Šventoji, Lithuania

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Šventoji
image_shield =


image_caption = A restaurant in Šventoji
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pushpin_map_caption = Location of Šventoji
pushpin_label_position =
latd=56|latm=1|lats=31|latNS=N|longd=21|longm=4|longs=54|longEW=E
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = LTU
subdivision_type1=Ethnographic region
subdivision_name1=Samogitia
subdivision_type2=County
subdivision_name2=Klaipėda County
subdivision_type3=Municipality
subdivision_name3=Palanga city municipality
subdivision_type4=Eldership
subdivision_name4=Šventoji eldership
subdivision_type6=Capital of
subdivision_name6=Šventoji eldership
established_date =
established_title =
established_date2 =
established_title2=
population_total =
population_as_of =
timezone=EET
utc_offset=+2
timezone_DST=EEST
utc_offset_DST=+3

Šventoji (Latvian: "Sventāja") is a small resort town on the coast of the Baltic Sea in Lithuania. Administratively it is part of Palanga city. The town is located about 10 km north of Palanga and close to the border with Latvia. Further north of the town is Būtingė and its oil terminal. Šventoji River flows in to the sea at the town.

Šventoji is an important archaeological site as the first artifacts are dated about 3000 BC. A famous cane shaped as moose head was also found in the town. It is a former fishermen village now turned into a tourist town. The town always struggled to develop a port, which had to compete with nearby Klaipėda and Liepāja. Larger port was constructed in the second half of the 17th century, especially when in 1679 it was leased to English merchants. It destroyed in 1701 during the Great Northern War. During the times of the Russian Empire (1795–1915) the port was moribund and began developing again only when it became part of Lithuania in 1921. Two piers were constructed, but they were frequently covered in sand. Thus it never grew into a bigger port.

References

* cite book | last=Semaška | first=Algimantas | title=Kelionių vadovas po Lietuvą: 1000 lankytinų vietovių norintiems geriau pažinti gimtąjį kraštą | edition=4th ed. | year=2006 | publisher=Algimantas | location=Vilnius | isbn=9986-506-90-4 | pages=497–498