The sculpture is based on a historical legend involving a castle guard named Hans von Heidi who claimed to see a ghost while warning that the city was running out of food and fuel.
The statue is officially titled 'The Black Ghost' and was commissioned to commemorate the 760th anniversary of the founding of Klaipėda.
It is constructed from bronze and stands 2.4 meters high, making it life-sized relative to a tall human figure.
The artists incorporated a lantern feature into the design, which is intended to glow during the evening hours.
It serves as a cultural marker for the city's Hanseatic history.
The location on the quay was chosen specifically to represent the ghost emerging from the Danė River as per the original 16th-century account.
The Black Ghost (Juodasis vaiduoklis) is a 2.4-meter-tall bronze sculpture emerging from the water near the Friedrich Passage in Klaipėda. Created by sculptors Svajunas Jurkus and Sergejus Plotnikovas, the statue illustrates a local legend from 1595 about a guard who encountered a ghost while patrolling the city walls. The sculpture depicts a cloaked, hooded figure climbing out of the water, extending one hand toward the riverbank. It functions as a public art installation accessible 24/7 along the Danė River embankment. The statue is interactive, designed to be touched, and is frequently used by locals and tourists for photographs. It stands on a stone base, blending into the surrounding maritime landscape.
From the wooden embankment directly in front of the sculpture to capture the perspective of the figure emerging from the water.
Visit at night when the sculpture's integrated light is illuminated for a more eerie effect.
Look for the plaque near the base that explains the historical legend behind the sculpture in multiple languages.
The area is narrow, so visit early in the morning to avoid crowds during the peak summer tourist season.
Do not attempt to climb or hang on the sculpture, as the bronze can be slippery and the area is frequently monitored.
