Klaipėda

File:Klaipėda seal.png.]]

The Teutonic Knights built a castle in the *Pilsāts Land of the Curonians and named it Memelburg, which would later be shortened to Memel. From 1252 to 1923 and from 1939 to 1945, the town and city were officially named Memel. Between 1923 and 1939, both names were in official use{{Clarification needed|reason=Which names? Memel, Memelburg or Klaipeda?|date=April 2023}}. Since 1945, the Lithuanian name of Klaipėda has been used.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

The names Memelburg and Memel are found in most written sources from the 13th century onwards, while Klaipėda is found in Lithuanian sources since the 15th century. The city was initially mentioned as Caloypede in the letter of Vytautas in 1413,{{cite web |url=http://www.mlimuziejus.lt/3/31/312/312.htm |title=Mažosios Lietuvos istorijos muziejus |quote="1413 – pirmąkart paminėtas vardas Klaipėda (Caloypede)" |website=Mlimuziejus.lt |access-date=2 August 2019 |archive-date=9 May 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070509113156/http://www.mlimuziejus.lt/3/31/312/312.htm |url-status=live}} and in negotiation documents from 1420, the city was named Klawppeda.{{cite web |url=http://www.klaipedainfo.lt/de/index.php?page=9&sub=3 |title=www.klaipedainfo.lt |access-date=31 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311080257/http://klaipedainfo.lt/de/index.php?page=9&sub=3 |archive-date=11 March 2016}} In the Treaty of Melno of 1422, the city's name was listed as Cleupeda. According to Samogitian folk etymology, the name Klaipėda refers to the boggy terrain of the town (klaidyti=obstruct and pėda=foot). Most likely, the name is of Curonian origin and means "even ground"; it likely originates from a combination of "klais/klait" (flat, open, free) and "peda" (sole of the foot, ground), as a reference to relatively flat terrain of the original settlement's surroundings. {{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

The lower reaches of the river Neman were named either *Mēmele or *Mēmela by Scalovians and local Curonian inhabitants. In the Latvian Curonian language, it means mute, silent (memelis, mimelis, mēms), as a reference to peaceful flow of the Neman. This name was adopted by German speakers, and also was chosen for the new city founded further away at the lagoon.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

The name of the city in the Samogitian language is spelled slightly differently: {{lang|sgs|Klaipieda}}. The most notable non-Lithuanian names include: {{langx|lv|Klaipēda}}; {{langx|pl|Kłajpeda}}; {{langx|ru|link=no|Клайпеда}}; {{langx|de|link=no|Memel}}.

{{main|Coat of arms of Klaipėda}}

The coat of arms of Klaipėda is also used as the coat of arms of the Klaipėda city municipality. The modern version was created by the designer Kęstutis Mickevičius. The modern coat of arms was created by restoring old seals of the Memel city (analogous with those used in the years 1446, 1605 and 1618). It was affirmed on 1 July 1992.{{cite web |last1=Ringis |first1=Dovilė |title=Kas užšifruota Klaipėdos miesto herbe? |url=https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2022/11/11/kas-uzsifruota-klaipedos-miesto-herbe/ |website=AtviraKlaipeda.lt |access-date=14 August 2023 |language=lt |date=11 November 2022}}

A settlement of Baltic tribes in the territory of the present-day city is said to have existed in the region as early as the 7th century. Klaipėda is the oldest city which is in modern Lithuanian territory. The Balts initially established Klaipėda as a trading centre for the storage of goods and annual fairs with the Germans.Tyszkiewicz, Konstanty. Neris ir jos krantai: hidrografiniu, istoriniu, archeologiniu ir etnografiniu požiūriu [Neris and its shores: from a hydrographic, historical, archaeological and ethnographic perspective]. (in Lithuanian). Internet Archive. p. 51.

In the 1240s, Pope Gregory IX offered King Håkon IV of Norway the opportunity to conquer the peninsula of Sambia.{{cn|date=September 2024}} However, after Grand Duke Mindaugas of Lithuania, the Teutonic Knights and a group of crusaders from Lübeck moved into Sambia and accepted Christianity.{{cn|date=September 2024}} These groups founded a fort in 1252 called Memele castrum (or Memelburg, "Memel Castle"). The fort's construction was completed in 1253, and Memel was garrisoned with troops of the Teutonic Order, administered by Deutschmeister Eberhard von Seyne. Documents for its founding were signed by Eberhard and Bishop Heinrich von Lützelburg of Courland on 29 July 1252 and 1 August 1252.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

File:Klaipeda dom Sukieliu 18.jpg architecture]]

File:Seal of viceregent in Klaipėda, 13th century.jpg

File:Komtursiegel Memel (1409).jpg, St. Mary and St. Nicholas]]

Master Conrad von Thierberg used the fortress as a base for further campaigns along the river Neman and against Samogitia. Memel was unsuccessfully besieged by Sambians in 1255, and the Sambians surrendered in 1259. Memel was also colonized by settlers from Holstein, Lübeck and Dortmund. Hence, Memel also being known at the time as Neu-Dortmund, or "New Dortmund". It became the main town of the Diocese of Curonia, with a cathedral and at least two parochial churches, but the development of the castle became the dominant priority. According to different sources, Memel received Lübeck city rights in 1254Klaipėda city information portal. "[http://www.klaipeda.lt/klaipeda/selectPage.do?docLocator=73ECC9E7534011D8A343746164617373&categoryId=168&pathId=224 History] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927015116/http://www.klaipeda.lt/klaipeda/selectPage.do?docLocator=73ECC9E7534011D8A343746164617373&categoryId=168&pathId=224 |date=2007-09-27 }}". Retrieved 11 April 2006. or 1258.Magocsi, Paul Robert. Historical Atlas of Central Europe. University of Washington Press. Seattle, 2002. p. 41. {{ISBN|0-295-98146-6}}. Following it Klaipėda's status was quite extraordinary as only three cities in the State of the Teutonic Order had Lübeck city rights.{{cite web |last1=Pučinskas |first1=Saulius |last2=Žulkus |first2=Vladas |title=Klaipėdos pilis. Gynybinis paveldas Lietuvoje. I dalis |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqstADxAdiE |website=YouTube.com |access-date=8 September 2024 |date=9 January 2023 |language=lt |quote=Quote starting since 7:00}}

In the spring and summer of 1323, a Lithuanian army led by Grand Duke Gediminas came up the Neman and sieged the castle of Memel, while later he marched to other Prussian, Latvian, Estonian territories controlled by the Order, eventually forcing the Order to sue for a truce in October 1323.{{cite web |title=Gediminas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/gediminas/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=3 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203203439/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/gediminas/ |url-status=live}} While planning a campaign against Samogitia, Memel's garrison of the Teutonic Order's Livonian branch was replaced with knights from the Prussian branch in 1328. Threats and attacks by Lithuanians greatly slowed down the town's development; the castle was sacked by Lithuanian tribes in 1360, and in 1379 the reconstructed castle and town were both sacked once again. In 1409, the castle was rebuilt and in 1422–1441 the strengthening of the castle's fortifications continued when eventually its ramparts reached 7 meters height.

After the Battle of Grunwald, the dispute between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Order on Samogitia started.{{cite book |last1=Batūra |first1=Romas |title=Places of Fighting for Lithuania's Freedom: in the expanse of Nemunas, Vistula and Dauguva Rivers |date=2010 |publisher=General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania |location=Vilnius |page=7 |url=http://www.tb.lt/Leidiniai/sisteminis_katalogas/Humanitariniai%20mokslai/Istorija/2010-places%20of%20fighting.pdf |access-date=10 April 2023 |archive-date=29 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029090124/http://www.tb.lt/Leidiniai/sisteminis_katalogas/Humanitariniai%20mokslai/Istorija/2010-places%20of%20fighting.pdf |url-status=live}} Vytautas the Great wanted the border to be the Neman River, while the Teutonic Order wanted to have Veliuona and Klaipėda in the right side of the river. Both sides agreed to accept the prospective solution of Emperor Sigismund's representative Benedict Makrai in 1413. He decided that the right side of Nemunas (Veliuona, Klaipėda) were to be owned by Lithuania. Makrai is known to have stated:{{cite journal |journal=Altpreußische Monatsschrift |year=1907 |volume=44 |title=Preußische Urkunden in Rußland |author=August Seraphim |page=80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lH0VAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22nec%20magister%20et%20ordo%22&pg=PA80 |language=de, la |access-date=12 April 2023 |archive-date=22 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230422102650/https://books.google.com/books?id=lH0VAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA80&dq=%22nec%20magister%20et%20ordo%22 |url-status=live}}

{{blockquote|We find that the Memel Castle is built in the land of Samogitians. Neither Master, nor the Order was able to prove anything opposing.}}

Nevertheless, no agreement was concluded and fighting continued until the Treaty of Melno in 1422 stabilized the border between the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania for the next 501 years. However, two miles of Lithuanian territories, including Klaipėda, was left for the Order.{{cite web |last1=Dundulis |first1=Bronius |title=Melno taika |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/melno-taika/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=23 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230323185023/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/melno-taika/ |url-status=live}} In 1454, King Casimir IV Jagiellon incorporated the region to the Kingdom of Poland upon the request of the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation.{{Cite book |last=Górski |first=Karol |title=Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych |year=1949 |publisher=Instytut Zachodni |location=Poznań |language=pl |page=54}} After the subsequent Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466) the city became a part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic Knights,Górski, pp. 96–97, 214–215 and thus located within the Polish–Lithuanian union. The rebuilt town received Kulm law city rights in 1475.{{cite web |last1=Purvinas |first1=Martynas |title=Klaipėda |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipeda |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=1 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201034339/https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipeda |url-status=live}}

{{wide image|Panorama of Klaipėda by Juozas Narūnavičius, 1674.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|Panorama of the city with the Klaipėda Castle and the old town in 1674|dir=rtl}}

File:Klaipėda Castle1.jpg

Against the wishes of its governor and commander, Eric of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Memel adopted Lutheranism after the conversion of Grand Master Albert of Prussia and the creation of the Duchy of Prussia as a fief of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland in 1525, soon part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Since then, Klaipėda has become the county centre within the Duchy of Prussia.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos istorija |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-istorija/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408213907/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-istorija/ |url-status=live}} It was the onset of a long period of prosperity for the city and port. Klaipėda served as a port for neighbouring Lithuania, benefiting from its location near the mouth of the Neman, with wheat as a profitable export. The Duchy of Prussia was inherited by a relative, John Sigismund, the Hohenzollern prince-electors of the Margraviate of Brandenburg in 1618. Brandenburg-Prussia began active participation in regional policy, which affected the development of Memel. From 1629 to 1635, the town was occupied by Sweden over several periods during the Polish-Swedish War of 1626–1629.

After the Treaty of Königsberg in 1656 during the Northern Wars, Elector Frederick William opened Memel's harbor to Sweden, with whom the harbor's revenue was divided. Sovereignty of the margraves of Brandenburg over the region was affirmed in the Treaty of Oliva in 1660.

The construction of a fortified defence system around the entire town, initiated in 1627, noticeably changed its status and prospects. In November 1678 a small Swedish army invaded the Prussian territory, but was unable to capture the fortress of Memel.

File:Lietuvos juru muziejus9.JPG

By the beginning of the 18th century, Memel was one of the strongest fortresses (Memelfestung) in Prussia, and the town became part of the Kingdom of Prussia in 1701. Despite its fortifications, it was captured by Russian troops during the Seven Years' War in 1757.{{cn|date=September 2024}} Consequently, from 1757 to 1762 the town, along with the rest of eastern Prussia, was dependent on the Russian Empire. After this war ended, the maintenance of the fortress was neglected, but the town's growth continued.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

Memel became part of the newly formed province of East Prussia within the Kingdom of Prussia in 1773. In the second half of the 18th century, Memel's lax customs and Riga's high duties enticed English traders, who established the first industrial sawmills in the town.{{cn|date=September 2024}} In 1784, 996 ships arrived in Memel, 500 of which were English. The specialisation in wood manufacturing guaranteed Memel's merchants income and stability for more than a hundred years. During this era, it also normalised its trade relations with Königsberg; regional instability had degraded relations since the 16th century.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

File:Klaipedos Rotuse (02).JPG, his wife Queen Louise and their children.]]

