Discover Šakiai: Culture, Architecture and Memorial Sites

Šakiai offers several different points of interest to consider when planning a trip: a carillon in the town square, architecture, public art, memorial sites and cultural activities. Depending on which subjects interest you, you can choose how to spend your time in the town. The following places and activities offer practical guidance without prescribing a particular itinerary.

Carillon and Public Art

A carillon made from a steel structure stands in the town square: 24 bells hang above a fountain. A QR code lets you play the carillon’s music there. This place therefore offers both a visible structure and a musical experience. If you are interested in public art, it is also worth taking a look at the sculpture “Berniukas” by Kęstutis Dovydaitis. It stands in Šakiai’s central square and depicts a ten-year-old Jewish boy with a suitcase and books. The carillon and sculpture offer different points of focus: sound and structure in one case, and a figure with the items he carries in the other.

Church Architecture and Jewish History

The Church of St. John the Baptist displays features of modernist Renaissance architecture. Its described architectural features include a rectangular floor plan and a tower. The Šakių Dekanato muziejus is right next to the church. If you would like to include the museum in your plans, check the visiting arrangements in advance.

At another memorial site, a stele stands where the former synagogue was located. It was unveiled in summer 2023 and donated by the Jakovo Bunkos labdaros ir paramos fondas. A menorah adorns the monument. Its inscription records that a Jewish house of prayer, a synagogue, stood here until 1941. The stele thus explicitly draws attention to the site’s former use. Together with the “Berniukas” sculpture, it offers a view of different forms of remembrance in Šakiai: one monument points to a specific former location, while the sculpture portrays an individual figure.

Park, Events and Changes in the Town

Cultural events and markets are regularly held in centrally located Juozo Lingis Park. The park is named after Juozas Lingis, a choreographer and ballet master from the Šakiai region. If an event is important to your travel plans, check the dates in advance: a current events calendar is not included in this place description.

Eight granite slabs created by Kęstutis Dovydaitis, featuring bronze footprints and QR codes, offer another distinct thematic perspective. Scanning a code lets you listen to how buildings and their uses have changed. The focus is therefore not only on individual buildings, but also on how their functions have evolved. The slabs and their audio content may be of particular interest if you would like to consider architectural change alongside church architecture and memorial sites.

A Bookable Activity at the Circus School

The Šakių cirko mokykla offers a different format in the form of a bookable educational activity. You can explore the circus photography exhibition “Viskas dėl šou” by V. Venslovaitis and a mini clown exhibition, as well as learn about the history of Lithuanian circus. The activity also includes a performance by the “Šypsena” studio, a behind-the-scenes look at the props, and the opportunity to try a tumbling track and a trampoline. This activity differs from the places in the town’s public spaces: it requires booking an educational activity. Check with the provider to see whether it is available on your preferred date.

Discover more destinations: Gudeliai, Kazlų Rūda, Gelgaudiškis, Sasnava, Vilkaviškis, Marijampolė.

Back to the regional travel overview: Marijampolė County.