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Panevėžys () is the fifth-largest
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in Lithuania and the eighth-most-populous city in the Baltic States
The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern co ...
. it occupies with 89,100 inhabitants. As defined by Eurostat the population of the Panevėžys functional urban area that stretches beyond the city limits is estimated at 124,412 (as of 2022).
The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys, Kalnapilio Arena, formerly known as Cido Arena, hosted the Eurobasket 2011
EuroBasket 2011 was the 37th men's European Basketball Championship, held by FIBA Europe. The competition was hosted by Lithuania. This was the second time EuroBasket had been held in Lithuania, the country having also hosted the 1939 champions ...
group matches.
Panevėžys is an important cultural and economic hub in the country's northeast. Located on the banks of the Nevėžis River, the city is known for its strong industrial heritage and vibrant arts scene. Panevėžys is also considered as a gateway to the picturesque landscapes of the Aukštaitija
Aukštaitija (; literally ''Highland'' or ''Upland'') is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The name comes from the fact that the lands are in the upper basin of the Nemunas, as opposed to the Lowlands that begin from Š ...
region.
The city is still known in the Jewish world for the eponymous Ponevezh Yeshiva.
Name
The name of the city is derived from the Lithuanian hydronymNevėžis
The Nevėžis (; ) is the List of rivers of Lithuania, sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman (river), Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania. The city is referred to by various names in different languages, including ; ; , ''Ponevezh''; see also other names.
In 1944 the city was yet again occupied by the
Old Panevėžys started to develop at the beginning of the 16th century on the right bank of 
The city was severely damaged during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667), war with Moscow in 1654–1667 and the Great Northern War of 1700–1721, thus only 18 families lived in Old Panevėžys in 1720 and 90 families in New Panevėžys in 1738. In the second half of the 18th century, Panevėžys, like many other small cities affected by the wars, consisted almost exclusively of wooden one-storey houses. In 1727, on the western side of the New Panevėžys Square, the construction of the ensemble of the
Coat of arms
Historical facts allow to state that the first seal of the city of Panevėžys appeared when the cityself-government
Self-governance, self-government, self-sovereignty or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any ...
was established. It is clear that until the end of the 18th century, Panevėžys did not have the right of self-government, therefore it could not had its coat of arms. All the preconditions for the establishment of self-government arose during the period of the Four-year Seimas (1788–1792). In 1791–1792, most of the county centers, which previously did not have self-government rights and coat of arms, established them.
The coat of arms of Panevėžys, as well as other Lithuanian counties, has been changed, modified and banned several times over the past 200 years. There are 3 types of Panevėžys city seals, which were used in the early 19th century. The first appeared in 1801, the second was put into use in 1812, and the third in 1817. There is no doubt that all three seals under the double-headed eagle of the Russian Empire, which should have emphasized the city's affiliation with this state, depicted the old coat of arms of Panevėžys – a brick or stone building with three towers, later a brick gate with three towers and a powerful tower behind them with a Cyrillic
The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...
letter P (''П'') on the roof – the first letter of the city.
After the Uprising of 1831 the old symbolism was erased from the seals of the county centers. Instead, a double-headed eagle prevailed in them unilaterally. It was only in 1845 that Emperor Nicholas I confirmed with his own hand the new coat of arms of Panevėžys County, at the top of which a silver obelisk was depicted in a blue field and a brown ''žagrė
In Eastern Europe a sokha (; ) is a light wooden ard, consisting of two body ards, with their parallel beams forming the two shafts for a single horse-drawn tillage implement with two socket shares (рассоха). In later types the double b ...
'' with a steel plowshare
In agriculture, a plowshare (Differences between American and British spellings, US) or ploughshare (Differences between American and British spellings, UK; ) is a component of a plow (or plough). It is the cutting or leading edge, preceding t ...
in the silver field at the bottom; the base of the shield was green-brown.
With the outbreak of World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the collapse of Russian oppression, most Lithuanian cities removed the symbols established by the Russian Empire and had returned to their historical coats of arms. At the beginning of the 1920s, two symbols were used in the coat of arms of Panevėžys in one field of a shield shape. At the top – two tied plant bundles, below them – a plough
A plough or ( US) plow (both pronounced ) is a farm tool for loosening or turning the soil before sowing seed or planting. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses but modern ploughs are drawn by tractors. A plough may have a wooden ...