Memel prospered during the second half of the 18th century by exporting timber to Great Britain for use by the Royal Navy.{{cn|date=September 2024}} In 1792, 756 British ships visited the town to transport lumber from forests near Memel.{{cn|date=September 2024}} In 1800, its imports consisted chiefly of salt, iron and herrings; the exports, which greatly exceeded the imports, were corn, hemp, flax, and, particularly, timber. The 1815 Encyclopædia Britannica stated that Memel was "provided with the finest harbour in the Baltic".{{cn|date=September 2024}}

During the Napoleonic Wars, Memel became the temporary capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. Between 1807 and 1808, the town was the residence of King Frederick William III, his consort Louise, his court, and the government.{{cite web |title=Karalienės Luizės žingsnius primena medžiai ir pastatai |url=https://kultura.lrytas.lt/istorija/2015/11/27/news/karalienes-luizes-zingsnius-primena-medziai-ir-pastatai-2758138/ |website=Lrytas.lt |date=27 November 2015 |access-date=27 November 2015 |language=lt-LT |archive-date=30 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030004139/https://kultura.lrytas.lt/istorija/2015/11/27/news/karalienes-luizes-zingsnius-primena-medziai-ir-pastatai-2758138/ |url-status=live}} On 9 October 1807 the king signed a document in Memel, later called the October Edict, which abolished serfdom in Prussia.{{cite web |last1=Dirsytė |first1=Rima |title=Apie baudžiavos panaikinimą Lietuvoje |url=https://blog.lnb.lt/lituanistika/2021/03/08/apie-baudziavos-panaikinima-lietuvoje/ |website=Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania |access-date=9 September 2024 |language=lt}} It originated the reforms of Karl Freiherr vom und zum Stein and Karl August von Hardenberg. The land around Memel suffered major economic setbacks under Napoleon Bonaparte's Continental System. During Napoleon's retreat from Moscow after the failed invasion of Russia in 1812, General Yorck refused Marshal MacDonald's orders to fortify Memel at Prussia's expense.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

During the January Uprising, in June 1863, Polish insurgents made an unsuccessful attempt at a naval landing near the city's harbor.{{cite book |last=Zieliński |first=Stanisław |title=Bitwy i potyczki 1863–1864. Na podstawie materyałów drukowanych i rękopiśmiennych Muzeum Narodowego w Rapperswilu |year=1913 |language=pl |publisher=Fundusz Wydawniczy Muzeum Narodowego w Rapperswilu |location=Rapperswil |page=299}}

{{wide image|Memel, Adolf Closs, 1880.jpg|800px|align-cap=center|Panorama of the city from the Curonian Lagoon in 1880|dir=rtl}}

File:Royal Mail Palace in Klaipeda.jpg and monarchs of Prussia{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos pašto rūmai (Liepų g. 16) |url=http://www.uostas.info/miestas/pasimatymai/pastataigatves/33-liepu-gatve/137-pastorumai.html |website=Uostas.info |access-date=15 February 2018 |archive-date=16 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216084508/http://www.uostas.info/miestas/pasimatymai/pastataigatves/33-liepu-gatve/137-pastorumai.html |url-status=live}}]]

After the unification of Germany into the German Empire in 1871, Memel became Germany's northernmost city.

The development of the town in the 19th century was influenced by the Industrial Revolution in Prussia, as well as urbanisation. Even though the population of Memel increased fourfold during the 19th century, and had risen to 21,470 by 1910, its pace of development lagged in comparison. The reasons for this were mostly political. Memel was the northernmost and easternmost city in Germany, and although the government was engaged in a very costly tree-planting exercise to stabilise the sand-dunes on the Curonian Spit, most of the financial infusions in the province of East Prussia were concentrated in Königsberg, the capital of the province. Some notable instances of the German infrastructure investments in the area included sandbar blasting and a new ship canal between Pillau and Königsberg, which enabled vessels of up to 6.5 m draughts to moor alongside the city, at a cost of 13 million marks.

Owing to the absence of heavy industry in the 1870s and 1880s, the population of Memel stagnated, although wood manufacturing persisted as the main industry. It remained the central point of the Baltic timber-trade. A British Consul was located in the town in 1800; in 1900 a British Vice-Consul was recorded there, as well as a Lloyd's Agent.

File:Klaipeda Panorama.jpg]]

By 1900 steamer services had been established between Memel and Cranz (on the southern end of the Curonian Spit), and also between Memel and Tilsit. A main-line railway was built from Insterburg, the main East Prussian railway junction, to St. Petersburg via Eydtkuhnen, the Prussian frontier station. The Memel line also ran from Insterburg via Tilsit, where a further direct line connected with Königsberg, that crossed the {{convert|4|km|mi|frac=2|adj=mid|-wide|abbr=off}} Memel Valley over three bridges before its arrival in Memel.

During the second half of the 19th century, Memel was a center for the publication of books printed in the Lithuanian language using a Latin-script alphabet – these publications were prohibited in the nearby Russian Empire of which Lithuania was a province. The books were then smuggled over the Lithuanian border.

The German 1910 census lists the Memel Territory population as 149,766, of whom 67,345 declared Lithuanian to be their first language. The Germans greatly predominated in the town and port of Memel as well as in other nearby villages; the Lithuanian population was predominant in the area's rural districts.EB, 1938 Year Book, see [http://gauss.suub.uni-bremen.de/suub/hist/index.jsp?id=Kt.+I-896 map of languages] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002060127/http://gauss.suub.uni-bremen.de/suub/hist/index.jsp?id=Kt.+I-896 |date=2 October 2020 }}.

{{main|Klaipėda Region}}

File:Parade of the Lithuanian Army in Klaipėda Theatre Square in 1923.jpg

Under the Treaty of Versailles after World War I, Klaipėda and the surrounding Klaipėda Region (Memel Territory) were detached from Germany and made a protectorate of the Entente States. The French became provisional administrators of the region until a more permanent solution could be worked out. Both Lithuania and Poland campaigned for their rights in the region. However, it seemed that the region would become a free city, similar to the Free City of Danzig. Not waiting for an unfavourable decision, the Lithuanians decided to stage the Klaipėda Revolt, take the region by force, and present the Entente with a fait accompli. The revolt was carried out in January 1923 while western Europe was distracted by the occupation of the Ruhr. The Germans tacitly supported the action, and the French offered only limited resistance.Vytautas Kažukauskas. [http://www.muziejai.lt/vilnius/kazukausko_str.htm Visa Lietuvių tauta atsiėmė Klaipėdą] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309205243/http://www.muziejai.lt/vilnius/kazukausko_str.htm |date=9 March 2007 }} The revolt was supported by the Chief Rescue Committee of Lithuania Minor, chaired by Prussian Lithuanian Martynas Jankus, which operated since 22 December 1922 with its centre in Klaipėda.{{cite web |title=Vyriausiasis Mažosios Lietuvos gelbėjimo komitetas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/vyriausiasis-mazosios-lietuvos-gelbejimo-komitetas/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} The League of Nations protested the revolt but accepted the transfer in February 1923. The formal Klaipėda Convention was signed in Paris on 8 May 1924 and secured extensive autonomy for the region.League of Nations Treaty Series, vol. 29, pp. 86–115.

File:Silvestras Zukauskas in Klaipeda (1925).jpg in Klaipėda, 1925]]

File:Two posters by Augustinas Laukzemis printing house, USA, 1920s.jpg

The annexation of the city had significant consequences for the Lithuanian economy and foreign relations. The region subsequently accounted for up to 30% of Lithuania's entire economic production. Between 70% and 80% of foreign trade passed through Klaipėda. The region, which represented only about 5% of Lithuania's territory, contained a third of its industry.{{cite book |last=Eidintas |first=Alfonsas |author2=Vytautas Žalys |author3=Alfred Erich Senn |editor=Ed. Edvardas Tuskenis |title=Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918–1940 |edition=Paperback |year=1999 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |isbn=0-312-22458-3 |page=165}}

Weimar Germany, under Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann, maintained normal relations with Lithuania. However, Nazi Germany desired to reacquire the region and tensions rose. Pro-German parties won clear supermajorities in all elections to the Klaipėda Parliament, which often clashed with the Lithuanian-appointed Klaipėda Directorate. Lithuanian efforts to "re-Lithuanize" Prussian Lithuanians by promoting the Lithuanian language, culture, education were often met with resistance from the locals. In 1932, a conflict between the Parliament and the Directorate had to be resolved by the Permanent Court of International Justice. In 1934–1935, the Lithuanians attempted to combat increasing Nazi influence in the region by arresting and prosecuting over 120 Nazi activists for the alleged plot to organize an anti-Lithuanian rebellion.Mažoji Lietuva.[http://www.mazoji-lietuva.lt/article.php?article=237 Klaipėdos krašto istorijos vingiuose] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927224535/http://www.mazoji-lietuva.lt/article.php?article=237 |date=27 September 2007 }}. Despite these rather harsh sentences, the defendants in the Neumann–Sass case were soon released under pressure from Nazi Germany.{{cite web |last1=Gliožaitis |first1=Algirdas Antanas |last2=Matulevičius |first2=Algirdas |title=Neumanno-Sasso byla |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/neumanno-sasso-byla/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=1 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230501114614/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/neumanno-sasso-byla/ |url-status=live}} The extensive autonomy guaranteed by the Klaipėda Convention prevented Lithuania from blocking the growing pro-German attitudes in the region.

File:Adolf Hitler in Memel.png following the German annexation of the city, March 1939]]

As tensions in pre-war Europe continued to grow, it was expected that Germany would make a move against Lithuania to reacquire the region. German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop delivered an ultimatum to the Lithuanian Foreign Minister on 20 March 1939, demanding the surrender of Klaipėda. Lithuania, unable to secure international support for its cause, submitted to the ultimatum and, in exchange for the right to use the new harbour facilities as a free port, ceded the disputed region to Germany in the late evening of 22 March 1939. Adolf Hitler visited the harbour and delivered a speech to the city residents. That was Hitler's last territorial acquisition before World War II.{{cite book |last1=Fosse |first1=Marit |last2=Fox |first2=John |title=Sean Lester: The Guardian of a Small Flickering Light |date=2016 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=9780761866114 |page=163 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RvasDAAAQBAJ |access-date=2 October 2020 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408100004/https://books.google.com/books?id=RvasDAAAQBAJ |url-status=live}}

During the war, the Germans operated a forced labour subcamp of the Stalag I-A prisoner-of-war camp for Allied prisoners of war in the city,{{cite book |last1=Megargee |first1=Geoffrey P. |last2=Overmans |first2=Rüdiger |last3=Vogt |first3=Wolfgang |year=2022 |title=The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume IV |publisher=Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum |page=389 |isbn=978-0-253-06089-1}} and expelled Poles from German-occupied Poland were also enslaved as forced labour in the city's vicinity.{{cite book |last=Wardzyńska |first=Maria |year=2017 |title=Wysiedlenia ludności polskiej z okupowanych ziem polskich włączonych do III Rzeszy w latach 1939–1945 |language=pl |location=Warszawa |publisher=IPN |pages=405, 409, 410 |isbn=978-83-8098-174-4}}

File:Jūros šventė 2017.jpg

During World War II, from the end of 1944 into 1945, the Battle of Memel took place. The nearly-empty city was captured by the Soviet Red Army on 28 January 1945 with only about 50 remaining people. After the war the Klaipėda Region was incorporated into the Lithuanian SSR, and the post-1937 German occupation of various regions of Europe, including Klaipėda, was considered illegal.{{cite web |url=http://memelcity.lt/istorija |title=Istorija – Memelio miestas |website=memelcity.lt |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212195718/http://memelcity.lt/istorija |archive-date=12 December 2013 |url-status=dead}}

