THE BLUE LINE MARKS THE TRAVEL ROUTE ON THE CITY MAP. FOLLOWING THE INFORMATION OF THIS TRAVEL GUIDE, YOU CAN VISIT MEMORIAL PALCES OF VINCAS KUDIRKA
WE SUGGEST TRAVELING AS FOLLOWS:
1.MONUMENT TO VINCAS KUDIRKA
2.VINCAS KUDIRKA MUSEUM
3.SCULPTURES OF THE BOOK SMUGGLERS
4.THE SHIRVINTA RIVER BRIDGE
5.VINCAS KUDIRKA GYMNASIUM
6.MONUMENT AT THE PLACE WHERE VINCAS KUDIRKA DEAD
7.VINCAS KUDIRKA BRIDGE
8.THE GRAVE OF VINCAS KUDIRKA
Texts by G. Žemaitienė, translated by E. Venciuvienė.
Photos by R. Abromas. Old images of the towns of Širvinta and Vladislavovo/Naumiestis – from the collection of the Žemaičiai family.
The numbers of the photos illustrating the text are highlighted in green
1.MONUMENT TO VINCAS KUDIRKA
The monument dedicated to Dr. Vincas Kudirka, which was created by Vincas Grybas in 1934, is the most beautiful centerpiece of the Varpas (The bell) Square (1.1)
The man who encouraged the entire nation to rise up is depicted as calling the Lithuanians to take arms and fight for their freedom all the while holding onto the “Varpas” Monthly which was his most cherished creation and the key weapon in the battle against the oppression of the Russian Empire.
The foundation of the monument deserves praise as well. The southern side of the foundation slab depicts Dr. Vincas Kudirka swaying the bell while its northern side is dedicated to the imprisonment of the same great man. The poem titled To My People (Lith. “Maniesiems”) is inscribed on the eastern side of the foundation, and the National Song of Lithuania is immortalized on the western side. This publicly depicted National Song is the only one that has remained intact during the Soviet occupation (1.2) .
All the presidents of the Republic of Lithuania have visited Kudirka Naumiestis. The first president unveiled Vincos Kudirka’s monument and planted an oak tree (1.3; 1.4)
2.VINCAS KUDIRKA MUSEUM
The museum was incorporated in 1998 and was the first museum to be built after Lithuania restored its independence. Presently, the museum is a branch of the National Museum of Lithuania.
From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, brick buildings housing stores on their ground floors stood here. Vincas Kudirka lived on the second floor of one of these houses which belonged to Valerija Krashevska (2.1). Vincas Kudirka felt the strength leaving his body and so he dedicated all of his remaining energy and skill to spreading the Lithuanian spirit and awakening the desire for freedom via Lithuanian books and printed literature. It was here that he wrote and edited articles for the “Varpas” Monthly and translated patriotic pieces of literature into the Lithuanian language.
In 1898, Vincas Kudirka wrote the National Song in this house only later for it to be chosen as the national anthem of Lithuania.
The Vincas Kudirka Museum was built in 1998, in the same place where Vincas Kudirka lived and created (2.2).