. Later, the ' was used instead of the plough.
The use of city coats of arms resumed in the post-war
A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, ...
years only in 1966, when the Republican Heraldry Commission was established under the Ministry of Culture. The standard of the coat of arms of Panevėžys was proposed to be made by the artist Arvydas Každailis. Thus another version of the coat of arms of the city of Panevėžys appeared: two crossed white bundles of linen
Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant.
Linen is very strong and absorbent, and it dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. Lin ...
were depicted in the upper red field, and a white stylized plough in the lower blue field. Later, after adjusting the colors, it was decided to leave this coat of arms to the Panevėžys District Municipality
Panevėžys () is the fifth-largest List of cities in Lithuania, city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, eighth-most-populous city in the Baltic States. it occupies with 89,100 inhabitants. As defined by Eu ...
.
The current coat of arms of the city of Panevėžys has been created taking into account the international practice of restoration of the historical coats of arms of the cities and the requirements of heraldry. The oldest coat of arms of the city was chosen to restore the coat of arms. The 1812 iconography of the seal was used as the best heraldically arranged on which a two-storey gates with an entrance opening on the first floor and two windows on the second floors are depicted. Above the gate – three towers, behind them, in the middle – a powerful tower.
As the historical colors of the coat of arms are unknown, it was decided to use the most common colors and metals in the heraldry of Lithuanian cities: silver (white), red, and as auxiliary – black. The current coat of arms of Panevėžys is a red brick building in the silver panel field, symbolizing the city gate. The coat of arms of Panevėžys was approved by a presidential decree on 11 May 1993. The author of the current coat of arms of the city standard is Arvydas Každailis.
History
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Legend has it thatGrand Duke of Lithuania
This is a list of Lithuanian monarchs who ruled Lithuania from its inception until the fall of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1795. The Lithuanian monarch bore the title of Grand duke, Grand Duke, with the exception of Mindaugas, who was crown ...
Vytautas the Great
Vytautas the Great (; 27 October 1430) was a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was also the prince of Grodno (1370–1382), prince of Lutsk (1387–1389), and the postulated king of the Hussites.
In modern Lithuania, Vytautas is revere ...
, returning from Samogitia
Samogitia, often known by its Lithuanian language, Lithuanian name ''Žemaitija'' (Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see Samogitia#Etymology and alternative names, below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five ...
to Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
in 1414, found a temple ('' alka'') of the old Lithuanian religion in the present-day surroundings of Panevėžys, but this has not been documented.
Panevėžys was first mentioned evidently on 7 September 1503 in documents signed by the Grand Duke Alexander Jagiellon
Alexander Jagiellon (; ; 5 August 1461 – 19 August 1506) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1492 and King of Poland from 1501 until his death in 1506. He was the fourth son of Casimir IV and a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty. Alexander was el ...
, who granted the town building rights to construct a church and other structures. Alexander Jagiellon is considered as the founder of the city, which celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2003; two renowned monuments were built in the city for this anniversary, one of which, by Stanislovas Kuzma, is dedicated to Alexander Jagiellon.
The city lies on the old plain of the river Nevėžis
The Nevėžis (; ) is the List of rivers of Lithuania, sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman (river), Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania.Mound
A mound is a wikt:heaped, heaped pile of soil, earth, gravel, sand, rock (geology), rocks, or debris. Most commonly, mounds are earthen formations such as hills and mountains, particularly if they appear artificial. A mound may be any rounded ...
with a flat top and 1.5 – 2 meters high embankments previously stood at the confluence of river Nevėžis and stream Sirupis (destroyed in the 19th – 20th centuries). Throughout the 16th century, the city maintained a status of a Royal town. Communities of Poles
Pole or poles may refer to:
People
*Poles (people), another term for Polish people, from the country of Poland
* Pole (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Pole (musician) (Stefan Betke, born 1967), German electronic music artist
...
inhabit the area from the 19th century, and Karaites, settled in the area as early as the 14th century. A Karaite Kenesa
A kenesa ( Karaim: כְּנִיסָא ''kǝnîsāʾ'') is an Eastern European or Persian Karaite synagogue.
Kenesas are similar to Rabbinical synagogues. In Eastern Europe, they are laid out along north-south axis (facing Jerusalem). Starting ...