The Soviets turned Klaipėda, the foremost ice-free port in the Eastern Baltic, into the largest piscatorial-marine base in the European part of the USSR. Shipyards, dockyards and a fishing port were constructed. Subsequently, by the end of 1959, the population of the city had doubled its pre-war population, and by 1989, there were 202,900 inhabitants. Initially, Russian-speakers dominated the city's local government, but after the death of Joseph Stalin, more people came to the city from the rest of Lithuania than from other Soviet republics and oblasts, and Lithuanians became its major ethnic group.{{cite web |title=Lietuvos sovietinimas, rusinimas ir kolonizavimas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-sovietinimas-rusinimas-ir-kolonizavimas/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |quote=Manoma, į per Antrąjį pasaulinį karą ištuštėjusį Vilnių, Klaipėdą, Kauną ir kitur iš Rusijos, Baltarusijos ir kitų SSRS vietų 1945–50 atvyko apie 130 000 žmonių. Vėliau į Lietuvą iš kitų SSRS vietų kasmet atvykdavo 7000–8000 asmenų. |language=lt |archive-date=17 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221217045249/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-sovietinimas-rusinimas-ir-kolonizavimas/ |url-status=live}} Among Lithuanian cities with a population greater than 100,000, however, Klaipėda has the highest percentage of people whose native language is Russian.{{cite web |title=Lietuvos gyventojai |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-gyventojai/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=22 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822144558/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-gyventojai/ |url-status=live}}

File:Costa Pacifica in Klaipėda's Cruise Ship Terminal.jpg in Klaipėda]]

Until the 1970s, Klaipėda was important to the USSR only for its economy, and cultural and religious activity was minimal and restricted. The developers of a Roman Catholic church (Maria, Queen of Peace, constructed 1957–1962) were arrested. The city began to develop cultural activities in the 1970s and the 1980s, such as the introduction of the Sea Festival cultural tradition, where thousands of people come to celebrate from all over the country. Based on the Pedagogical University of Šiauliai and the National Conservatory of Lithuania in Klaipėda, the University of Klaipėda was established in 1991. Klaipėda is now the home of a bilingual German-Lithuanian institution, the Hermann-Sudermann-Schule, as well as an English-language university, LCC International University.

In 2014, Klaipėda was visited 64 times by cruise ships and surpassed the Latvian capital, Riga, for the first time.{{Cite web |url=https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/transportas/lietuvoje-pirmasis-milzinas-is-64-iu.d?id=64734975 |title=Lietuvoje – pirmasis milžinas iš 64-ių |first=Mindaugas |last=Milinis |website=Delfi.lt |access-date=2 August 2019 |archive-date=2 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190802121815/https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/transportas/lietuvoje-pirmasis-milzinas-is-64-iu.d?id=64734975 |url-status=live}}

File:Dynamic shores Klaipeda.jpg.]]

Klaipėda's climate is considered to be oceanic (Köppen Cfb) using the {{convert|-3|°C|1|abbr=on}} isotherm and warm humid continental (Köppen Dfb) using the {{convert|0|°C|1|abbr=on}} isotherm. In July and August, the warmest season, high temperatures average {{convert|20|°C|0|abbr=on}}, and low temperatures average {{convert|14|°C|0|abbr=on}}. The highest official temperature ever recorded was {{convert|36.6|°C|1|abbr=on}} in August 2014. In January and February, the coldest season, high temperatures average {{convert|0|°C|0|abbr=on}} with low temperatures averaging {{convert|-5|°C|0|abbr=on}}. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Klaipėda is {{convert|-33.4|°C|1|abbr=on}} in February 1956.

The greatest amount of precipitation occurs in August, with an average precipitation of 85 mm. Meanwhile, the least amount of precipitation occurs in April, with an average of 41 mm.

{{Weather box

|location = Klaipėda (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1929–present)

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|width = auto

|Jan record high C = 11.7

|Feb record high C = 15.4

|Mar record high C = 18.6

|Apr record high C = 28.9

|May record high C = 31.2

|Jun record high C = 33.8

|Jul record high C = 34.0

|Aug record high C = 36.6

|Sep record high C = 30.4

|Oct record high C = 22.9

|Nov record high C = 15.4

|Dec record high C = 11.5

|year record high C = 36.6

|Jan high C = 1.1

|Feb high C = 1.4

|Mar high C = 4.7

|Apr high C = 11.1

|May high C = 16.3

|Jun high C = 19.6

|Jul high C = 22.3

|Aug high C = 22.5

|Sep high C = 17.9

|Oct high C = 11.8

|Nov high C = 6.3

|Dec high C = 3.0

|year high C = 11.5

|Jan mean C = -0.9

|Feb mean C = -0.9

|Mar mean C = 1.7

|Apr mean C = 6.7

|May mean C = 11.6

|Jun mean C = 15.3

|Jul mean C = 18.3

|Aug mean C = 18.3

|Sep mean C = 14.2

|Oct mean C = 8.9

|Nov mean C = 4.4

|Dec mean C = 1.1

|year mean C = 8.2

|Jan low C = -5.0

|Feb low C = -4.6

|Mar low C = -1.8

|Apr low C = 2.7

|May low C = 7.0

|Jun low C = 10.8

|Jul low C = 13.1

|Aug low C = 12.7

|Sep low C = 8.9

|Oct low C = 4.5

|Nov low C = 0.9

|Dec low C = -2.9

|year low C = 3.9

|Jan record low C = -32.0

|Feb record low C = -33.4

|Mar record low C = -20.8

|Apr record low C = -12.8

|May record low C = -5.2

|Jun record low C = -2.8

|Jul record low C = 5.2

|Aug record low C = 2.9

|Sep record low C = -3.3

|Oct record low C = -7.5

|Nov record low C = -14.6

|Dec record low C = -24.1

|year record low C = -33.4

| Jan avg record high C = 6.1

| Feb avg record high C = 5.7

| Mar avg record high C = 10.6

| Apr avg record high C = 21.0

| May avg record high C = 26.2

| Jun avg record high C = 27.6

| Jul avg record high C = 30.0

| Aug avg record high C = 29.2

| Sep avg record high C = 23.9

| Oct avg record high C = 17.5

| Nov avg record high C = 11.1

| Dec avg record high C = 7.5

|year avg record high C = 31.3

| Jan avg record low C = -13.5

| Feb avg record low C = -12.0

| Mar avg record low C = -7.5

| Apr avg record low C = -2.6

| May avg record low C = 0.6

| Jun avg record low C = 5.9

| Jul avg record low C = 9.4

| Aug avg record low C = 9.4

| Sep avg record low C = 3.8

| Oct avg record low C = -1.4

| Nov avg record low C = -5.1

| Dec avg record low C = -9.0

|year avg record low C = -16.4

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 67

|Feb precipitation mm = 45

|Mar precipitation mm = 40

|Apr precipitation mm = 31

|May precipitation mm = 39

|Jun precipitation mm = 54

|Jul precipitation mm = 67

|Aug precipitation mm = 86

|Sep precipitation mm = 79

|Oct precipitation mm = 95

|Nov precipitation mm = 82

|Dec precipitation mm = 76

|year precipitation mm = 761

|Jan precipitation days = 14.77

|Feb precipitation days = 11.35

|Mar precipitation days = 10.05

|Apr precipitation days = 7.45

|May precipitation days = 7.59

|Jun precipitation days = 9.22

|Jul precipitation days = 9.42

|Aug precipitation days = 11.67

|Sep precipitation days = 11.55

|Oct precipitation days = 14.86

|Nov precipitation days = 14.49

|Dec precipitation days = 15.39

|year precipitation days = 138.72

|Jan sun = 39

|Feb sun = 68

|Mar sun = 154

|Apr sun = 224

|May sun = 297

|Jun sun = 288

|Jul sun = 295

|Aug sun = 268

|Sep sun = 192

|Oct sun = 110

|Nov sun = 39

|Dec sun = 25

|year sun = 1999

| Jan humidity = 85

| Feb humidity = 84

| Mar humidity = 79

| Apr humidity = 75

| May humidity = 75

| Jun humidity = 78

| Jul humidity = 78

| Aug humidity = 77

| Sep humidity = 79

| Oct humidity = 86

| Nov humidity = 86

| Dec humidity = 86

| year humidity = 80

| Jan dew point C = -4

| Feb dew point C = -4

| Mar dew point C = -2

| Apr dew point C = 2

| May dew point C = 7

| Jun dew point C = 11

| Jul dew point C = 15

| Aug dew point C = 14

| Sep dew point C = 11

| Oct dew point C = 6

| Nov dew point C = 3

| Dec dew point C = 0

|source 1 = Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service,{{cite web |title=Klimato duomenys |url=https://www.meteo.lt/klimatas/lietuvos-klimatas/klimato-duomenys/ |website=Lietuvos hidrometeorologijos tarnyba |language=lt}} Météo Climat{{cite web |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p130.php |title=Météo Climat stats for Klaipėda |access-date=17 October 2017 |publisher=Météo Climat |archive-date=20 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220620014134/http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p130.php |url-status=live}}

|source 2 = NOAA,{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-VI/LU/26509.TXT |title=Klaipeda Climate Normals 1961–1990 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=2 February 2013 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408100001/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/RA-VI/LU/26509.TXT |url-status=live}} Time and Date (humidity and dewpoints, 2005–2015){{cite web |url=https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/poland/rybnik/climate |title=Climate & Weather Averages in Rybnik |publisher=Time and Date |access-date=25 July 2022 |archive-date=24 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220724102954/https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/poland/rybnik/climate |url-status=live}}

|date=January 2011

}}

File:Dutchman's hat (Olando Kepure).jpg, a {{convert|24|m|ft|abbr=on}} bluff at a regional seaside park]]

Parks:

Forests:

• Klaipėda Forest
• Giruliai Forest
• Smiltyne Forest

{{See also|Demographics of Lithuania}}

{{Historical populations

|type = LT

|state = collapsed

|source =Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija. Vilnius: Vyr. enciklopedijų redakcija, 1986. T.2. P.325.

|1722 |3400

|1782 |5500

|1790 |6300

|1813 |7230

|1823 |5300

|1837 |9000

|1855 |17000

|1861 |17500

|1875 |20000

|1890 |19282

|1897 |20100

|1905 |20700

|1912 |23500

|1925 |35845

|1931 |37142

|1938 |47189

|1950 |48500

|1959 |89500

|1961 |106243

|1967 |131600

|1970 |140342

|1978 |175200

|1979 |176648

|1985 |195000

|1989 |202929

|1991 |208300

|1992 |207100

|1999 |203300

|2001 |192954

|2007 |185936

|2008 |184657

|2009 |183433

|2010 |182752

|2011 |162360

|2014 |157305

|2017 |162835

|2018 |149015

|2019 |148506

|2020 (est.) |154332

}}

File:Klaipeda castle.jpg (right) in {{Circa|1535}}]]

Klaipėda was established as an outpost dedicated for German crusaders. Initially, Klaipėda developed slowly. In the 13th century, it was often attacked by the Sambians and Samogitians, and in the middle of the 15th century, it was attacked by the Gdańskians (for trading reasons). Consequently, in the 13th–15th centuries, Klaipėda was burned or ruined around 20 times.

In the second half of the 15th century, the residents began to settle in a territory of the Klaipėda Old Town, which was on a peninsula of the right bank of the old {{ill|Danė|lt|Akmena (upė)}}. Soon, the reconstruction of the Klaipėda Castle began, and all residents moved to the peninsula.

