Term: 2 days, 1 night
Day 1: We
visit the church of Christs Ascension in Utena. In 1802 a wooden church of a very rare
and interesting style was built here. It was shaped like a cross and had two chapels. In
1879 a fire burned the church, the rectory and almost all Utena town.
The present gothic style
church was built from brick in 1882 and 1883. Its initiator and builder was a priest named
A. Vyšniauskas. The church was built bigger, and nicer than the old wooden church, but
the design was reminiscent of the old wooden one. 896,670 bricks were used. The belfry of
the church is of a different style and is a little older.
After seeing the red brick
church in Utena we will go to the little town Vyžuonos (14 km).
The little town of
Vyžuonos straddles the Vyžuona River, between lakes Lydekis and Iženas. The written
history of the town begins in 1406, when the church was built. All travelers are
interested in the stone head of the grass snake, Vyžas, in the wall of the Vyžuonos
church. It is said that the stone Vyžas was transported from nearby Kartuvių hill, where
there was an altar in pagan times. The Alter was said to have had an everlasting fire.
It is thought that a great
patriot of Lithuania, General Mikalojus Radvila, is entombed in the Vyžuonos church.
The church has been rebuilt
several times so now we can only guess about its original style. Currently it is a modest
stucco building with lots of arches and windows.
From Vyžuonos we will go
16 km to Svėdasai. The little town is situated between Alaušas and Svėdasas lakes. The
first church was built here in the beginning of XVI century. In 1794 a wooden church was
built. The church tower is built in a Byzantine style. In the left corner of the
churchyard stands a 36 m high brick bell tower. It is higher than the tower of the church
and can be seen from the town square. Also in the churchyard is a neo-gothic brick chapel
and mausoleum built by architect George Werner for the Counts of Markoniai in 1848.
From Svėdasai we go to
Anykščiai (about 24 km).
Before we reach
Anykščiai, we will come to the towers of the church St. Matthew Apostle. It is not known
when the first church of Anykščiai was built, but we know the original church was
destroyed by fire in 1566. After the church was destroyed, a small new church was built.
In 1899 the parish commissioned the construction of a new brick church. Construction of
the church took 10 years. The towers of the church were destroyed by bombing during the 1st
world war, but were reconstructed in 1928. There is a statue of St Matthew above the large
cross behind the main alter. There are several beautiful altars and a lot of wonderful
statues and pictures in the church.
From Anykščiai we go to
Troškūnai (17 km).
In 1696 V. Sakalauskas, the
owner of the Troškūnai Estate invited the Bernardine religious order to Troškūnai. He
gave them land and built a small one-story brick abbey. Two years later in 1698, he built
them a church. The monks were very poor and begged alms to get money. In 1773, a school
was established nearby the monastery. Troškūnai became the center of culture and
education in this area.
The first church didnt
last long. In the XVIII century it was destroyed by fire and in 1789, through the efforts
of Bernardine monks, a new brick baroque church "St. Trinity" was built. The
biggest altar is low and rather modest. Behind the alter stand four pairs of columns with
four statues of saints between them forming an original and solemn composition.
Night is in the monastery.
Utena Vyžuonos
Svėdasai Anykščiai Troškūnai : 71 km.
Day 2: In
the morning we depart from Troškūnai through Anykščiai to the little town of Alanta.
Alanta is known from the X
century, when the great Duke Žygimantas Kęstutaitis gave it as a gift to the noblemen,
Astikai. In the center of the little town next to the town square stands a brick
neo-gothic church built in 1912. The fa?ade is plastered and painted white and decorated
with a large round rose shaped window with a star ornament inside. The interior of the
church is also plastered and very nice. The altars are brick and the pulpit is sculpted
and carved.
From Alanta we go 17 km to
Videniškės.
Videniškės was
established and blossomed in the XVI century under the management of M. Giedraitis. The
first church was built here about 1549. A famous bishop of the Lowlanders, Merkelis
Giedraitis, grew up in Videniškės and in 1600 he built a new church and school. Then in
1617 a monastery was established near the school. Now the church and monastery are
designated historical monuments.
After seeing the church we
go to Molėtai (11 km). We visit the church of St. Peter and Paul Apostles. There is no
information about the origin of Molėtai or about its first church. It is known that in
1700 a wooden church was built and in 1905 that church was replaced by the parson and his
parishioners with a new brick neo-baroque church with two towers. After visiting the
church in Molėtai, we return to Utena.
Troškūnai Alanta
Videniškės Molėtai Utena: 103 km.
Total length of itinerary:
174 km. |
