religion – History of Šiauliai

Present-Day Šiauliai

Šiaulių TIC — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 14:28:42 +0000

Šiauliai is the fourth largest city in Lithuania, the centre of science, culture and economy of Northern Lithuania, which has retained deep traditions of the city of industry and enterprising people. It is a city with over 106 thousand inhabitants, but the area of the city is almost equal to Klaipėda – its territory doubled when Zokniai airport and vicinities were connected in the Soviet period and the city’s southern area was built. At one point in time, Šiauliai was the third largest Lithuanian city, only after separating Ginkūnai area from the city, Šiauliai again returned to the fourth place. The majority of the population is Lithuanians. This was not always the case. Still at the beginning of the last century, the majority of the population was made up of Jews, who left a deep historical, cultural and economic trace in the city, as well as Russians, Germans and members of other national communities.

Šiauliai became involved in the development of self-governance straight after announcement of independence. During the years of the first Republic of Lithuania, namely Šiauliai created the first democratic municipality in Lithuania. Thus, it was not surprising that, not even a month after the proclamation of the Independence Act, Šauliai authorities already gathered to the first session of the city’s Council of People’s Deputies (soon renamed as the council of Šiauliai municipality), where they elected a chairman who, after a couple of weeks, was replaced by the elected mayor of the city.

On September 7^th, 1993, on his way to the Hill of Crosses (Jurgaičiai Mound), located near Šiauliai, Pope John Paul II visited, prayed and rested in Šiauliai. Following this visit, by his special decree, Šiauliai Peter and Paul’s Church was given the title of the Cathedral, this way transforming Motiejus Valančius’ words about the Cathedral of Samogitia that stood here for 400 years in his times, into reality; the Diocese of Šiauliai was set up.

From 1993, the ‘Aušra’ Museum begins to expand rapidly and takes over the Radio and Television and Bicycle Museums and Ch. Frenkelis’s Villa. Upon completion of reconstruction works of the Villa, which were started in 1995, the Villa becomes a new cultural-representative place, the centre of most of the city’s high culture events, hosting exhibitions in its premises and the inner courtyard, a place of meetings with artists, concerts, performances, and art festivals. In 2009, according to the project prepared by the ‘Aušra’ Museum for the funds of Lithuania and Norway (according to the Norwegian financial mechanism), Žaliūkiai windmill, one of the most important accents of Šiauliai city landscape and the centre of ethno-culture and traditional crafts, and the 19^th century miller’s farmstead, standing nearby, were restored and adapted to the public needs. In addition to these projects, the Museum completed the reconstruction of one of its units, the Museum of Photography, adding the top floor and turning the Museum into a four-storied building with an open-air terrace on the roof open for visitors and events. This is the only institution of this kind in Lithuania, dedicated to the art and equipment of photography.

In 1997, upon the decision to reorganize Šiauliai Pedagogical Institute and Šiauliai Polytechnic Faculty of Kaunas University of Technology, Šiauliai University was established. Over the years, the higher education institution grew, joining new spaces, turning them into its divisions and, at the same time, established close international relations with other universities of the world, becoming a significant player in the city’s region.

The Zokniai airport belonging to the city serves both military and civilian purposes. The traditions of Šiauliai as a national defence point, known since the Middle Ages, remained: there is a military air base at the airport, where since 2004, NATO fighter aircrafts patrolling the air space of the Baltic States have been deployed. In addition, cargo aircrafts of international companies are taking off and landing.

In 2007, Šiauliai Arena, a multifunctional complex for sports, mass culture and chamber events, was officially opened. It hosts the city’s all biggest sports, business and cultural events, including the European Basketball Championship group tournament matches in 2011 and performances of world music celebrities.

The University, non-university higher educational institutions, the drama theatre, the ‘Aušra’ Museum, professional art groups, and a new sports arena provide Šiauliai with perspectives to remain the attraction centre of the whole region. The city fosters its history and strives to become a modern European city.

