The Changing urban culture and the role of water in an urban environment - the case of Vilnius

This article attempts to present an overview of the connection between water, seen as an architectural medium, and the culture of Vilnius City. The main purpose is to identify the social and aesthetic role of water for the development of architecture in Vilnius, taking into account the changes in cultural values and concepts pertaining to urban design. In the architecture of Vilnius, water reflects the principles of functionality and artistic concepts characteristic for several different periods. The conclusions reveal that the connection established between water and the Lithuanian cultural identity has been weak, therefore this architectural medium was used more by external forces as a mean of social suggestion, rather than to satisfy the internal needs of the Lithuanian culture. Nevertheless, the discourse that has been forming over the recent years may have a certain potential for future change