“Remember yellow?” I ask. The Litauischer Pavillon once stood here. It was a vibrant exclamation point on the Expo 2000 grounds. Now, it’s a “Lost Place” of memory.
The Republic of Lithuania celebrated a premiere. It was their first time at a world exposition with their own pavilion. The theme was “The Flight.” The bright yellow steel construction portrayed this idea. It had the shape of a wing.
Lithuanians dreamed of flight. A Lithuanian imagined a multi-stage rocket in the 17th century. In the 19th century, they invented a steam-driven airplane. Two Lithuanian pilots even flew over the Atlantic non-stop in 1933.
Inside the Litauischer Pavillon, films introduced visitors to Lithuania’s past, present, and future. A 28-seat cinema showed aerial views of Lithuania. Ten computer terminals offered details about Lithuanian culture, science, and economy.
Children could enjoy a flight simulator. They could experience a virtual flight over Lithuania. There was also a children’s film titled “A candle for St. Franziskus.” Teenagers played quiz games on bright yellow consoles. One quiz involved assembling a historical rocket.
Lithuanian beer and rye toast were offered. You could sample Lithuanian draught beer. Also available was typical Lithuanian layer cake.
After the Expo 2000, the Litauischer Pavillon was not used. It stood empty. Sadly, in 2019, a fire caused significant damage. Estimates suggest around 100,000 euros worth. The site was closed off. The Litauischer Pavillon became a forgotten structure. It decayed into a “Lost Place.” It was later demolished. Now only memories and photos remain of the large yellow box. It was shaped like an aircraft wing.