Kupiškis

Kupiškis is a city in north-westernern Lithuania, in Panevėžys County. Capital of Kupiškis district municipality. Kupiškis is situated on the rivers Lėvuo and Kupa, and from latter originates name of the city.

1 History
2 Population
- 2.1 Jews in Kupiškis
3 Famous people from Kupiškis
4 External links

[edit] History

Exact date of establishment of Kupiškis is unknown. According to archeological evidence people have been living in this area at least from 3000-2000 BC. There is archeological evidence of XIII century wooden castle in local Hill fort (Aukštupėnų Piliakalnis). In historical sources Kupiškis first mentioned in 1529.

[edit] Population

According to Department of Statistics of Lithuania, population of Kupiškis as of January 1, 2005 was 8 243. And 23 901 of Kupiškis district municipality. Ethnic composition of Kupiškis district municipality, according to 2001 census:

23965 (97,3 %) Lithuanians
430 (1,7%) Russians
64 (0,3%) Poles
49 (0,2%) Ukrainians
38 (0,2%) Belarusians
82 (0,33%) Other nationalities

[edit] Jews in Kupiškis

Kupiškis is known in Yiddish as Kupishok, was home to 1,444 Jews before World War II. The Great Synagogue in Kupiskis was made of stone. The red brick portion was a Misnagdim Synagogue. The Great Synagogue was used as the Culture House during the Soviet period. The Misnagdim portion is now used as a boiler room for heating the main building which now contains the Public Library and Wall of Memory Holocaust Memorial erected on July 13, 2004.