Alytus

Alytus (pronunciation (help·info); is the capital of Alytus County in southern Lithuania. Its population in 2005 was 69,481. Alytus is the historical centre of the Dzūkija region. The city lies on the banks of the Nemunas River. The major highways linking Vilnius, Kaunas, Lazdijai, and Hrodna in Belarus pass through Alytus. The distance from Alytus to Kaunas via the Via Baltica is 70 km; the distance from Alytus to Vilnius is 105 km.

[edit] History

The first historical record of Alytus dates back to 1377, when it was mentioned in the Chronicles of Wigand of Marburg. On June 15, 1581 Alytus was granted Magdeburg rights, which allowed an area to incorporate as a city. This date is now celebrated as Alytus Day. The life of Alytus, an important economic and culture center, was inseparable from the larger life of all Lithuania. Historical events divided Alytus into two parts: Alytus I and Alytus II. The east side was transferred to the Russian Empire, the west to Prussia. After its victory against Napoleon, Russia occupied all of Alytus, but the differences in administration remained until 1863. In 1915, during World War I, the German military administration consolidated its position in Lithuania and combined Suwalki province, Alytus I, and Alytus II into the single entity of the town of Alytus. But the older usage remains: the smaller town is still called Alytus I and the town with the parks, microdistricts, and industrial areas - Alytus II.