, and a Polish Gymnasium, existed in Panevėžys until the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
(the Polish version of the name of the city was '). In the 16th century, the part of the city on the left bank of the river started to develop and expand further. In 1727, the Piarists
The Piarists (), officially named the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools (), abbreviated SchP, is a religious order of clerics regular of the Catholic Church founded in 1617 by Spanish priest Joseph Calasanz ...
, who moved to the western part of Panevėžys, built a Church of the Holy Trinity, established a monastery and a college. In 1791, Panevėžys was granted a conditional privilege to elect the city government.
19th to early 20th centuries
Following the Third Partition of thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
in 1795, the city was assigned to the Vilna Governorate
The Vilna Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Northwestern Krai of the Russian Empire. In 1897, the governorate covered an area of and had a population of 1,591,207 inhabitants. The governorate was defined by the Minsk Governo ...
. In 1800, Panevėžys received a permission to build a town hall. In 1825, the Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in Panevėžys, and the Orthodox parish was founded in 1841. The city played an important role in both the November Uprising
The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution,
was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...
, and the January Uprising
The January Uprising was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at putting an end to Russian occupation of part of Poland and regaining independence. It began on 22 January 1863 and continued until the last i ...
, and the fights for independence continued there after 1864. In 1843, Panevėžys was assigned to the Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...
and in 1866 the town hall was replaced with a City Duma.
Following the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
, at the end of the 19th century, the first factories were established in the city, and industry began to make use of modern machinery. As products were oriented towards the mass market, banking intensified and commerce increased. The educational system became more accessible, and literacy increased, as well. By the end of 19th century – the beginning of the 20th century, Panevėžys became a strong economic and cultural center of the region. At the time it was the fourth most important city in Lithuania (excluding Klaipėda
Klaipėda ( ; ) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the List of cities in Lithuania, third-largest city in Lithuania, the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, fifth-largest city in the Baltic States, and the capi ...
).
Panevėžys also was a center of operations by local ''knygnešiai
Lithuanian book smugglers or Lithuanian book carriers (, singular: ) smuggled Lithuanian language books printed in the Latin alphabet into Lithuanian-speaking areas of the Russian Empire, defying a ban on such materials in force from 1864 to 1 ...
'' (book smugglers). In 1880, Naftalis Feigenzonas established the first printing house in Panevėžys. At the end of the book prohibition, one of the Lithuanian book smugglers – * – in 1905 opened the first Lithuanian bookstore and printing house. The building is still a landmark of Panevėžys, and local people are proud of this heritage, symbolized in a bookstore that has been functional for more than 100 years.
1918–1941
Volunteers of theLithuanian Armed Forces
The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Navy, the Lithuanian Air Force and the Lithuanian Special Operations Force. In wartime, the Li ...
had liberated the city for the first time from the Bolsheviks
The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, were a radical Faction (political), faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP) which split with the Mensheviks at the 2nd Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party, ...
' forces
In physics, a force is an influence that can cause an object to change its velocity unless counterbalanced by other forces. In mechanics, force makes ideas like 'pushing' or 'pulling' mathematically precise. Because the magnitude and directi ...
on 27 March 1919 during the Lithuanian Wars of Independence
The Lithuanian Wars of Independence, also known as the Freedom Struggles (), refer to three wars Lithuania fought defending its independence at the end of World War I: with Bolshevik forces (December 1918 – August 1919), Bermontians (October ...
and raised flags of Lithuania. Before the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
Panevėžys was multicultural city with Lithuanian, Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
, Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Polish people, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
* Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin ...
, Russian
Russian(s) may refer to:
*Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*A citizen of Russia
*Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages
*''The Russians'', a b ...
, German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
, Karaite, Tatar
Tatar may refer to:
Peoples
* Tatars, an umbrella term for different Turkic ethnic groups bearing the name "Tatar"
* Volga Tatars, a people from the Volga-Ural region of western Russia
* Crimean Tatars, a people from the Crimea peninsula by the B ...
and other city communities. Between the World Wars, in the newly independent Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
, Panevėžys continued to grow. According to the Lithuanian census of 1923, there were 19,147 people in Panevėžys (19,197 with suburbs), among them 6,845 Jews (36%) (in Yiddish
Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...
the town's name was , transliterated as ').
The Ponevezh Yeshiva, one of the most notable Haredi
Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...
yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
s in the history of the Jews in Lithuania
The history of the Jews in Lithuania spans the period from the 14th century to the present day. There is still a small community in the country, as well as an extensive Lithuanian Jews, Lithuanian Jewish diaspora in Israel, the United States, ...