The city is created and each time reconsidered by its people, so it is people who will decide what awaits Šiauliai in the future. One after another new monuments are created for those who lived and matured as creators and as people, such as Algirdas Julius Greimas, a world-renowned scholar in linguistics or signatories to the Act of Independence of 16 February, 1918. Alongside, new scampy ideas and artistic works, creating the image of a playful and lively city, are born. These are accompanied by active renewal works, renovation of the city’s public spaces, gaining a new concept, initiated construction works of the city’s central square. Thus, the city is changing, modernizing and steadily moving in the rhythm of the 21^st century.

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Fot. Saulius Jankauskas

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Talkšos ežeras, Saulės Laikrodžio aikštė. Fot. Gabrielė Gendvilaitė.

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Frenkelis. Festivalio atidarymas

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Skulptūra Šaulys. Autorius skulpt. Stanislovas Kuzma. Fot. Virginijus Kinčinaitis.

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Šimtmetį švenčiantys Šiauliai. Fot. Gintautas Plungė.

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Šiaulių Šv. apaštalų Petro ir Pauliaus katedra. Fot. Saulius Jankauskas.

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Šiauliu arena. Fot. Algirdas Musneckis.

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Šiauliečių akcija Šypsokis, Saules mieste. Fot. Aleksandr Reznik

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Rekyvos ežeras. Fot. Andrius Mačiūnas.

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Pietinis naktyje. Fot. Mindaugas Macaitis.

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Motokrosas. Fot. Evaldas Černiauskas.

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Miesto šventė Šiaulių naktys. Fot. Rinat Tarzumanov.

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Saulius Jankauskas ©

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The City’s Cultural Life – the Dawn of Awakening Consciousness

Šiaulių TIC — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 17:51:42 +0000

The city’s stronger economy and administrative apparatus was followed by the emergence of various organizations, movements and the like. As new educational and medical institutions were set up, the intelligentsia also grew, because most of its representatives traditionally until then worked in budgetary institutions located in other parts of the Russian Empire. The intelligentsia hastened to rally into organizations, committees, societies, clubs. In this historical process, Šiauliai was destined to become one of the most important focal points of rallying and activities of Lithuanian intelligentsia. Šiauliai city gymnasium, which not only educated young intellectuals but also promoted their activities, was particularly important. Usually the main organizers of the city’s cultural life were former pupils of the gymnasium and their teachers. The nobles with counts Zubovai at the forefront helped very much by volunteering in the organization and sponsoring of activities.

Among these intellectuals one representative of the clergy distinguished himself. It was Ignacas Štachas, an enthusiastic and active Chancellor of the Diocese of Samogitia, who graduated from Varniai Priest Seminary and in the end of the first half of the 19^th century was appointed as a priest in Šiauliai. This man was one of the first proclaimers of teetotalism in Lithuania, whose example inspired Motiejus Valančius to start the teetotalism movement activities. In addition to his direct duties, being an intellectual, educator and historian, I. Štachas soon noticed that one of the most significant reasons for the obscurantism and enslavement of the society was the network of pubs that flourished in the Tsarist Russia, promoting strong drunkenness. He and his affinity group began setting up teetotallers’ fraternities, resulting in considerable reduction of the number of places selling alcohol during the years of his service in Šiauliai. I. Štachas contributed to the repair works of Šiauliai church, and his authority in the city was great. Not without reason, bishop M. Valančius, who visited Šiauliai, later wrote that Šiauliai people were very fond of priests, and their church was worthy of being a cathedral.

