Klaipėda resumes reconstruction of Revival Square after wartime explosives removal

The stalled reconstruction of Klaipėda’s central Revival Square will resume on Wednesday after wartime explosives discovered on-site were safely removed, the city municipality announced.

Work on the 21 million euro project had been suspended since October 2024, when 27 unexploded ordnance items were uncovered during archaeological surveys. The Emergency Situations Operations Centre confirmed on Tuesday that all explosives had been neutralised and transported away, lifting the hazard declaration.

The city will now proceed with a modified plan that preserves the square’s newly discovered historical layers while completing its above-ground renovation. Original designs had included a two-level underground parking facility, but this will be scrapped to avoid disturbing the protected archaeological structures. Features like vehicle ramps and stairwells will instead be integrated into the square’s surface design.

Archaeologists identified 52 historically valuable structures during excavations, all of which will remain in place under the revised plan. Klaipėda Mayor Arvydas Vaitkus described the project as “too important to remain stalled,” emphasising its role in revitalising the city centre.

A new public tender for the adjusted construction work will be announced shortly. The original contractor, Infes, had won the 2022 bid, with completion initially slated for December 2027. The timeline may now shift due to the redesign.

Military deminers had previously cleared 12 magnetometry-flagged sites but were unable to survey the full area due to overlapping archaeological protections. No additional explosives were found in the checked locations.