Biržai Castle

The manor in the castle of Biržai.

Biržai Castle is a castle in Biržai, Lithuania. Construction of the earth bastion-type castle started in 1586 by the order of Krzysztof Mikołaj "the Lightning" Radziwiłł. In 1575, preparing for this construction, a dam was built on the Agluona and Apaščia rivers at their confluence, and the artificial Lake Širvėna, covering about 40 km², was created. Major castle building works were finished in 1589.[1]

History

Since the second half of the 17th century, the castle has been the main seat of the Biržai-Dubingiai Radziwiłł family line, which was transferred here from the Dubingiai Castle. Biržai Castle served as a major defensive structure during the wars with Sweden.

The castle was reconstructed from ruins in the 1980s, in the Renaissance-Baroque style. The residential manor of the castle houses a library and a regional history museum "Sėla" (literally Selonia), founded in 1928.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kuncevičius, Dr. Albinas. "Lithuanian Castles and the Possibilities of Their Use for Cultural Tourism". Association of Lithuanian Museums. Retrieved 15 March 2012.

Coordinates: 56°12′N 24°45′E / 56.20°N 24.75°E / 56.20; 24.75


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