Jurbarkas District Municipality: Castles, Manors and Culture

Castles, manors and historic heritage sites give Jurbarkas District Municipality a distinct cultural and historical character. The selection ranges from two castles with different architectural and landscape features to a church with an old bell; it also includes a cultural route and a 4-kilometre information trail. If you are planning a hotel stay, you can tailor your trip to specific interests: the history of manor residences, parks, sacred architecture or a walk with information boards.

Castles: Building History, Tower and Park

Raudonė Castle was built in the late 16th century by Krišpinas Kiršenšteinas, a clerk at Kaunas Castle who had grown wealthy through the timber trade; it was completed in 1600. One of its notable features is the 33.5-metre-high tower with an observation platform, which offers views over the park and surrounding area. At Raudonė, the story of the castle’s origins and the view from the tower take centre stage.

Panemunė Castle offers a different focus: it was built between 1604 and 1610 as a Renaissance manor residence. A 15-hectare landscape park with five ponds extends around it. In contrast to Raudonė, Panemunė combines the history of a manor residence with a clearly described parkland setting.

The Panemunė Castle Museum presents an exhibition featuring the interiors of the ceremonial apartments of the rulers of the Principality of Žemaitija. It also houses the only surviving and restored 18th-century manor kitchen in Lithuania. The exhibition thus ranges from formal rooms to a historic kitchen.

A Cultural Route and a Road with Heritage Sites

Designated a national cultural route in 2025, the “Castles and Manors” route includes the Veliuona and Jurbarkas manors, as well as Raudonė and Panemunė castles. Its themes link manor culture and gastronomy with nature, history, educational activities and entertainment. Those wishing to explore culture and nature together will find a route with several thematic points of interest.

Another way to explore the area is the 70-kilometre stretch of Road 141 from Seredžius to Viešvilė. Heritage sites in Jurbarkas District lie along this stretch, including hillforts, manors, castles and churches. While the cultural route includes four specifically named manors and castles, the road description identifies a stretch by its endpoints and a broader range of sites.

Church and Historic Bell

In Skirsnemunė, the brick Neo-Gothic Church of St George was built in 1903 at the initiative of the parish priest Kazimieras Žekevičius (1840–1926). An old bell cast by H. Bedeker in 1632 can be seen inside. It is cracked and no longer in use. The church and bell therefore offer a different focus from the large castle complexes: the emphasis is on a single religious building and a specifically dated historic object.

Walking Trail and Manor Park

In Viešvilė, the informative walking trail is 4 kilometres long and has several information boards. The Jurbarkas Manor Park offers different points of reference: it covers about 9 hectares and is easily accessible via a footbridge next to the outdoor stage. These details offer different ways to plan a visit: the walking trail is described in terms of its length and information boards, while the park is described by its area and footbridge access. You can choose between a walk with information boards and a visit to the park.

Discover more destinations: Raseiniai District Municipality, Kaišiadorys District Municipality, Jonavos District Municipality, Prienų District Municipality, Kaunas District Municipality, Kėdainiai District Municipality

For the broader travel overview: Kaunas County.