Plans for Elektrėnai were conceived in 1959 when the Lithuanian government decided to build a power plant close to Vilnius and Kaunas. What is now Elektrėnai - derived from the word electricity- was selected and construction began in 1961. The nearby river was dammed and as a result local villages were flooded and destroyed.
Elektrėnai was designed to grow outwards in tessellating urban districts called mikrorayons. Each microrayon was a self-contained unit, typically featuring residential blocks arranged around a core of shops, parks and other public facilities. The architecture was made up of panelled buildings with subdued design. Only political symbols such as lightning bolts etched the streetscape.
Today the power plant is busier than ever, however the town itself has not enjoyed the same prosperity. Much of the city is outdated and has fallen into disrepair, arguably most notably the Soviet fun-fair. The city now houses 14,000 residents and markets itself on active tourism such as skating.
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