In 1860-1861, thanks to the local nobility and authorities, the Public Library was established. At that time, it was one of the first libraries in the history of Lithuania, which in addition to Polish literature had a lot of books on philosophy, nature, and law. Unfortunately, in 1864, after the suppression of the rebellion, it was closed. After the closure of the Public Library, all of its funds were transferred and added to the gymnasium library funds, which became the most important library that had publications of various content. In 1883, V. Bielskis funded and established a secret library, where the works of the very V. Bielskis, N. Chernyshevsky, other Russian and Western revolutionary democrats were stored. The Tsarist authorities wanted but could not close this library because it was set up in count V. Zubovas’s house. This library was particularly important in promoting young people’s progressive views. In 1900, the Public Library was restored and its society, headed by V. Zubovas and attended by such personalities as K. Šalkauskis, K. Venclauskas, V. Bielskis, B. Nurokas and others, was approved. There were more societies and other organizations. In 1868, the Citizens’ Club was founded, mostly consisting of Russian nationality intellectuals – gymnasium teachers and officials, who wanted to spend their free time meaningfully. This Club had its own library, reading room, amateur drama group, etc., it also arranged concerts, various artistic performances. Another very active organization, founded in 1908, was the literary, drama and musical society ‘Varpas’. Although it existed only for six years, it managed to do considerable work. Its activities encompassed most of the cultural life of the city’s Lithuanians. It was a society that acted as a cultural institution: had its own management board, rented premises for a hall containing several hundred seats and a stage, a library with a reading room, and had its own finances. Although it focused on theatre and creation of performances, it also had a choir of 80 members, readers and musicians. There were active Catholic organizations: St. Joseph Workers’ Catholic Society (later reorganized into Šiauliai Christian St. Joseph’s Mutual Assistance Society), Šiauliai division of Lithuanian Catholic Teetotallers’ Society, ‘Darbo’ club intended for female Catholic workers and maids. After the revolution of 1905-1907, Jewish social and cultural life became more active: in 1909-1911, Šiauliai division of Kaunas Jewish Literary Society was developing its activities, in 1912, Jewish music, drama and singing society ‘Gazomir’, which organized concerts, performances, music and literature evenings, was founded.

Another significant accent of Šiauliai cultural life was exhibitions. It is one of the most prominent manifestations of the then cultural life of the city and the result of active efforts of count N. Zubovas, assisted by the landlords of the county. Demonstration of agricultural tools, machines, animals in the exhibitions was aimed at promoting the development of agriculture and industry. The exhibits were brought from both the provinces of Lithuania and provinces of Kuršas, Suwalki, Minsk, Vitebsk, Pavyslis, Prussia districts. The first exhibition was held in 1875; the second, in 1876; the third, in 1879, and later, approximately every three years. In 1914, the exhibition’s events also included theatre troupe and choir performances of ‘Varpas’ society. All these events used to be organized in a specially arranged area, a large exhibition square with a spectacular pavilion building in the centre, around which all the activities took place. This square was located further from the city centre, around the same place where Šiauliai republican hospital now stands.

In the field of literature, active inhabitants of Šiauliai were Laurynas Ivinskis, who was a creator of Lithuanian farmers’ calendars, Bogdanas and Mykolas Oginskiai, the scribe of the marshal of Šiauliai county Aleksandras Mora, the writer of Aušra Juozapas Miliauskas-Miglovara, social and cultural figure Povilas Višinskis, Marija Pečkauskaitė-Šatrijos Ragana, who was inspired by him to write, poet Jonas Krikščiūnas-Jovaras.

The beginning of Lithuanian theatre both in Šiauliai and Lithuania is to be related to the so-called ‘Lithuanian evenings’. For Lithuanians who lived under the rule of the Russian Empire this was the most affordable form of cultural and political activity, struggling for national liberation. In Šiauliai, such events would begin with gegužinės (dancing evenings), which from 1894, were held in Aleksandrija, in the manors of counts Zubovai. On October 31, 1904, mainly by the efforts of Kazimieras and Stanislava Venclauskiai, a public performance ‘Amerika pirtyje’ (‘America in the Bath’) was organized in Šiauliai for the first time in Lithuania, which until then seemed impossible in the Tsarist Empire. Following this and several other public theatre evenings, a group of cultural figures gathered around the Venclauskiai produces several performances, including performances of the plays by Anton Chekhov, and in 1905-1909, a local gymnasium graduate J.Misius, actively involved in theatrical activities in Šiauliai, produces about 12 performances.

