Kavarskas

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Kavarskas
Image:Kavarskas COA.gif
Coat of arms
Kavarskas (Lithuania)
Kavarskas
Kavarskas
Location of Kavarskas
Coordinates: 55°25′60″N 24°55′0″E / 55.43333, 24.91667
Country Flag of Lithuania Lithuania
Ethnographic region Aukštaitija
County Utena County
Municipality Anykščiai district municipality
Capital of Kavarskas rural elderate
First mentioned 1538
Population (2007)
 - Total 707
 - Rank 100th
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)


Kavarskas (pronunciation ), with a population of only 700 is the fourth smallest city in Lithuania. It is in Utena County. Šventoji River flows through the town. In 1956 near Kavarskas was built water lifting station and part of Šventoji River water was channeled to Nevėžis River. Nowadays there is a water-power plant operating in that place.

[edit] History

In place of the modern town, in the 15th century there was Mažieji Pienionys (Small Pienionys) estate. At the end of 15th century Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Jagiellon transferred the estate to Stanislovas Kovarskis, the treasurer of the king. As he has no successors, the estate was inherited by his brother, Andrius Kovarskis, the canon of the Vilnius Cathedral. Thus the Small Pienionys estate was started to call Kavarskas.

In written sources Kavarskas was first mentioned in 1538. In that year a church was built. In the 16th century, Kavarskas and the surrounding area belonged to nobles Astikai, later - Ogiński (Oginskiai), Tyszkiewicz (Tiškevičiai), Siesickiai. In 1956 Kavarskas was granted town rights.