuanian like, important and decorative, older than they were just to be proud of. Cultural memory underlies the reconstructed object and the process of reconstruction