How can a sole lost a statue raise so many questions and create a 500 years lasting history of a building? In 1818 a 27 cm high brass sculpture depicting a human figure holding three fish was found in a gothic-style building in Kaunas. Its head was crowned with a magnificent view of the town with towers and temples, and its legs were crossed. Where did it come from? There was no museum in Kaunas at that time! Apparently, the statue travelled from Warsaw or St. Petersburg and eventually got lost in the Russian Empire. Nevertheless, what does this sculpture portray? The members of Warsaw Science Friendship Society thought it was a portrayal of an unknown Indian goddess brought by Tartars. However, the collector Mykolas Kasakauskas did not agree with this conjecture, and recognised the city of Kaunas in the figure, whereas the fish in its hands symbolised the three rivers: Nemunas, Neris and Nevėžis. Finally, the theory of the historian Theodore Narbut appeared to be the most appealing. In the sculpture he saw one of the most powerful gods in the Baltic mythology - Perkūnas, the controller of atmosphere and nature. That is where the name of this mystic house originated.

Though people believed that the building emerged on an old temple where the pagan gods were worshipped, the intended use of the building was residential. Nevertheless, the Perkūnas House retained its aura of sacredness. During the five centuries of existence of the building, it was also a residence place of the Orthodox clergy, and the building belonged to the Jesuits for a long time. It was this place where the three Kojalavičius brothers grew up, who later became members of the Society of Jesus. In 1928 the building was inherited by the Jesuit Order and currently belongs to the Jesuit Gymnasium of Kaunas.

Perkūnas House is an undeniably exclusive construction. It is the only known Gothic residential building in Lithuania, which emerged in the second part of the 15th century. Having stopped by to look closer at the history of Perkūnas House, do not rush to go inside. Take a look at the exterior of this monument of Gothic architecture: the building is decorated with an ornate pediment, with rectangular decorative niches, and the most eye catching is the magnificent sun symbol made from glazed stones. Undeniably, there is somewhat mystery veil spreading from each brick of the House.