The development of Klaipėda was fueled by the increasing trade of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with the Western countries. Around 1503, there were 25 families of full-fledged townspeople, while in 1540, there were 107 families. Eventually, in 1589, there were 143 families in Klaipėda. The Lithuanians and Curonians lived alongside the German colonists, but the magistrate did not allow non-Germans to join artisan corporations and did not grant them rights available to townspeople. In the State of the Teutonic Order, Old Prussians and Western Lithuanians were not allowed to engage in trade, crafts, and settle in cities. Thus, in the Duchy of Prussia, most of the cities' residents were Germans.{{cite web |last1=Matulevičius |first1=Algirdas |last2=Kaunas |first2=Domas |title=Mažoji Lietuva |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/mazoji-lietuva/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=3 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203190510/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/mazoji-lietuva/ |url-status=live}} Nevertheless, villages in Lithuania Minor were extensively inhabited by Lithuanians, and Klaipėda developed as one of the most important centres of Lithuania Minor. According to the Prussian Law, all native citizens were initially called as Prussians, while only in the 16th century classification of the population by nationality began. In 1525–1818, Klaipėda was part of the Lithuanian Province (the term was used in state legal documents and Prussian monarchs decrees), which comprised the most Lithuanian territories of Lithuania Minor (the Klaipėda, Tilsit, Ragainė, Įsrūtis counties).{{cite web |last1=Matulevičius |first1=Algirdas |title=Lietuvos provincija |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-provincija/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408185414/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-provincija/ |url-status=live}}

There were few German colonists in Royal Prussia when Prussian monarchs were vassals of the Polish kings (1466–1660), and they mostly moved to cities and towns. During the Second Northern War in 1656–1657, Lithuania Minor was damaged by Tatars detached from the Army of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Following the Treaty of Oliva in 1660, Klaipėda become part of the Brandenburg-Prussia constituent state, which led to strengthened oppression of the locals of Lithuania Minor.

File:Der Preussische Litthau (1744).jpg

In 1701 the Kingdom of Prussia was created and Prussian officials and intellectuals propagated a political direction which claimed that a new nation formed from Prussian Lithuanians (Lietuvininkai), Old Prussians, and German colonists. In the beginning of the 18th century 300,000 residents lived in the core of Lithuania Minor and up to 100% of peasant farms in the Klaipėda Region were Lithuanian, however cities in Lithuania Minor become centres of Germanisation, cultural assimilation, and colonization.{{cite web |last1=Matulevičius |first1=Algirdas |title=Prūsijos lietuviai |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/prusijos-lietuviai/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408185500/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/prusijos-lietuviai/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Lietuvininkai |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/lietuvininkai |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208200703/https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/lietuvininkai |url-status=live}} In 1700–1721 the Prussian Lithuanians population was dramatically decreased in Klaipėda and other Lithuanian counties by the Great Northern War plague outbreak which killed 160,000 (53%) of residents in Lithuania Minor (more than 90% of the deceased were Prussian Lithuanians).{{cite web |last1=Gruodytė |first1=Stefanija |last2=Matulevičius |first2=Algirdas |title=Maras Lietuvoje |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/maras-lietuvoje/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408185541/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/maras-lietuvoje/ |url-status=live}} Following it, the Prussian authorities organized a large-scale German colonization of Lithuania Minor.{{cite web |last1=Jasas |first1=Rimantas |last2=Kairiūkštytė |first2=Nastazija |last3=Matulevičius |first3=Algirdas |title=Kolonizacija |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/kolonizacija/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408185733/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/kolonizacija/ |url-status=live}} The colonists received various privileges, however they constituted for only 13.4% of residents and quite a few of them later departed to other countries. In 1736–1818 Klaipėda was part of Lithuanian Department which had over 340,000 residents.{{cite web |last1=Matulevičius |first1=Algirdas |title=Lietuvos departamentas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-departamentas/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408185907/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-departamentas/ |url-status=live}} The recovering population was ravaged by the Imperial Russian Army during the Seven Years' War in 1756–1763. In 1782 Klaipėda had 5500 residents, in 1790 – 6300.

File:Memel, Borussia Denkmal.jpg) Monument in Klaipėda circa 1920]]

In the General State Laws for the Prussian States (completed in 1794) the serfdom and privileged position of landlords and colonists was consolidated. During the Napoleonic Wars Napoleon I occupied most of the Kingdom of Prussia, thus in 1807–1808 Klaipėda was a residence of Prussian monarchs and in 1807 Frederick William III abolished serfdom. Following the abolishment of serfdom Prussian Lithuanians migrated to Klaipėda, especially its outskirts, and in 1837 they constituted 10.1% of the residents. In 1825 Klaipėda had 8,500 residents. Moreover, after the Uprising of 1863–1864 part of the Lithuanian insurgents retreated to Lithuania Minor. In 1855 {{ill|Vitė|lt|Vitė}} was added to the city of Klaipėda, thus the number of population increased to over 17,000 and in 1875 reached ~20,000. Before World War I, the majority of Lithuanians in Königsberg Region (which included Klaipėda) integrated into the German nation. In March 1915 the population of Klaipėda was yet again ravaged by the Imperial Russian Army.

File:TrhTeatroAikšBznJonoReformatųKlp.jpg

Following the Klaipėda Revolt in 1923, Klaipėda Region was incorporated into Lithuania and Lithuanian population in Klaipėda increased due to migration (Lithuanians constituted 30.3% and Germans 57.3% of Klaipėda's 35,845 population in 1925). German politicians promoted a Memellander ideology and argued that Germans and local Lithuanians were "two ethnicities (Volkstümer), yet one cultural community (Kulturgemeinschaft)".{{Cite book |last=Safronovas |first=Vasilijus |title=Identities In-Between in East-Central Europe |date=31 March 2021 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780367784393 |editor-last=Fellerer |editor-first=Jan |pages=229–232 |chapter=11: A War Experience in a Bilingual Border Region: The Case of the Memel Territory |access-date=8 April 2023 |editor-last2=Pyrah |editor-first2=Robert |editor-last3=Turda |editor-first3=Marius |chapter-url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335255837}} Lithuania ceded Klaipėda Region to Nazi Germany due to the 1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania, however soon World War II started and residents of Klaipėda were evacuated to Germany. In the aftermath of World War II almost all the new residents moved to Klaipėda from Lithuania, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, replacing the former German-speaking population (after the war only six old residents remained in the city). Over the years the Lithuanian population in the city continued to grow and constituted: 55.2% in 1959, 60.9% in 1970, 61.5% in 1979, 63.0% in 1989, 71.3% in 2001, 73.9% in 2011.

{{As of|2020}}, the population of Klaipėda was 154,332.{{cite web |title=Gyventojų skaičius (administraciniai duomenys) |url=https://osp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/3defd422781648089cc1ca2dfd37a548 |website=Osp.maps.arcgis.com |language=lt |access-date=8 April 2023 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408183158/https://osp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/3defd422781648089cc1ca2dfd37a548 |url-status=live}} The latest data shows that there are more women in the city: females make up 54.89% (84,717), males make up 45.11% (69,615). In 2022, Lithuanians constituted 80% of the population in Klaipėda.{{cite web |last1=Končius |first1=Vytenis |title=Klaipėdoje 80 proc. gyventojų – lietuviai |url=https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2022/03/15/klaipedoje-80-proc-gyventoju-lietuviai/ |website=AtviraKlaipeda.lt |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |date=15 March 2022 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408183159/https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2022/03/15/klaipedoje-80-proc-gyventoju-lietuviai/ |url-status=live}}

{{See also|Religion in Lithuania}}

File:St. Johannis (Memel).jpg with 75-metre tower which dominated in Klaipėda's skyline until World War II, photographed in the 19th century{{cite web |title=Istorija |url=https://www.svjono.lt/lt/istorine-baznycia/istorija/ |website=SvJono.lt |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408212444/https://www.svjono.lt/lt/istorine-baznycia/istorija/ |url-status=live}}]]

The first church (possibly chapel) dedicated to the military garrison was built along with the Klaipėda Castle in 1252 and was consecrated after Mary, mother of Jesus, although it did not have as much effect for the townspeople, as well as the residents of surrounding villages.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos parapija |url=https://www.liuteronai.lt/klaipedos-parapija/ |website=Lietuvos evangelikų liuteronų bažnyčia |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410163057/https://www.liuteronai.lt/klaipedos-parapija/ |url-status=live}} Initially, it was planned that Klaipėda would become centre of the Bishopric of Courland. Thus, before 1290, a St. Mary's Cathedral was built in the town and a six-members chapter settled down in 1290. Nevertheless, the cathedral also did not have much effect on the town's religious life in long-term as bishop {{ill|Edmund von Werth|de|Edmund von Werth}} waived his rights to the cathedral in 1298. Eventually, the cathedral was moved to Windau.

Eberhard von Sayn, the Teutonic Grand Marshal, and {{ill|Heinrich von Lützelburg|de|Heinrich von Lützelburg}}, the Bishop of Courland, agreed in a treaty to build two churches: one for German colonists (Church of St. John), the other for baptized natives (Church of St. Nicholas). The Church of St. Nicholas was large (with 10 windows) and served residents of many neighborhoods. The church services were held in Latin and sermons were given in German, but there also were translators into the language of the local people who had a dedicated place near the pulpit.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos lietuvininkų parapija |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-lietuvininku-parapija |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206071719/https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-lietuvininku-parapija |url-status=live}}

File:Church of St. Jacob (Lietuvininkai or Laukininkai) in Klaipėda, painted in the second half of the 19th century.jpg in the second half of the 19th century]]

Following the creation of the Duchy of Prussia in 1525 and due to the Reformation movement, the Evangelical faith was spread in the languages of the local people, including Lithuanian. In 1620, the Lithuanian Parish of Klaipėda became an independent unit, but in 1627, the Church of St. Nicholas was demolished due to necessity to build a city wall around a growing city and the parish was left without its own church. The construction of a new church for the Lithuanian Parish began in 1686, and the new church was consecrated in the summer of 1687. Johann Lehmann worked in the new church, and by having a great knowledge of Lithuanian language he checked the Daniel Klein's Grammatica Litvanica and wrote other texts in Lithuanian. Following Lehmann's death, the parish was taken over by his son, who worked there for 32 years, and then his grandson, who worked there in 1696–1722. Later priests of the parish (e.g. Abraham David Lüneburg, Johann Richter) also knew Lithuanian language and published Lithuanian texts.

File:Klaipėda (Memel) Evangelical Reformed Church, 1930s.jpg

The Lithuanian Church was destroyed during the Great Fire of Klaipėda in 1854. Consequently, the parishioners collected funds and the reconstruction project was prepared by architect Friedrich August Stüler which was completed in the winter of 1856. The Lithuanian Parish of Klaipėda was large (it had 15,600 parishioners in 1848 and 16,000 parishioners in 1878). In 1852, German services started being held in the Lithuanian Church, and since then, the church was called Landkirche, but was eventually renamed to Church of St. Jacob. Karl Rudolf Jacobi worked in the Church of St. Jacob in 1859–1881 and in 1879 was selected as Chairman of the Lithuanian Literary Society. After Jacobi's death he was replaced by Janis Pipirs who is also known for his prominent Lithuanian publications.{{cite web |last1=Tydecks |first1=Martin |title=Jonas Pipiras |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/jonas-pipiras |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410165054/https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/jonas-pipiras |url-status=live}} Following the Klaipėda Revolt in 1923 the priests of the Church of St. Jacob stayed loyal to Lithuania and did not demonstrate vast support for Adolf Hitler in 1939. Due to migration following the revolt, the number of Catholics in Klaipėda increased and in 1926 the deanery of Klaipėda was assigned to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Telšiai. In 1939 the Catholic deanery had 25,000 believers. In 1944 almost the entire Lutheran parish was evacuated westward to avoid Soviet repressions. Due to the forceful implementation of state atheism in the post-war period, the damaged churches of St. John, St. Jacob, Evangelical Reformed, Anglican and Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity were completely demolished.{{cite web |last1=Vainorius |first1=Martynas |title=Pradingusi itališko stiliaus Tiltų gatvės puošmena |url=https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2019/11/03/pradingusi-italisko-stiliaus-tiltu-gatves-puosmena/ |website=AtviraKlaipeda.lt |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |date=3 November 2019 |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410164733/https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2019/11/03/pradingusi-italisko-stiliaus-tiltu-gatves-puosmena/ |url-status=live}}

In 1956, there were 30,000 Catholics in Klaipėda. Following the death of Joseph Stalin, a construction of the Church of Mary, Queen of Peace, in Rumpiškės Street was started in 1961, but the Soviet administration did not allow to open it. Furthermore, with the support of the Soviet Army, the tower of the church was demolished and it was rearranged into a philharmonic, while priests who built the church were imprisoned. The church was eventually returned to the believers in 1987.

