Simonas Daukantas bridge

---

Simonas Daukantas bridge is a suspension type pedestrian bridge across Nemunas river, which connects S. Daukantas street with Nemunas island.
The length of the bridge is 151 meters. It was built in 1988, representing the main tendencies of a late modernism - the luxury and monumentalism. The supporting arch with the Columns of Gediminas is one of the most important details. This symbol of a statehood was incorporated during the building of the bridge and became public while still a couple of years ahead to the Independence of Lithuania in 1990, therefore, could be considered a peaceful resistance.

On the 4th of July in 1996, celebrating the National day, a Lithuanian aerobatic pilot Jurgis Kairys was the first in the world to legally fly under a pedestrian bridge (the gap between the constructions of Simonas Daukantas bridge and the river being only 7 meters). In 2000, Kairys performed an inverted flight under the same bridge, nicknamed the Ultra flight. The spectators were so amazed, that multiple suggestions to change the name of the bridge in honor of Kairys appeared, however, officially the name remained as before.