What do you associate the Klaipėda region with? Holidays by the sea? The Maritime Museum? A walk through the charming streets of the Old Town? The ferry to Smiltynė? These are some of the things that first come to mind for many people. However, we can assure you that there are many other interesting things you can do in the Klaipėda region. Therefore, in this article, we present several places that are really worth visiting during a stay in western Lithuania. Read it, and perhaps one weekend you will take a trip around the Klaipėda region.
The Ethnographic Homestead of Jonas Gižas in Dreverna
Are you a kitesurfing or a surfing enthusiast? If so, you’ve probably already heard of Dreverna. Due to its shallow shoreline and the constant winds, this village on the shore of the Curonian Lagoon is one of the most popular places in Lithuania for enthusiasts of water sports.
However, the village of Dreverna has something to offer not only to fans of active leisure. With its old fishing village, the marina and the observation tower, there is definitely something to see there. If you plan to visit the village, we recommend you also take time out to visit the ethnographic homestead of Jonas Gižas, one of the most famous local boat builders. He built and repaired sailing boats, and in his old age he became interested in making weathervanes. Visitors to the ethnographic homestead of Jonas Gižas are invited to see the historical exhibition ‘J. Gižas. Opening the Shipwright’s Chest’, at which you will feel as if you are travelling back in time. You will learn a lot of interesting facts about the coastal region, its history and culture, the lifestyle of fishermen, their work and crafts … and you can also get to know about boatbuilding and the personality of Jonas Gižas. The homestead organises educational activities, and also offers sailing trips around the Curonian Lagoon on an ancient Curonian sailing ship called the Dreverna. Isn’t this a great chance to spend some free time in an exceptional way in the Klaipėda region?
The Museum of the Birthplace of the Pilot Steponas Darius
Another place in the Klaipėda region that we would like to show you is the village of Darius (also known as Dariškiai), which was named in honour of the pilot Steponas Darius. Until 1933, the village was known as Rubiškės, but after the death of Steponas Darius, the pilot’s birthplace took on his name.
It is an interesting fact that the village of Darius was once almost destroyed: land reclamation plans were drawn up to completely destroy the place. However, after local researchers found out about the plan, they called on aviators to help them save the homestead. Work began on the village of Darius on 9 May 1969: a symbolic burial mound was built in a yard under a big oak tree, and a huge stone with the inscription ‘To Darius and Girėnas’ was placed next to it. After this, the authorities no longer dared to destroy the village of Darius. In 1983, after the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the flight of the Lituanica, it was decided to rebuild the old home of Steponas Darius.
In 1991, a memorial museum was set up in the homestead of Darius’ parents. Exhibitions in the house and the granary present the history of aviation in Lithuania, and outside, in the memorial park, you can see a symbolic granite compass on the ground which is based on the prototype of the compass that was on the plane the Lituanica. There is also an airfield near the museum where educational activities are organised. Therefore, if you are interested in the history of Lithuanian aviation, and in the life of Steponas Darius, we recommend you visit this memorial museum, where you will learn a lot of interesting facts.
The Ieva Simonaitytė Memorial Museum
You probably read Ieva Simonaitytė’s novel ‘The Fate of the High Šimonai’ at school. However, do you know anything about the life of the person who is possibly the most famous writer from the Klaipėda region? If not, we suggest you visit the Ieva Simonaitytė Memorial Museum in Priekulė, which is often called the cradle of culture in Lithuania Minor.
Ieva Simonaitytė called her homestead in Priekulė a ‘summer residence’. She spent her summers working there from 1961 to 1978. The museum was established in the 1980s in her summer house, two years after her death, showing photographs, documents, first editions of her books, and her belongings, including her glasses, typewriter, etc. The rooms have been preserved with the original fixtures and fittings of the summer house: the furniture, paintings, and even souvenirs and gifts. We recommend you come and learn more about both the writer and her work, which was greatly influenced by the Klaipėda region.
The Vėžaičiai Estate
There is no shortage of incredibly beautiful estates in Lithuania, and the Klaipėda region is no exception. We want to show you the Vėžaičiai estate, which dates back to the late 19th century, and is valuable not only for its architecture but also for its planning and its historical value.
The park is of a mixed type. It can be entered through the southern gate, called the White Gate, or from the north side, called the Red Gate. A stream meanders through the estate, and the buildings are located on the left bank. With its lime, birch, rowan, oak and fir trees, there really is a lot of vegetation in this park, which is why in 1986 it was declared a natural monument of local significance.
Of all the estate buildings, the stables are the best preserved. They have Neo-Gothic features, consisting of a symmetrical volume with an accentuated corner. Today, the Vėžaičiai Cultural Centre is based in this building, where various concerts, dance evenings, exhibitions, etc, take place.
The estate includes not only the park with its two gates and stables, but also a hunting lodge, a vodka distillery, a cowshed, a barn, a house, and a chapel. In the future, it is intended to restore the buildings of the former estate and adapt them to the needs of cognitive and ecological tourism. However, even today, it is extremely interesting to visit the estate: the buildings and the park recall good times, and evoke a feeling of nostalgia.
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