Following the restoration of independent Lithuania in 1990, Klaipėda has one of the largest parishes of the Lithuanian Evangelical Lutheran Church.{{cite web |title=Lietuvos Evangelikų Liuteronų Bažnyčia |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-evangeliku-liuteronu-baznycia/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410165502/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-evangeliku-liuteronu-baznycia/ |url-status=live}} Since 1991, the Catholic Church of Klaipėda Region belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Telšiai.{{cite web |last1=Pupšys |first1=Vladas |title=Klaipėdos krašto Katalikų Bažnyčia |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-krasto-kataliku-baznycia |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=10 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=10 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410165143/https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-krasto-kataliku-baznycia |url-status=live}} The Days of Lutheran Culture that features various concerts, discussions, lectures and other events are held annually in Klaipėda Region since 2023.{{cite web |title=Grįžta Liuteroniškos kultūros dienos: 20 renginių per 5 mėnesius |url=https://www.liuteronai.lt/grizta-liuteroniskos-kulturos-dienos-20-renginiu-per-5-menesius/ |website=Liuteronai.lt |access-date=25 August 2024 |lang=lt}}

The Klaipėda city municipality council is the governing body of the Klaipėda city municipality.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos miesto savivaldybės taryba |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/taryba/2673/ |website=Klaipėda City Municipality |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=27 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127203930/https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/taryba/2673 |url-status=live}} It is responsible for municipal laws. The council is composed of 31 members (30 councillors and a mayor) and is directly elected for four-year terms.{{cite web |title=Apie tarybą |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/taryba/apie-taryba/2675/ |website=Klaipėda City Municipality |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=3 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203210746/https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/taryba/apie-taryba/2675 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Tarybos nariai |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/taryba/tarybos-nariai/2674/ |website=Klaipėda City Municipality |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=31 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131063727/https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/taryba/tarybos-nariai/2674 |url-status=live}}

The council is the member of the Association of Local Authorities in Lithuania.

• 1990–1992 – Povilas Vasiliauskas
• 1992–1994 – Benediktas Petrauskas
• 1994–1995 – Jurgis Aušra
• 1995–1997 – Silverijus Šukys
• 1997–2000 and 2000–2001 – Eugenijus Gentvilas
• 2001–2003, 2003–2007, 2007–2011 – Rimantas Taraškevičius
• 2011–2015, 2015–2019, 2019–2023 – Vytautas Grubliauskas
• 2023–present – Arvydas Vaitkus

File:Klaipėda12.jpg

{{main|Port of Klaipėda}}

The Port of Klaipėda is the principal ice-free port on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.{{cite web |last1=Žaromskis |first1=Rimas |title=Klaipėdos jūrų uostas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-juru-uostas/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |language=lt |access-date=26 March 2023 |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408191127/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-juru-uostas/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Veiklos sritys |url=https://portofklaipeda.lt/veiklos-sritys/ |website=Klaipėdos uosto direkcija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408191015/https://portofklaipeda.lt/veiklos-sritys/ |url-status=live}} It is an important transportation hub in Lithuania, which connects sea, land and railway routes from East to West. Klaipėda is a multipurpose, universal, deep-water port. Nineteen stevedoring companies, as well as ship-repair and shipbuilding yards, operate within the port, where marine business and cargo handling services are rendered.

The annual port cargo handling capacity is up to 60 million tons.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos uosto pristatymas |url=http://www.uostas.info/uostas/pristatymas.html |website=Uostas.info |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt-lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408191524/http://www.uostas.info/uostas/pristatymas.html |url-status=live}} In 2022 the port handled 36,1 million tons of cargo and it was visited by 5605 ships.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos uosto statistika |url=https://portofklaipeda.lt/uostas/apie-klaipedos-uosta/klaipedos-uosto-statistika/ |website=Klaipėdos uosto direkcija |access-date=8 April 2023 |language=lt |archive-date=8 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408191017/https://portofklaipeda.lt/uostas/apie-klaipedos-uosta/klaipedos-uosto-statistika/ |url-status=live}} The port operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round.

File:Klaipėda velŝipo 'Švyturys' 1.jpg

Klaipėda's main attractions are the historic buildings in the city's centre, dating from the 13th to 18th centuries. Some of its older buildings have half-timbered construction, similar to that found in Germany, France, England, Denmark and southern Sweden. Other places of interest include:

• The remnants of the Klaipėda Castle, built in the 13th century by the Teutonic Order. It had and a quadrangular tower, surrounded by the ramparts and brick bastions. It lost importance after the Russian occupation from 1756 to 1762, and thenceforth started to decay.
• The Žardė ancient settlement, situated on the right bank of the river Smiltelė. It is dated to the late Iron Age (10th century), and was inhabited until the 16th century.
• The remnants of the so-called "Dutch" defence system around the entire town from the 17th–18th centuries.
• The maritime museum in Fort Wilhelm, built at the end of the 19th century at the spike of the Curonian Spit.

• Arlekinas
• Forum cinemas

File:Klaipeda teatr 1.jpg

• Klaipėda Musical theatre
• Klaipėda Drama theatre
• Klaipėda Puppet theatre
• Apeironas theater
• Dance theater "Šokio teatras"
• Klaipėda youth theater "Klaipėdos jaunimo teatras"

{{multiple image |align=right |caption_align=center |perrow=2 |total_width=380

| image1=Mažosios Lietuvos istorijos muziejus (2).jpg

| image2=Klaipėdos laikrodžių muziejus.jpg

| image3=Kalvystes muziejus 01.JPG

| image4=Dolphinarium of the Lithuanian Maritime Museum in Klaipėda, Lithuania in 2016.jpg

| caption1=History Museum of Lithuania Minor

| caption2=Clocks Museum

| caption3=Blacksmiths Museum

| caption4=Lithuanian Maritime Museum{{Cite web |url=http://www.muziejus.lt/en/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615061356/http://www.muziejus.lt/en/index.html |url-status=dead |title=Lithuanian Sea Museum official website |archive-date=15 June 2011}}

}}

• "39–45"
• "Amber Queen" museum of amber
• Blacksmiths museum
• Castle museum
• Clocks museum
• Exposition of resistance movement and deportation
• Lithuanian Art Museum Pranas Domšaitis gallery
• The History Museum of Lithuania Minor
• Maritime museum and Dolphinarium

The Lithuanian Maritime Museum is set in a former nineteenth-century fortification of the Spit. In the Maritime Museum, there is an aquarium, which features exhibitions of marine fauna, mammals and seabirds. The aquarium is populated with invertebrates, and freshwater fish of Lithuania, as well as various tropical fish. The museum's courtyard has a pool filled with seals, sea lions, and penguins. The marine fauna exhibition has diverse exhibits: mollusk shells, various fossils, algae and other special exhibits, including prehistoric organisms.{{cite web |url=http://muziejus.lt/en |title=Lithuanian Maritime Museum |access-date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=3 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803201919/http://muziejus.lt/en |url-status=live}}

Annual events include Klaipėda Music Spring, the Klaipėda Castle Jazz Festival, Museum Nights, the International Festival of Street Theatres, the International Short Film Festival, and the Klaipėda Sea Festival, among others.{{cite web |title=Biggest culture events in Klaipėda 2016–2018 |url=http://www.klaipedainfo.lt/en/biggest-events-2016-2018/ |publisher=Klaipėdos turizmo ir kultūros informacijos centras (Klaipėda Tourism and Culture Information Centre) |access-date=3 August 2017 |archive-date=3 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803171145/http://www.klaipedainfo.lt/en/biggest-events-2016-2018/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Jūros Šventė |url=http://jurossvente.lt/en/main/ |website=JurosSvente.lt |access-date=10 November 2017 |archive-date=11 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111094728/http://jurossvente.lt/en/main/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Klaipėda Castle Jazz festival |url=http://jazz.lt/en/ |website=Jazz.lt |access-date=10 November 2017 |language=lt-LT |archive-date=11 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111043256/http://jazz.lt/en/ |url-status=live}} The Parbėg laivelis folk festival, which involves concerts, ship displays and theatrical performances, is also regularly held.{{Cite web |title=Klaipėdą užliejo tarptautinio folkloro festivalio "Parbėg laivelis" bangos |url=https://www.lrytas.lt/kultura/meno-pulsas/2018/07/22/news/klaipeda-uzliejo-tarptautinio-folkloro-festivalio-parbeg-laivelis-bangos-7037499 |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=www.lrytas.lt |archive-date=5 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505131403/https://www.lrytas.lt/kultura/meno-pulsas/2018/07/22/news/klaipeda-uzliejo-tarptautinio-folkloro-festivalio-parbeg-laivelis-bangos-7037499 |url-status=live }}

File:Port of Klaipėda in 1852.jpg

The city plan is linear, stretching along the shores of the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos architektūra |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-architektura/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |language=lt |access-date=8 January 2022 |archive-date=8 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108104709/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-architektura/ |url-status=live}} The main parts of the city Old Town on the left bank of the Danė River, as well as the new residential areas built after 1945 (Pempininkai, Naujakiemis, Alksnynė, Gedminai, and others). The specifics of the port city are emphasized by the quays, warehouses, half-timbered and industrial buildings typical of the Klaipėda Region. In the Old Town of Klaipėda, a rectangular network of streets was formed in the 13th–15th centuries, including Naujamiestis on the right bank of the Danė River.

File:Viešbutis „Senasis malūnas“ 2013 m.JPG

Some of the fortification structures that were built before the 20th century and facilities have survived. Klaipėda Castle, which was used from the 13th through 18th centuries, as well as its accompanying bastion, built from 1559 remains on the left bank of the Danė River.{{cite web |title=The Castle Museum |url=https://www.mlimuziejus.lt/en/the-castle-museum/ |website=Mlimuziejus.lt |access-date=8 January 2022 |archive-date=8 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108104529/https://www.mlimuziejus.lt/en/the-castle-museum/ |url-status=live}} Klaipėda Castle's bastion complex, which dates from the 15th through 18th centuries, still exists on the right bank of Danė River. Old public buildings, including Theater Palace, which was built on the site of a burnt-down Neoclassical building in 1857, still exist on the old town in Klaipėda. Half-timbered and brick warehouses and residential houses are prevalent throughout Klaipėda.

Following the fire of 1854, the city was intensively rebuilt. In the Naujamiestis district, which began to form in the second half of the 19th century, notable historical buildings include the State Bank (1858), Courthouse (1862), the railway station (1875), the Louise Gymnasium (1891), the neo-Gothic Post Office (1890, architect H. Schoede), the barracks complex (1907, now Klaipėda University Central Palace{{cite web |title=Klaipeda University – History |url=https://www.ku.lt/en/apie-universiteta/istorija/ |website=Ku.lt |access-date=8 January 2022 |archive-date=8 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108104820/https://www.ku.lt/en/apie-universiteta/istorija/ |url-status=live}}), Teachers' Seminary (1908), City Hospital (1902), and the Craftsmen's Shelter (1910).

File:BiržosTiltasHistorieKlp.jpg was an important source of income for the city.]]

