Telšiai

Sister cities

• Krnov
• Liezen
• Mińsk Mazowiecki
• Bassum

History

Lake Mastis is mentioned in various legends and myths. The city was named after a small rivulet, the Telšė, which flows into Lake Mastis. A legend has it that a knight named Džiugas founded the city. First mentions of Telšiai date back to 1398, but the oldest archeological findings in the area of the city are from the Stone Age. In the 15th century, Telšiai already had a state-owned manor. It and the parish were governed by Samogitian elders. Telšiai was at the centre of an uprising of Samogitian peasants. At the end of the 17th century Telšiai became the centre of culture and politics of Samogitia. Local parliaments known as Sejmiks composed of noblemen were organised in the city and a court was established. Magdeburg rights were granted to Telšiai in the 17th century. Until the Third Partition of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795, Telšiai County formed the Duchy of Samogitia in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. During the November uprising of 1831 Telšiai became a sanctuary for Polish–Lithuanian partisans fighting the Russians. A revolutionary government of insurrectionists was formed and schools for the preparation of military officers and noncommissioned officers were opened. During the Uprising of 1863, Telšiai was one of the main centres of uprise in Samogitia since insurrectionist forces massed there. At the end of the 19th century Telšiai started to grow. A team of firemen formed, and a pharmacy and a theater were opened. In 1908 the very first Lithuanian concert–performance was organised. Telšiai was the birthplace and residence of famous Samogitian noble brothers: Stanisław Narutowicz (member of the Council of Lithuania) and Gabriel Narutowicz (the first President of Poland, who was assassinated). The city…

Geography

Telšiai is located in the middle of the Samogitian Heights. The city was built on seven hills on the shores of Lake Mastis. The nearby Šatrija hill and hillfort is cultural monument and part of a nature preserve.

Most-observed species

• Common Buzzard

  Buteo buteo (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  56
• Eurasian Marsh-Harrier

  Circus aeruginosus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  50
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  47
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  47
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  47
• Yellowhammer

  Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  45
• Common Crane

  Grus grus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  44
• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  42