Tytuvėnai (
pronunciation (help·info)) is a city in the Kelmė district municipality, Lithuania. It is located 17 km (11 mi) east of Kelmė. It is known for its Bernardine monastery.
The first church in the town was built in 1555. The construction of the monastery was initiated by Andrius Valavicius and his family, who returned to the Catholic faith after a wave of Counter-Reformation. The construction plans were prepared in 1614, but the construction started only after the death of Andrius Valavicius in 1618. Works were sponsored by Jeronimas Valavicius, the treasurer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1633 the main part of monastery and church was completed. In 1772–1780 a courtyard was built, in which Stations of the Cross were placed.
Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky was the rabbi of the Tytvėnai Jewish community from 1926 until 1937, when he emigrated to America.
Tytvėnai Monastery
Lithuania