Furthermore, during this period, many residential houses and various other buildings were built. For instance, residential buildings were built on Liepų Street. Also, a neoclassical palace was built in Liepų Street 12. The palace would get expanded around 1820 as well as in the late 19th century. The palace is now used as the Klaipėda Clock and Watch Museum.{{cite web |title=Clock Museum {{!}} Lietuvos nacionalinis dailės muziejus |url=https://www.lndm.lt/en/lm/ |website=Lndm.lt |access-date=8 January 2022 |archive-date=12 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211212150335/https://www.lndm.lt/en/lm/ |url-status=live }} Also, a wooden villa in Giruliai, Šlaito Street 4 was built in the second half of the 19th century. Furthermore, a Neo-Renaissance villa was built in 1874. The aforementioned villa is now used as the Klaipėda County I. Simonaitytė Public Library. Industrial buildings, including a gas factory built in 1861 by the architect J. Hartmann, the fachwerk Union Chemical Fertilizer Factory built in 1869–80, the pulp factory built in 1900 and later expanded to form 1994 Klaipėda Cardboard Company, were also extensively constructed. Furthermore, a bascule bridge was built over the canal between the castle and the Danė River in 1855. The bascule bridge had important economic impacts for the city, as every passing vessel was required to pay a bridge lifting fee.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos Biržos tiltas |url=https://www.pamatyklietuvoje.lt/details/klaipedos-birzos-tiltas/11190 |website=PamatykLietuvoje.lt |language=lt |access-date=9 January 2022 |archive-date=9 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109134950/https://www.pamatyklietuvoje.lt/details/klaipedos-birzos-tiltas/11190 |url-status=live}}

File:Klaipėda (Memel) Old Town in 1932.jpg

In the early 20th century, Jugendstil style buildings were built in the city, including houses at Tiltų Street 13 and H. Manto Street 30, as well as a villa at Smiltynės Street 11. Following the Restoration of Independence of Lithuania and the Klaipėda Revolt, the Red Cross Hospital (1933, architect R. Steikūnas; now Klaipėda County Hospital), Vytautas Magnus Gymnasium (1934, architect H. Reissmann), Klaipėda Pedagogical Institute Sports Hall (1937, architect V. Landsbergis ‑ Žemkalnis; known since 2005 as the Klaipėda Physical Culture and Recreation Center), City Savings Bank (1938), Power Plant Complex (3rd–4th decade of the 20th century, architect of some buildings H. Reissmann) were built and are characterized by rationalist features.

During World War II, 60% of the buildings in Klaipėda were destroyed. Moreover, the buildings reminiscent of Klaipėda's Germans were destroyed, and the remains of bombed-out Catholic and evangelical Reformed churches were demolished.

During the Soviet occupation, the historical part of Klaipėda was redesigned. The construction of the St. Church of the Queen Mary of Peace was started in 1957 with the funding of the believers (architect J. Baltrėnas). However, in 1960, it was deprived of believers. Instead, a branch of the LSSR Philharmonic was established there in 1963. The building would later be used as a place of worship again in 1988.{{cite web |title=Istorija – Klaipėdos Marijos Taikos Karalienės parapija |url=https://taikoskaraliene.lt/lt/istorija/ |website=Taikoskaraliene.lt |access-date=8 January 2022 |language=lt |date=12 March 2021 |archive-date=8 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220108104922/https://taikoskaraliene.lt/lt/istorija/ |url-status=live}} Other notable constructions from that period include the Palace of Culture (1963, architect A. Mikėnas, now Klaipėda Musical Theater), Marriage Palace (1980, architect R. V. Kraniauskas), Lithuanian Maritime Museum and Aquarium (1979, architects P. Lapė, L. Šliogerienė; located in Kopgalis Fortress, 1866), and Hotel Klaipėda (1986, architect G. Tiškus; now Amberton Klaipėda). File:Amberton hotel in Klaipėda (54175528303).jpg Following the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, the Dolphinarium of the Lithuanian Maritime Museum (1994, architect P. Lapė), large shopping centers, administrative buildings, hotels and residential buildings were built.

File:Vytautas the Great Gymnasium in Klaipėda, Lithuania in 2013.jpg

Since the 14th century, Klaipėda has been a center for education in Lithuania Minor.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos miesto savivaldybės administracija – Education |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/eng/Education/193861 |website=Klaipeda.lt |access-date=11 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111152316/https://www.klaipeda.lt/eng/Education/193861 |archive-date=11 November 2017 |url-status=dead}} During the period of Teutonic Knights there were so-called Latin schools near the city churches in Pilsotas, the northern part of the Klaipėda Region inhabited by the Curonians, however most of the schools were established in Sambia Peninsula.{{cite web |last1=Matulevičius |first1=Algirdas |title=Mažoji Lietuva |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/mazoji-lietuva |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}}{{cite web |last1=Zigmas |first1=Zinkevičius |title=Pilsotas |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/pilsotas |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}}

During the period of the Duchy of Prussia schools in Lithuania Minor were created based on the regulations of the church authorities. In the 16th century a dozen Lithuanian parochial schools operated in the Duchy of Prussia. The earliest documented fact about teachers in Klaipėda dates to 1540 when a tax payer was described as "living with the teacher".{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos mokyklos |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-mokyklos |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} Around 1590, the Lithuanian community became independent, and then in ~1620 a separate Klaipėdian Parochial School was opened in a house built on a plot belonging to a priest of the Lithuanian Church, located between the extension of John's Street and Market's Street, but the church and school were demolished in 1627.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos lietuvininkų parapinė mokykla |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-lietuvininku-parapine-mokykla |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} In 1687, a new Lithuanian Church was built in the Friedrich's suburb and the Lithuanian Parochial School was also established next to it. At the beginning of the 19th century, the significance of the Lithuanian Parochial School in Klaipėda decreased and in 1817 the Magistrate of Klaipėda occupied the building and the school ceased its activity after operating for nearly 300 years.

File:Ewangeliszkas Malonės Dawadas (in Lithuanian language) by David Holaz, published in Königsberg in 1768.jpg

In the first half of the 18th century King Frederick William I carried out a reform of the Prussian education system and was one of the first in Europe to try to implement universal primary education. Out of 1160 new primary schools 275 were established in Lithuanian Province which included Klaipėda. Moreover, Lutheranism provisions encouraged the use of the language of the local people in public life, including in church schools, and in the 18th century the number of primary schools in Lithuanian counties eventually risen to 449 (in 340 of them pupils were taught only in Lithuanian or in German). Nevertheless, a big obstacle for Lithuanian children to study was serfdom which was abolished in Prussia only in 1763. In the 19th century, mixed schools resulted in Germanisation of Lithuanian pupils as bilingual schools eventually became monolingual German. In the interwar period Klaipėda became part of Lithuania since 1923, however in this period out of 102 schools only four were Lithuanian and seven were mixed German–Lithuanian in the entire Klaipėda Region.{{cite web |title=Tarpukario Klaipėda: maištas prieš lietuvišką sistemą, Kudirkos šuolis, svastikos ir medaliais apdovanota tekstilė |url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/kultura/12/1266465/tarpukario-klaipeda-maistas-pries-lietuviska-sistema-kudirkos-suolis-svastikos-ir-medaliais-apdovanota-tekstile |website=Lrt.lt |date=November 2020 |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}}

File:Stasio Šimkaus Conservatory in Klaipėda, Lithuania (2022).jpg

At the end of the 17th century, the Great School (or the Latin School) was established which was the first upper school in Klaipėda, and in ~1850 the school was granted gymnasium status, while in 1891 it was named after Queen Louise.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos Luizės gimnazija |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-luizes-gimnazija |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} In 1829, the Klaipėda Navigation School was established due to the demand to train navigators and sea captains.{{cite web |last1=Adomavičius |first1=Romaldas |title=Klaipėdos navigacijos mokykla |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/navigacijos-mokykla |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} In 1902, the Klaipėda Teachers' Seminary was established with an objective to prepare teachers who know Lithuanian language.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos mokytojų seminarija |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-mokytoju-seminarija |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} In 1923, the Klaipėda Conservatory was established on the initiative of composer Stasys Šimkus to educate professional musicians which is still active.{{cite web |title=Istorija |url=https://klaipedoskonservatorija.lt/apie-mokykla/istorija |website=Klaipedoskonservatorija.lt |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} In 1925, the Klaipėda Accelerated School was established alongside its German counterpart which after 2 years studies provided an opportunity to its graduates to continues studies in the gymnasium.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos spartesnioji mokykla |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-spartesnioji-mokykla |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}}

Currently, Klaipėda has 12 gymnasiums, 3 primary schools, 17 progymnasiums, and 4 elementary schools.{{cite web |title=Mokyklų žemėlapis |url=https://svietimas.klaipeda.lt/mokyklu-zemelapis/7 |website=Klaipeda.lt |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} Additionally, there is Eduardo Balsio Gymnasium of Arts.{{cite web |title=Vizija, misija, veiklos sritis ir ugdymo programos |url=https://www.balsiogimnazija.lt/vizija-misija |website=Balsiogimnazija.lt |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} Most of pupils in Klaipėda later studies in the universities or colleges as Lithuania is one of the world's leading countries in OECD's statistics of population with tertiary education (58.15% of 25–34-year-olds in 2022).{{cite web |title=Population with tertiary education |url=https://data.oecd.org/eduatt/population-with-tertiary-education.htm |website=OECD |access-date=30 June 2023}}

File:Academic campus of Klaipėda University in Klaipėda, Lithuania in 2022.jpg]]

File:Main campus of LCC International University in Klaipėda, Lithuania.jpg

Initially, Klaipėda had no university, therefore many Klaipėdians and prominent Lithuanians from Lithuania Minor and Lithuania proper studied and lectured at the University of Königsberg which was established in 1544 with a permission of Sigismund I the Old and had equal status to the University of Kraków.{{cite web |last1=Matulevičius |first1=Algirdas |last2=Vitkevičius |first2=Povilas |title=Karaliaučiaus universitetas |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/karaliauciaus-universitetas |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}} Since 1718 the University of Königsberg had the Lithuanian language seminar which was the first independent discipline of Lithuanian language in higher education.{{cite web |title=Karaliaučiaus universiteto Lietuvių kalbos seminaras |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/karaliauciaus-universiteto-lietuviu-kalbos-seminaras/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}}

In the interwar period three high schools were established in Klaipėda. The Klaipėda Trade Institute (est. in 1934) which had three departments: banking, commercial, and consular (since 1937: banking–commercial and consular).{{cite web |title=Prekybos institutas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/prekybos-institutas/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |language=lt |access-date=30 June 2023}} The Klaipėda Pedagogical Institute (est. in 1935) which prepared higher qualification teachers for primary schools.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |last2=Pupšys |first2=Vladas |title=Klaipėdos pedagoginis institutas |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-pedagoginis-institutas |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |language=lt |access-date=30 June 2023}} The Klaipėda Regional Pedagogical Institute (est. in 1935) which prepared higher qualification teachers for regional German schools.{{cite web |last1=Juška |first1=Albertas |title=Klaipėdos krašto pedagoginis institutas |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-krasto-pedagoginis-institutas |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |language=lt |access-date=30 June 2023}} There also were proposals to establish a university in Klaipėda, however German annexation of the Klaipėda Region in 1939 and subsequently occurred sovietization of Lithuania prevented it from being realized.{{cite web |last1=Jokubauskas |first1=Vytautas |title=Klaipėdos universitetas geopolitiniame kontekste |url=https://sc.bns.lt/view/item/237597 |website=Baltic News Service |access-date=30 June 2023 |language=lt}}{{cite web |last1=Žalys |first1=Aleksandras |title=Klaipėdos universitetas |url=https://www.mle.lt/straipsniai/klaipedos-universitetas |website=Mažosios Lietuvos enciklopedija |language=lt |access-date=30 June 2023}}

In the Soviet period branches of the Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (1959) and Šiauliai Pedagogical Institute (1971), as well as Faculty of Preschool Education of the Šiauliai Pedagogical Institute (1975), and the Klaipėda Ecology Centre of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences were established in Klaipėda. In 1990, following the re-establishment of the State of Lithuania, they were merged to establish Klaipėda University. The Klaipėda University has three faculties (Marine Technology and Natural Sciences, of Social Sciences and Humanities, and of Health Sciences) and two institutes (Marine Research Institute and Institute of Baltic Region History and Archaeology).{{cite web |title=Departments |url=https://www.ku.lt/en/university/structure-1-1 |website=Klaipėda University |access-date=30 June 2023}} In 2019, Klaipėda University joined the EU-CONEXUS which is an international alliance of coastal cities universities aiming to enhance cooperation between them.{{cite web |title=About University |url=https://www.ku.lt/en/university/about-university-1 |website=Klaipėda University |access-date=30 June 2023}} Every year over 3,000 students study at Klaipėda University, while nearly 40,000 are alumni.

