Radviliškis

Radviliškis (pronunciation (help·info)) is a city in Radviliškis district municipality in Šiauliai County in Lithuania. Radviliškis has been the administrative center of the district since 1950, and is an important railway junction.

1 History
2 Name and coat of arms
3 Attractions
4 External links

[edit] History

Radviliškis was founded at the end of the 15th century. It was first mentioned in the book on state economics by M. Downar-Zapolsky listing the cities taxpayers in 1567. In 1687, Jan Sobieski, the king of Lithuania and Poland, granted the right of market to it.

Radviliškis was devastated many times by military forces, plaque and hunger in the 17th - 19th centuries. There were no citizens left in Radviliškis after the plague in 1708–1710.

Radviliškis railway station

Town growth began when the Liepāja–Romny railway line, crossing the town, was built in 1870 and Radviliškis–Daugavpils was built in 1873. Railwaymen constituted the majority of the residents.

In 1999, Victory goddess Nike's sculpture was unveiled to commemorate octogenarian of conquest against the united German-Russian soldiers army in the center of Radviliškis. It was created by sculptor P. Mazuras.

[edit] Name and coat of arms

Supposedly, the name originated from the name of nobleman family Radvilos. This family ruled Radviliškis more than 200 years, from 1546 till 1764.

The rising and light-emitting horse, representing communication, motion, city development and flourishing, is depicted in the coat of arms of Radviliškis. The light is a symbol of civilization's role in the city development. It was created by artist Laima Ramonienė in 1992.

[edit] Attractions

Radviliškis, settled on everglades, was famous for its railway and black-from-locomotive-smoke sparrows.

The three symbols of the town are the railways, bulrushes, and black sparrows.

There are Evangelical-reformer, Protestant, Lutheran, and Orthodox chapels, Jewish synagogues and Catholic Churches in Radviliškis.

The stone windmill of Radviliškis was erected in remembrance of the violent and triumphant battles in 1919 against the German-Russian armed forces.

The wooden belfry of Radviliškis parish's Blessed Virgin Mary church of the Immaculate Conception is a topical architecture monument. It was set in 1878. The belfry burned two times. It was reconstructed in 1984.