Public toilets in Lithuania

We all need them, we all worry about them, but we never speak about them. Public toilets are a necessary evil when visiting another country. Seldom are we so clearly reminded what little separate us from wild animals as when we visit a public toilet, and seldom are we made so aware that we are but feeble and weak beings as when we really need these facilities.




The standard Lithuanian public toilet

First of all, some comforting facts. It is an undisputed fact that more than 3 million Lithuanians go to the toilet successfully every day. Most of these are not traumatized by the event, and only a very limited number need medical attention afterwards. Therefore, chances are good that you will succeed with this essential part of human existence during your stay in Lithuania. That being said, you might be faced with some surprises.  




A toilet of a more self-explanatory nature


Nowadays, mostly older public buildings have this model. The simple reason for this being that it is easy to maintain, and almost impossible to break. Thereby making the only reason to replace it that the owner wants a somewhat more elegant solution. This model does however also nicely accommodate the way that humans naturally defecate, which is a far cry from the modern day position with the knees at a 90 degree angle. Such natural behavior can by the way still be observed even in the west, at most festivals where large amounts of beer and food is served in close proximity to a wooded area. In Lithuania you do not need to look further than the Vilnius train station..




A toilet of a more improvised nature. The picture is by the way not from the Vilnius train station, but from the Kaunas botanical garden. Where I guess it only makes sense to utilize free compost.

Since I grew up in rural Norway, in a time when even out door toilets were yet not uncommon, I have no problem with this approach to relieving oneself. I do however wonder how Lithuanians intend to upgrade old-fashioned toilets so that they meet EU-requirements. These now state that public toilets should be facilitated so that they can be used also by the handicapped. Do people imagine it is enough to attach on a couple of handlebars?




The Lithuanian ban on flushing toilet paper is to such an extent a mystery that it will require a separate article

And when you visit a public toilet in Lithuania, never assume that toilet paper will be provided. If you are lucky and it is provided, I would recommend trying to steal the rest of the roll. It will give you a nice feeling of blending in.