The first cinema ‘Elektro-Biografas Modern iš Paryžiaus’ was founded in Šiauliai as early as 1909. The cinema was supplied with a specially equipped electric station, which made the local people call it ‘an electric theatre’. The cinema was equipped with a 180-seat hall. The second cinema named ‘Fantazija’ was founded in 1912. It had a 400-seat hall, and a string orchestra was playing there during breaks and shows. The cinema ‘Fantazija’ was acknowledged the best cinema theatre in the entire Kaunas province.

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Šiaulių Gegužinių (1904 m.)

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Varpo draugijos nariai (1910 m.)

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Amerika pirtyje Palangoje.

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Amerika pirtyje Šiauliuose (afiša).

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Žemės ūkio parodos.

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Growth of Šiauliai City and the Great Constructions

Šiaulių TIC — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 18:50:53 +0000

Foundations of Šiauliai city formation are clearly visible in the historical sources of the 17^th century. The documents of 1649 and 1650 mention Vilniaus, Rūdės, Dvaro streets, the names of which have survived to this day. It is known that they led to the then centre of Šiauliai – the market square. The names of the streets testify that at that time Šiauliai had already become a city, because villages or other small settlements did not have streets, only roads and pathways. The name of one of the streets – Dvaro – indicates the existence of the manor in the city.

The wealthiest inhabitants of the city settled around the market square; a court, other institutions were founded, businesses developed, craftsmen worked. There was a large church site near the market square (in the south-east). Until the 17^th century, a wooden church stood there, in 1617, the construction of the brick one was started. It is said that the first Christian cemetery was set up near the wooden Catholic church built in the middle of the 15^th century, which stood next to the present St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral. The new brick church was built in the 17^th century on the initiative of Vilnius voivode Kristupas Radvila Našlaitėlis, who at that time ruled Šiauliai land ascribed to him, but he died in 1616, not living to see the end of the construction. The brick church building was finished only in the middle of the 17^th century. His initiative was continued and supported by the elder of Samogitia Jeronimas Valavičius, and the organizer of all constructions was priest Petras Tarvainis. This active man came to Šiauliai in 1614 from Aukštaitija parish and straight away started to implement the design of the brick church. It was he to whom the major part of merits belongs that this church was built. P.Tarvainis organised the purchase of building materials from local nobles and ensured the establishment of church land boundaries, for which he had to confront the manor of the city and the locals who did not want to acknowledge these boundaries. By the way, this active priest also has other merits: a book of 24 pages, a gracious appeal to the bishop of Samogitia Jurgis Tiškevičius, who in 1634 came to consecrate the church. This text entitled ‘Linksmasis Pasveikinimas’ (‘Merry Greeting’) is the first written narrative about Šiauliai, written in syllabic versification, and is the first example of syllabic versification of Baroque poetry in the Lithuanian literature.

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Planas nuo Gargždų į Kauną.

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Petras Tarvainis 82 psl.

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Petras Tarvainis 89 psl.

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Šiauliai Land at the Dawn of Christianity in Samogitia

Šiaulių TIC — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 21:00:51 +0000

Šiauliai land succeeded to survive and in 1445, to gain the parish status, which could already indicate that Šiauliai was becoming the centre of the rural district and started rising from the ruins to a new stage. All of it took place with the approval and under the auspices of Samogitian authorities. Upon receiving the parish status, on the initiative of Samogitian elder Mykolas Kęsgaila, in 1445, Šiauliai church was built. The new establishing Šiauliai settlement, which formerly was in the shadow of Salduvė or Šiauliai castle on Salduvė mound, was eventually able to outlive and join it. Šiauliai church became the central accent of the city, surrounded by the rapidly developing city’s cemetery, because all the dead wanted to be buried in the consecrated ground.

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Šiaulių bažnyčia.

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