Tytuvėnai

Sister cities

• Miastko

History

Tytuvėnai was first mentioned in historical records at the end of the 14th century, during which time a wooden castle stood on a hillfort overlooking Lake Bridvaišis. In 1555, the settlement's first wooden church was constructed on the site of a former pagan shrine, which is known today as St. George's Hill. On May 12, 1609, Andrius Valavičius, the Grand Standard-Bearer of Lithuania and a judge of the Samogitian Land Court, purchased Tytuvėnai for 11,000 silver coins. Having reverted to Catholicism during the Counter-Reformation, Valavičius and his family initiated the construction of the Tytuvėnai Monastery adjacent to the town's old church. In 1614, Valavičius drafted the founding charter for the monastery and church, and endowed the project with 10,000 silver coins. Following his death later that same year, the execution of his will fell to Jeronimas Valavičius, the Treasurer of the Lithuania, who commenced construction in 1618. With additional financial support from other Samogitian nobles, construction continued into the late 18th century. In 1633 the main part of monastery and church was completed. In 1772–1780 a courtyard was built, in which Stations of the Cross were placed. Following the Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Tytuvėnai was an active center of resistance against Russian rule in Lithuania. During the November Uprising of 1830–1831, the town hosted the election of the Central Government of Samogitia and served as a rebel base, equipped with a foundry for producing cannonballs and ammunition. In the subsequent January Uprising of 1863, rebel forces led by Antanas Mackevičius and Jonas Stanevičius-Pisarskis were garrisoned in the area, where they clashed with the Russian Imperial Army. In 1864, a year after the uprising, Russian…

Most-observed species

• Yellowhammer

  Emberiza citrinella Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  26
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  22
• White Stork

  Ciconia ciconia (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  21
• Common Crane

  Grus grus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18
• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  18
• Fieldfare

  Turdus pilaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  18
• Barn Swallow

  Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  18
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  17