Alytus officially names footbridge after writer Jurgis Kunčinas

A footbridge connecting the shores of Mažoji Dailidė Lake in Alytus has officially been named after writer and poet Jurgis Kunčinas, LRT reported.

The bridge had been unofficially known by Kunčinas’s name since November 2018, when local residents sought to commemorate the writer, who lived and worked in Alytus. The name was registered with the Centre of Registers on October 26, the city municipality said.

The municipality said several stories are associated with the bridge. According to one, Kunčinas once fell through it while crossing and publicly drew attention to its poor condition. The structure was reportedly repaired afterward. Another account says a plaque bearing the writer’s name was attached to the bridge decades ago but later disappeared. The municipality said it was suspected that the plaque had been removed by people who objected to Kunčinas’s free, critical and independent voice.

The old wooden bridge was demolished last year because of its poor condition and replaced with a new one designed to retain the earlier structure’s architectural character. The rebuilt bridge uses steel supports, Scandinavian timber and decorative lighting.

Kunčinas was born in Alytus in 1947. A poet, novelist and translator, he was best known for the novel Tūla. He died in 2002.