Neringa municipality takes over Nida lighthouse complex
Wednesday 27th May 2026 on 15:31 in
Lithuania
The Lithuanian National Art Museum has formally transferred ownership of the Nida lighthouse building complex to Neringa municipality, the local government announced on Tuesday.
An official asset handover agreement was signed, marking the full transfer of the historic site. “The Nida lighthouse and its surroundings are an inseparable part of the Curonian Spit landscape and its story—evoking the daily lives of lighthouse keepers, maritime history, and humanity’s relationship with the sea,” said Neringa mayor Darius Jasaitis. “Now that these buildings belong to the community, we can confidently discuss their comprehensive revitalisation.”
The lighthouse itself was transferred to the municipality in 2019, but the handover of the adjacent buildings at the foot of Urbas Hill opens new opportunities for preserving and showcasing the region’s maritime heritage. The complex includes six structures: an administrative building, two production facilities, two utility buildings, and engineering yard installations—among them the famed Nida well. Their residual value is estimated at €228,000.
Removed from the State Property Bank’s list of assets for sale in 2023, the buildings were temporarily placed under the museum’s stewardship before their transfer to Neringa. The municipality has already launched targeted surveys of the complex, covering architectural, structural, historical, geological, masonry moisture, contamination, and timber assessments. Parallel efforts are underway to formalise the land plot.
The first Nida lighthouse was constructed in 1874 under orders from the Prussian king, standing 23 metres tall with an octagonal red-brick design. A lantern storage cellar and keeper’s house were built simultaneously. Retreating German forces dynamited the lighthouse in late 1944; a temporary wooden tower replaced it post-war until the current structure was erected in 1953. Lithuania is home to seven lighthouses in total: in Klaipėda, Šventoji, Nida, Juodkrantė, Pervalka, Vente, and Uostadvaris.