Another university operating in Klaipėda is the LCC International University which is an ecumenical Christian university providing liberal arts education of social sciences and humanities.{{cite web |title=About LCC |url=https://lcc.lt/about-lcc |website=LCC.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}} The majority of its students are internationals from tens of countries worldwide.

Four colleges operate in Klaipėda: Klaipėda University of Applied Sciences, Lithuania Business College, SMK High School, and Lithuanian Maritime Academy.{{cite web |title=Klaipėda University of Applied Sciences|url=https://www.kvk.lt/en/ |website=Kvk.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=Lithuania Business College |url=https://ltvk.lt/en/home-page/ |website=Ltvk.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=SMK High School |url=https://www.smk.lt/en/study-here/ |website=Smk.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=Short LMA History |url=https://www.lajm.lt/en/about-lajm/hist.html |website=Lajm.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}} Moreover, Vilnius Academy of Arts and Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre also has faculties in Klaipėda.{{cite web |title=Faculty of Klaipėda |url=https://www.vda.lt/en/faculty-of-klaipeda |website=Vda.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}}{{cite web |title=Klaipėda Faculty |url=https://lmta.lt/en/fakultetas/klaipedos-fakultetas/ |website=LMTA.lt |access-date=30 June 2023}}

File:KnihovnaISimonaitytėsHMantoKlp.JPG Public Library]]

A number of libraries are located in Klaipėda, with the most notable being Klaipėda University Library (est. in 1991, has hundreds of thousands of publications copies),{{cite web |title=About the Library |url=https://biblioteka.ku.lt/en/about-library |website=Biblioteka.KU.lt |access-date=2 July 2023}} Klaipėda City Municipality Imanuel Kant Public Library (est. in 1920, has 20 departments),{{cite web |title=Apie mus |url=https://biblioteka.lt/apie-biblioteka/bendra-informacija/apie-mus/219 |website=Biblioteka.lt |access-date=2 July 2023 |language=lt}} Klaipėda County Ieva Simonaitytė Public Library (est. in 1950, has over 900,000 documents of which nearly 600,000 are books),{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos apskrities Ievos Simonaitytės viešoji biblioteka |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/klaipedos-apskrities-ievos-simonaitytes-viesoji-biblioteka/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=2 July 2023 |language=lt}} etc.

File:Complex of K and D Towers in Klaipėda, Lithuania in 2012.jpg

The tallest building in Klaipėda is Pilsotas, which is a 34-storey building.

{{Cleanup section|reason=Bad grammar and some cruft/puffery, non-NPOV or unencyclopedic content.|date=April 2023}}

File:Kleinbahn Klaipėda.jpg

The Klaipėda railway station (Lithuanian: Klaipėdos geležinkelio stotis) is located at Priestočio g. 1, north of the Old Town.

The railway station consists of two buildings. The old building, made of yellow bricks and reflecting features of Classical architecture, was built in 1881. Currently, the building hosts various small businesses. The new railway station was built of red bricks in 1983.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

The railway network of then Prussia reached Klaipėda in 1878. Initially used for lumber and fish freight on the Klaipėda–Šilutė and Klaipėda–Šilutė–Pagėgiai routes, the railway grid network of Lithuania Minor received a major boost after the Klaipėda uprising and the annexation of the region by Lithuania in 1923.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

As of 2017, Lithuanian Railways were operating two routes from Klaipėda railway station. 4 daily trains on route Klaipėda – Vilnius and 2 daily trains on the Klaipėda–Radviliškis routes. Train tickets could be obtained at the station.{{Cite web |title=LTG Link {{!}} E. bilietas |url=https://www.traukiniobilietas.lt/portal/ |access-date=2021-11-16|website=www.traukiniobilietas.lt |archive-date=7 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207005822/https://www.traukiniobilietas.lt/portal/ |url-status=dead}} lt or with a surcharge – on board the trains.

The railway station is served by the following buses of Klaipėda city passenger transport:

• No. 9 south of the city – city hospital (via Central Klaipėda Terminal)
• No. 6 south of the city – Melnragė district (Melnragė beaches)
• No. 8 south of city – bus station (through Old town)
• No. 15 south of the city – city hospital
• No. 100 bus station – Palanga International Airport (PLQ)

File:Palanga International Airport in 2008.jpg

Domestic and international commercial scheduled airline services are provided by Palanga International Airport. The airport is connected with Klaipėda by a city bus.

Klaipėda also has a small, privately run aerodrome with a focus on sports aviation and charter services.

File:Klaipeda The Old Ferry port terminal with a ferry boat.jpg

Klaipėda is located next to the Curonian Spit and a small part of the peninsula (Smiltynė) is within Klaipėda. People can reach the peninsula by ferry using one of the two terminals.

• The Old ferry terminal (Danės st. 1) – ferry from city center for passengers traveling on foot or with bikes;
• The New ferry terminal (Nemuno st. 8) – ferry for people with motorized vehicles.

In Klaipėda, there are three ferry lines and two ferry companies: DFDS Seaways and TT-Line.

Ferries depart from the Central Klaipėda Terminal (CKT). DFDS operates ferries to Kiel (Germany) and Karlshamn (Sweden), and TT-Line ferries head to Trelleborg (Sweden).

File:Klaipėda Bus Station in 2010.jpg

File:Lithuanian electric bus Dancer, Klaipėda.jpg and used for city's public transportation since 2020{{cite web |title=Metai su "Dancer" autobusais Klaipėdoje: įrodė patikimumą ir tvarumą |url=https://www.fez.lt/lt/metai-su-dancer-autobusais-klaipedoje-irode-patikimuma-ir-tvaruma/ |website=Klaipėda Free Economic Zone |access-date=26 March 2023 |language=lt-LT |date=23 April 2021 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326113942/https://www.fez.lt/lt/metai-su-dancer-autobusais-klaipedoje-irode-patikimuma-ir-tvaruma/ |url-status=live}}]]

Klaipėda's bus public transportation is arranged in a north–south axis, based on three parallel principal streets, running along the coast of Curonian Lagoon and thus making the grid logical and comfortable for commuting.{{cite web |url=http://www.klaipedatransport.lt/files/puslapiai/Juros%20svente/aKlaipedosMaps.pdf |title=Map |website=Klaipedatransport.lt |access-date=2 August 2019 |archive-date=23 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323030802/http://klaipedatransport.lt/files/puslapiai/Juros%20svente/aKlaipedosMaps.pdf |url-status=live}}

In shops and newsstands, electronic cards could be bought for the purpose of paying for transportation. Public transport is organized, supervised and coordinated by the Klaipėda city passenger transport.

Buses to other cities and towns depart from Klaipėda bus station (Butkų Juzės g. 9).

Buses to Curonian Spit villages Nida and Juodkrantė depart from a bus stop in Smiltynė (next to the Old ferry terminal).

Trams in Klaipėda functioned in 1904—1934 and 1950–1967. It was the only tram transport in the history of Lithuania, as well as the last years of first independent Lithuania, then in Soviet Lithuania. It was an interurban transport which was operated by Memeler Kleinbahn AG company.

The tram system had two lines with 12 km of tracks and 17 tramcars. The first line was from the old city (lighthouse and Strandvilla restaurant) through center and northern suburbs, which included Royal (Didžioji) Vitė and Bomelio Vitė localities. Eventually, the route would go to beaches, then to Melnragė, a resort. The second line was from the old city through Royal Smeltė, an industrial suburb, then south to Wilhelm Channel and Wooden Bay. Line The tram lines were all connected to the stock exchange in the center of the city. Branches of the tram routes connected the center with railway station through Liepaja (now Manto) Street and Liepaja (now Lietuvninku) Square. Another tram route passed near the Winter Port through the Vite locality. In 1950—1967 tram run functioned in line to Smeltė only. Tram lines were used for delivery of goods from railways and ports. Eventually, the tram degraded and closed due to wear, as well as lack of funds for its renewal and development.Tatoris Jonas Senoji Klaipėda. Urbanistinė raida ir architektūra iki 1939 metų. — Вильнюс., 1994. С. 87;{{in lang|lt}}

City authorities are currently planning to revitalize the tram system in Klaipėda. The proposed tram routes plan to connect Klaipėda with Šventoji through Palanga International Airport, as well as Palanga. In 2017, a feasibility study began for first tram line on Herkus Manto and Taikos streets.[http://www.lrytas.lt/verslas/rinkos-pulsas/vizija-ateityje-po-pajuri-keliausime-greituoju-tramvajumi-ir-elektrobusais.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131129110155/http://www.lrytas.lt/verslas/rinkos-pulsas/vizija-ateityje-po-pajuri-keliausime-greituoju-tramvajumi-ir-elektrobusais.htm|date=29 November 2013}} Vizija: ateityje po pajūrį keliausime greituoju tramvajumi ir elektrobusais{{in lang|lt}}{{Cite web |language=lt |url=http://www.ve.lt/naujienos/klaipeda1/miesto-istorijos/klaipedos-tramvajus---desimtmecio-utopija/ |title=Klaipėdos tramvajus – dešimtmečio utopija |author=Dienraštis Vakaru ekspresas |website=Dienraštis Vakaru ekspresas |date=10 April 2010 |access-date=7 October 2020 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116182054/https://www.ve.lt/naujienos/klaipeda1/miesto-istorijos/klaipedos-tramvajus---desimtmecio-utopija/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |url=http://lzinios.lt/lzinios/Gimtasis-krastas/klaipeda-gaivina-tramvajaus-tradicijas/247962 |title=Klaipėda gaivina tramvajaus tradicijas |access-date=8 October 2020 |archive-date=15 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915114749/http://lzinios.lt/lzinios/Gimtasis-krastas/klaipeda-gaivina-tramvajaus-tradicijas/247962 |url-status=dead}}

File:Old town of Klaipeda life.jpg

Klaipėda's Old Town is notable among other towns in Lithuania for its abundance of German and Scandinavian architecture. Klaipėda's Old Town is unique with its fachwerk architectural style and its planned street structure, which is uncharacteristic to any other old town in Lithuania. Its streets are geometrically configured very correctly, and the angle of intersection is straight.

One of the most popular places in Klaipėda's old town is The Theatre Square. It hosts a variety of concerts, the Sea Festival, the International Jazz Festival and other events. An important focus of the Theatre Square is the Taravos Anikė sculpture depicting a youthful barefoot girl. The sculpture was erected in the memory of the poet Simonas Dachas and perpetuates one of the poet's described heroes.{{cite web |url=http://www.lithuania.travel/en-gb/attractions/klaipedas-old-town/17170 |title=Klaipeda's Old Town – Explore the City |access-date=31 May 2015 |archive-date=14 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150114135623/http://www.lithuania.travel/en-gb/attractions/klaipedas-old-town/17170 |url-status=live}}

File:Baltas Wheat Beer (Flickr).jpg brewery, established in 1784]]

Klaipėda generates approximately 12 percent of Lithuania's GDP and about 80 percent of western Lithuania's GDP.{{cite web |title=Klaipėdos miesto savivaldybės administracija – Ekonominė situacija |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/lit/Ekonomine-situacija/1277 |website=Klaipeda.lt |access-date=11 November 2017 |language=lt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111204758/https://www.klaipeda.lt/lit/Ekonomine-situacija/1277 |archive-date=11 November 2017 |url-status=dead}} Much of Klaipėda's economy is impacted by trade in the Port of Klaipėda. In the eastern part of the city, there is the Klaipėda Free Economic Zone, which offers 0 percent tax incentives for first 6 years.

