Biržai

Infobox Settlement
name = Biržai
nickname =
settlement_type=Town
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =
pushpin_map_caption =Location of Biržai
image_shield = Birzai COA.gif
latd=56|latm=12|lats=|latNS=N|longd=24|longm=45|longs=|longEW=E
coordinates_display= inline,title
coordinates_type = region:LT_type:city(15000)
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = LTU
subdivision_type1 = Ethnographic region
subdivision_name1 = Aukštaitija
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Panevėžys County
subdivision_type3 = Municipality
subdivision_name3 = Biržai district municipality
subdivision_type4 = Eldership
subdivision_name4 = Biržai city eldership
subdivision_type6 = Capital of
subdivision_name6 = Biržai district municipality
Biržai city eldership
Širvėna eldership
established_date = 1455
established_title = First mentioned
established_date2 = 1589
established_title2= Granted city rights
population_total = 15,262
population_as_of = 2001
timezone=EET
utc_offset=+2
timezone_DST=EEST
utc_offset_DST=+3
website= http://www.birzai.lt/

Biržai (pronunciation|Birzai.ogg) is a town in northern Lithuania. Biržai is famous for its reconstructed Biržai Castle, and the whole region is renowned for its many traditional-recipe beer breweries.

History

Jurgis Radvila ( _pl. Jerzy Radziwiłł) was the first noble to settle in the town. After his daughter, Barbora Radvilaitė ( _pl. Barbara Radziwiłł) married the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund II Augustus in 1547, the power and influence of the Radvila ("Radziwiłł") family grew immensely. In 1586-1589, the Radvila family built a fortified castle in Biržai. In 1575, preparing for this construction, a dam was built on the Agluona and Apaščia Rivers at their confluence, and the artificial Lake Širvėna, covering about convert|40|km2|mi2|abbr=on, was created. It is the oldest surviving artificial lake in Lithuania. The Radvila family also established a Protestant church and school. The city became a cultural center of the Protestant Reformation in Lithuania.

During the Wars with Sweden, Biržai Castle was an important point of defence. In 1625, Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, attacked the castle with 8000 soldiers and it was forced to surrender. The castle was left in ruins and was rebuilt, only to be burnt in 1655. In 1662-1669, it was rebuilt again in Renaissance style. In 1701, August II the Strong and Peter I of Russia signed a pact in the castle to unite their forces against Sweden. However, in 1704 the castle was completely destroyed and was left in ruins until its restoration in the 1990s.

The town's population suffered greatly due to wars and religious conflicts between the Protestants and Catholics. In the late 18th century, Biržai lost its city rights. The Radziwiłłs lost their wealth and influence, and Biržai was sold to the Tyszkiewicz family to cover debts in 1811. In 1849-1862, the Tyszkiewicz family built a neoclassic Astravas Manor palace across the lake from the site of the original castle.

In 1869, the town had about 2600 residents. Thirty years later, the population grew to 4400 people.

Town was almost completely burned down during World War II.

In 1968, the population reached 10000. Currently, there are about 15,000 people living in Biržai.

Geography

The northern part of the city, together with Lake Širvėna, belong to the Biržai Regional Park. The area is spotted with over 2000 sinkholes, which form suddenly when the land's high gypsum content is dissolved by underground water. Some of these holes are dry, while others have become small ponds or lakes filled with water from the many underground rivers and streams. Many sinkholes are large enough to swallow a house, and new holes appear every year.

One of the more famous sinkholes in the area is named "Karvės Ola", or "Hole of the Cow". The story is that one morning, a farmer woke up to find his cow missing. The cow was swallowed up by this now famous sinkhole. At the bottom of the hole is a small, dark passage leading to an underground cavern, which is about 46 meters long, and a small, underground lake that's a meter and a half deep. The passage is mostly blocked now due to erosion of the surrounding sinkhole and is no longer accessible, but the site remains a tourist attraction and a draw for visitors to the area.

Famous people

*Jurgis Radvila, Great Hetman of Lithuania
*Janusz Skumin Tyszkiewicz
*Julius Janonis, poet
*Kazys Binkis, poet, playwriter
*Petras Kalpokas, painter
*Austra Skujytė, olympic silver medal winer
*Žydrūnas Savickas, strongman
*Vladas Garastas, basketball coach
*Romualdas Brazauskas, basketball referee
*Jokūbas Šernas, signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania

References

* [http://www.birzai.lt/ Official website of Biržai district municipality]