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The "Black Ghost" Sculpture

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The Klaipėda Castle Bridge, funded by an 18th-century merchant, connects the old port with the trenches of the Danė River. Near the historic bridge stands the "Ghost" sculpture, commemorating a 1595 legend about a mystical figure who appeared to a castle guard. The sculpture was created by Svajūnas Jurkus and Sergejus Plotnikovas.

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In the early 18th century, the trenches of Klaipėda Castle were adapted for port purposes, and a bridge was needed for communication between the castle and the city through a newly dug canal. The bridge, which initially had only a 2.4-meter-wide gap for smaller boats, was financed by a wealthy merchant and was later rebuilt into a portal bridge with an 11.2-meter gap. In 1885, a new metal swing portal bridge was built, which still stands today and is a monument to engineering history. Near this historic bridge, the "Ghost" – a character from a Klaipėda

legend documented in the book "East Prussian Legends" – appears to be emerging from the water. According to the legend, on February 19, 1595, Hans von der Heidė, a guard at Klaipėda Castle, saw a man on the bridge dressed in a black cloak who foretold the siege of the castle and disappeared, leaving the castle fortifications trembling. The sculpture, created by Svajūnas Jurkus and Sergejus Plotnikovas, along with architects Vladas Balsys and Vaidotas Dapkevičius, adds a mystical charm to this place and attracts the attention of tourists.

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