Klaipėda also the location of the first Geothermal Demonstration Plant in the Baltic States, which supplies with geothermal heating and Klaipėda Combined Heat and Power Plant. In 2014, Klaipėda LNG FSRU with FSRU Independence ship was opened and guaranteed the alternative way of supplying the country with gas.{{cite web |last=Sėlenienė |first=Laura |title=SGD terminalas oficialiai atidarytas: pradėjo suktis skaitiklis už "Independence" nuomą |url=https://www.15min.lt/verslas/naujiena/energetika/sgd-terminalas-oficialiai-atidarytas-pradejo-suktis-skaitiklis-uz-independence-nuoma-664-470621 |website=15min.lt |access-date=3 December 2014 |archive-date=6 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706022411/http://www.15min.lt/verslas/naujiena/energetika/sgd-terminalas-oficialiai-atidarytas-pradejo-suktis-skaitiklis-uz-independence-nuoma-664-470621 |url-status=live}}

Most of the city's GDP is generated in the service sector. Inhabitants of Klaipėda have a higher income than the average of Lithuania. Companies in Klaipėda include BLRT Western Shipyard, DFDS Lisco, Švyturys, Klaipėdos jūrų krovinių kompanija, Grigeo Klaipėda and Balticum TV.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

According to the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, the GDP in the second quarter of 2017 as compared with the first quarter of 2017, has increased by 7.7 percent, while comparing with the second quarter of 2016 it has increased by 4.0 percent. The rise is also planned in the further years.

File:Klaipeda beach (14694266436).jpg

File:Arka Monument in Klaipeda.JPG Monument for united Lithuania]]

• Radijas 9 91.4 FM
• Laluna 94.9 FM
• Kelyje 99.8 FM
• Raduga 100.8 FM
• European Hit Radio 96.2 FM
• Power Hit Radio 96.7 FM
• Zip FM 92.5 FM

• Balticum TV

• Vakarų ekspresas
• Klaipėda

File:ŽemaitėNádražíKlp.JPG

File:ClapecVKlajpedskémPřístavu.JPG

File:Modern buildings in Klaipėda in 2010.jpg

• Simon Dach (1605–1659), poet and writer of the Ännchen von Tharau song
• Matthäus Prätorius (1635–1704), Protestant pastor, historian, ethnographer
• David Wilkins (1685–1745), a Prussian orientalist, settled in England
• Michael Wohlfahrt (1687–1741), religious leader in Pennsylvania
• Andreas Murray (1695–1771), Swedish priest
• Johan Daniel Berlin (1714–1787), Norwegian rococo composer and organist
• Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander (1799–1875), astronomer
• Yisrael Salanter (1810–1883), founder of Musar movement within Judaism
• Julius Kröhl (1820–1867), German-American submarine pioneer
• James Hobrecht (1825–1902), German director for urban planning of Berlin
• Isaac Rülf (1831–1902), editor-in-chief of Memeler Dampfboot, philosopher, activist
• Heinrich Drews (1841–1916), orchestrated the National Anthem of El Salvador
• David Wolffsohn (1856–1914), second president of World Zionist Organization
• Clara Schlaffhorst (1863–1945), voice educator
• George Adomeit (1879–1967), painter
• Charlotte Susa (1898–1976), actress
• Werner Wolff (SS officer) (1922–1945)
• Arno Esch (1928–1951) liberal politician in (SBZ) (Soviet Occupied Zone)
• Gerhard Spiegler (1929–2015), former President of Elizabethtown College Pennsylvania
• Tomas Venclova (born 1937), poet and author
• Werner Ulrich (born 1940), East German sprint canoer
• Lena Valaitis (born 1943), pop singer
• Hans Henning Atrott (born 1944), philosopher and pro-euthanasia activist
• Eugenijus Jovaiša (born 1950), historian, archaeologist, and professor
• Leonidas Donskis (1962–2016), philosopher and critic
• Gitanas Nausėda, (born 1964), President of Lithuania
• Mindaugas Piecaitis (born 1969), conductor/composer of Catcerto for Nora the Piano Cat
• Eurelijus Žukauskas (born 1973), basketball player
• Rolandas Muraška (born 1973), tennis player
• Saulius Štombergas (born 1973), basketball player
• Violeta "Sati" Jurkonienė (born 1976), Lithuanian singer
• Tomas Danilevičius (born 1978), Lithuanian football (soccer) player
• Živilė Rezgytė, (born 1978), rhythmic gymnast and business executive
• Arvydas Macijauskas (born 1980), basketball player
• Tomas Delininkaitis (born 1982), basketball player
• Tomas Vaitkus (born 1982), cycling champion
• Kristina Tučkutė (born 1983), fashion model
• Valdas Vasylius (born 1983), basketball player
• Gintaras Januševičius, (born 1985), pianist
• Monika Liu, (born 1988), singer-songwriter
• Tauras Tunyla (born 1993), racing driver

{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Lithuania}}

File:LT-2002-10litų-Klaipeda-b.png commemorative coin dedicated to Klaipėda city (2002)]]

Klaipėda is twinned with:{{cite web |title=Miestai partneriai |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/meras/miestai-partneriai/225 |website=klaipeda.lt |publisher=Klaipėda |language=lt |access-date=28 August 2019 |archive-date=3 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903121645/https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/savivaldybe/meras/miestai-partneriai/225 |url-status=live}}

{{div col|colwidth=20em}}

• {{flagicon|USA}} Cleveland, United States
• {{flagicon|POL}} Gdynia, Poland
• {{flagicon|SWE}} Karlskrona, Sweden
• {{flagicon|FIN}} Kotka, Finland
• {{flagicon|JPN}} Kuji, Japan
• {{flagicon|LVA}} Liepāja, Latvia
• {{flagicon|GER}} Lübeck, Germany
• {{flagicon|GER}} Mannheim, Germany
• {{flagicon|ENG}} North Tyneside, England, United Kingdom
• {{flagicon|UKR}} Odesa, Ukraine
• {{flagicon|GER}} Sassnitz, Germany{{cite web |title=Stadt Sassnitz: Partnerstädte |url=https://www.sassnitz.de/seite/203655/partnerst%C3%A4dte.html |publisher=City of Sassnitz |access-date=6 September 2020 |archive-date=24 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924115046/https://www.sassnitz.de/seite/203655/partnerst%C3%A4dte.html |url-status=live}}
• {{flagicon|POL}} Szczecin, Poland
• {{Flagicon|TUR}} Mersin, Turkey{{cite web |title=Kardeş Şehirlerimiz |url=http://www.mersin.bel.tr/kardes-sehirlerimiz |publisher=Mersin Provincial Council |access-date=8 August 2022 |archive-date=8 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808111517/http://www.mersin.bel.tr/kardes-sehirlerimiz}}
• {{div col end}}

The city was previously twinned with:{{cite web |title=Nutrauktas bendradarbiavimas su Rusijos ir Baltarusijos miestais |url=https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/naujienos/naujienos/7655/nutrauktas-bendradarbiavimas-su-rusijos-ir-baltarusijos-miestais:2577 |website=klaipeda.lt |access-date=8 January 2023 |language=lt-LT |date=1 March 2022 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307182048/https://www.klaipeda.lt/lt/naujienos/naujienos/7655/nutrauktas-bendradarbiavimas-su-rusijos-ir-baltarusijos-miestais:2577 |url-status=live}}

• {{flagicon|RUS}} Cherepovets, Russia
• {{flagicon|RUS}} Kaliningrad, Russia
• {{flagicon|BLR}} Mogilev, Belarus

Klaipėda has an additional cooperation agreement with:{{Cite web |url=http://archyvas.lrp.lt/lt/news.full/7940 |title=Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas – "Turime ieškoti ne tik glaudesnių ekonominių bei politinių ryšių, bet ir siekti geriau pažinti savitas abiejų valstybių kultūras", – sakė Prezidentas V. Adamkus |website=Archyvas.lrp.lt |date=1 June 2007 |access-date=10 October 2019 |archive-date=23 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523162306/http://archyvas.lrp.lt/lt/news.full/7940 |url-status=dead}}

• {{flagicon|POR}} Porto, Portugal

• Neighborhoods of Klaipėda
• Ports of the Baltic Sea

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• Baedeker, Karl. Northern Germany. London, 1904, p. 178.
• Christiansen, Eric. The Northern Crusades. Penguin Books. London, 1997. pp. 107, 160, 248. {{ISBN|0-14-026653-4}}
• The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia (2006).
• Gathorne-Hardy, Geoffrey Malcolm. A Short History of International Affairs, 1920 to 1934. Oxford University Press, 3rd impression, May 1936, p. 89/91.
• Encyclopædia Britannica 1938 Year Book.
• Hagen, Ludwig: Die Seehäfen in den Provinzen Pommern und Preußen. Berlin 1885 (2 Bände, Band 2: Memel)
• Kirby, David. The Baltic World, 1772–1993: Europe's Northern Periphery in an Age of Change. Longman. London, 1999. p. 42, 133. {{ISBN|0-582-00408-X}}
• Kirby, David. Northern Europe in the Early Modern Period: The Baltic World, 1492–1772. Longman. London, 1990. p. 366 {{ISBN|0-582-00410-1}}
• Koch, Hannsjoachim Wolfgang. A History of Prussia. Barnes & Noble Books. New York, 1993. pp. 35, 54, 194. {{ISBN|0-88029-158-3}}
• Urban, William. The Teutonic Knights: A Military History. Greenhill Books. London, 2003, pp. 65, 121. {{ISBN|1-85367-535-0}}
• Woodward, E.L., Butler, Rohan, (editors). Documents on British Foreign Policy 1919–1939 (1939), Third Series, volume IV. HMSO, London, 1951.

{{Commons category|Klaipėda}}

{{Wikivoyage|Klaipėda}}

• {{official|https://www.klaipeda.lt/en}}
• [https://klaipedatravel.lt/en/ klaipedainfo.lt] – Klaipėda Tourism and Culture Information Center website
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080724004324/http://www.inyourpocket.com/lithuania/klaipeda/en/ Klaipėda In Your Pocket] City Guide (also a [http://www.inyourpocket.com/data/download/klaipeda.pdf downloadable PDF guide]), inyourpocket.com
• [http://www.portofklaipeda.lt/ Klaipėda State Seaport], portofklaipeda.lt
• [http://www.ku.lt/en/ University of Klaipėda], ku.lt
• [http://www.lcc.lt LCC International University], lcc.lt
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=55.692294,21.146622&spn=0.080703,0.231245&t=k&hl=en Klaipėda on Google Maps], maps.google.com
• [https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g274949-Activities-Klaipeda_Klaipeda_County.html Klaipėda for tourists], tripadvisor.com
• [http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Hafen_in_Memel wiki-de.genealogy.net], Port of Memel

{{Klaipeda County}}

{{Municipalities of Lithuania}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Klaipeda}}

Category:Cities in Lithuania

Category:Lithuania Minor

Category:Capitals of Lithuanian counties

Category:Cities in Klaipėda County

Category:Port cities and towns of the Baltic Sea

Category:Municipalities of Klaipėda County

Category:Municipalities administrative centres of Lithuania

Category:Kulm law

Category:Members of the Hanseatic League