In 2011, a monument dedicated to writer Taras Hryhorovich Shevchenko (1816-1861), who inspired the Ukrainian national movement, was unveiled on the 150th anniversary of his death at the intersection of Arklių, Visų Šventųjų ir Bazilijonų streets.
The monument is an example of contemporary art. The sculptor Vitalijus Andrijanov carved the poet in his youth in a light granite stone. This sculpture was built on the initiative of the Ukrainian national minority of Lithuania, and perhaps, for this reason, many people also see it as a reminder of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.
Taras Hryhorovich Shevchenko is often called the pioneer of modern Ukrainian literature and is considered a very important person for our neighbours. He supported the ideas of the restoration of Ukrainian independence and is often associated with the pursuit of liberation.
Due to the popularity and personality of many different characters in his stories, he is extremely loved, not only in his native Ukraine but also in Lithuania.