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Creepy Ghost Statue in Lithuania Looks Like It’s Crawling Out of the Water

black ghost sculpture lithuania

Images via Apie vija and Vladas Balsys

Klaipeda is a quaint seaside town in Lithuania and the country's third largest city. Visitors flock here to enjoy its historical architecture dating back to the 13th century, Maritime Museum, and annual festivals. But it may be most known for a weird statue emerging from the water—The Black Ghost.

This immense bronze sculpture, known as the Juodasis Vaiduoklis in Lithuanian, is 2.4 meters (7.8 feet) in height and casts an eery vibe. Sculpted by Svajunas Jurkus and Sergejus Plotnikovas, the mysterious figure holds a lantern in one hand, as his long, sinister fingers grip the dock. As a man without a face, he slithers ominously.

The creepy statue, which is located near Memel Castle, actually has a historical precedent. Klaipeda, which was founded by Teutonic Kings as early as the 7th century, was saved from impending famine by a mysterious ghost. Legend has it that in 1595, a castle guard was walking by the docks when he saw a ghostly, hooded figure. This “black ghost” asked about the town's grain and timber supply, inquiring if what they had was sufficient. The guard replied that they did indeed have a good supply, but the figure issued a warning that their stocks would soon run low, and then vanished.

So, in the end, The Black Ghost actually turned out to be a friendly spirit.

See more images of The Black Ghost, Lithuania's weird statue emerging from murky waters.

h/t: [reddit]

Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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