Vištytis

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Vištytis

Coat of arms

Vištytis

Location of Vištytis

Coordinates: 54°27′30″N 22°43′10″E / 54.45833, 22.71944

Vilkaviškis district municipality

Elderate

Vištytis elderate

Capital of

First mentioned

1538

Granted city rights

1570

Population (2001)

- Total

566

Time zone

EET (UTC+2)

- Summer (DST)

EEST (UTC+3)

Vištytis is a town in southern Lithuania on Lake Vištytis, Marijampolė district. It is situated close to the Russian border (Kaliningrad oblast) and is a capital of Vištytis elderate.

Town has preserved street structure and market square since 18th century. Near the town there is Vištytis Regional Park established. Southwest of the town there is Vištytis hill fort, and in a nearby village Nebūtkiemis is big Vištytis stone, preserved geologic artifact.

[edit] History

Vištytis was established in the first half of the 16th century, on the border with Duchy of Prussia. Fist time name of the Višytis manor are from 1538. Around then manor town started to grow rapidly, and September 8 1570 Sigismund II Augustus granted Vištytis city rights and Coat of Arms. It was the first city in the region

1776 Vištytis lost it's city rights, although some administration remaned inthe city, as it is known from the records in 1785 and 1790. Town representatives were participating in Great Sejm, and succeeded to regain city rights, although did not get monarch's privilege. That caused conflict with local elder, and the case was taken to the court. The outcome of the court isn't clear, but town preserved some of autonomy in 19th century.

During the Holocaust Vištytis it lost most of its inhabitants.

Renewed City Coat of Arms were granted by President of Lithuania on May 3rd 1999.