, was established and flourished in the town. Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman
Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman (; ; , known also as the Ponevezher Rav), was an Orthodox rabbi and rosh yeshiva (dean) of the Ponevezh Yeshiva. He was also a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel.
Biography
Kahaneman was born 13 ...
(1886–1969) was its rosh yeshiva
Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...
(head) and president. Known as the "Ponovezher Rov", he was also the leading rabbi of Panevėžys. He managed to escape to the British Mandate of Palestine where he set about rebuilding the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak
Bnei Brak ( ) or Bene Beraq, is a city located on the central Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Israeli coastal plain, coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an area of 709 hectares (1,752 acre ...
where it still exists in modern Israel. It has a very large student body of young Talmud
The Talmud (; ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law (''halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of Haskalah#Effects, modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the cen ...
scholars.
The town's population rose to 26,200 between 1923 and 1939. On 15 June 1940, Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...
military forces took over the city, as a consequence of the forced incorporation of Lithuania into the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. A number of political prisoners were murdered near the sugar factory. A large number of residents were exiled to Siberia (merely during the June deportation
The June deportation of 1941 (, , ) was a mass deportation of tens of thousands of people during World War II from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, present-day western Belarus and western Ukraine, and present-day Moldova – territories which had been ...
in 1941 over 600 residents were exiled to Siberia
Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...
) or suffered other forms of political repression.
On 23 June 1941, the June Uprising began in Panevėžys County
Panevėžys County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the north-east of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Panevėžys. On 1 July 2010, the county administration was abolished, and since tha ...
. The most active participants of the uprising were in Ramygala and Krekenava
Krekenava is a town (population 1,375) in Panevėžys district municipality in northern Lithuania, on the bank of Nevėžis.
Etymology
In the past, the town's place name had a different root than it does now: ''krakin-'' or ''krokin-''. In the ...
counties. The participants of the uprising were also active in the city of Panevėžys. On 25 June 1941, the Panevėžys Staff of the June Uprising was established in the city which was headed by Lieutenant Colonel Antanas Stapulionis. One of the staff's tasks was to oversee the order in the city, thus Antanas Stapulionis had issued an order stating that the robbers will be shot on the spot, and ordered to remove all signs which reminisced the Soviet rule. Moreover, the scouts were sent to all roads leading from the city and on 25 June, at the initiative of the rebels, the Piniavos Bridge and the food factory ' were demined. The Panevėžys Post Office was peacefully passed into the hands of the rebels. During the first days of the war, the NKGB
The People's Commissariat for State Security () or NKGB, was the name of the Soviet secret police, intelligence and counter-intelligence force that existed from 3 February 1941 to 20 July 1941, and again from 1943 to 1946, before being rename ...
units carried out repressions, arrested participants of the June Uprising and civilians who spoke out against the Soviet government; the detainees were transported to the Panevėžys Prison. As the Germans were approaching, seeing no way out, the Soviets had decided to retreat to the East and to shoot the political prisoners in the prison. Already on 27 June, the city was full of the Lithuanian Tricolor flags and without any serious clashes with the retreating Red Army in the city or its surroundings. Furthermore, on 27 June, the ''Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
'' had entered Panevėžys and in the end of June the Germans liquidated the staff of the rebels.
Soviet and Nazi occupations
After Germany attacked the USSR, Panevėžys was occupied by German forces, as it had been during theFirst World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It acquired the status of a district center (') within the Reichskommissariat Ostland
The (RKO; ) was an Administrative division, administrative entity of the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories of Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945. It served as the German Civil authority, civilian occupation regime in Lithuania, La ...
. During the Nazi occupation nearly all the Jewish population of the town was killed in 1943 during the Holocaust
The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
; only a few managed to escape and find asylum abroad. The major massacre was in August 1941 when 7,523 Jews were executed by the German Army officers and soldiers, German-SS officers During the period of Nazi occupation, one police battalion and three engineer battalions were organised primarily from the local population. Also, two companies of the Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force
The Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force (; , LVR) was a short-lived Lithuanian volunteer military unit created in spring 1944, during the last year of the German occupation of Lithuania during World War II, German occupation of Lithuania in World ...
were stationed in Panevėžys
In 1944 the city was yet again occupied by the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
leading to a new wave of political exiles and killings. The Lithuanian partisans
Lithuanian partisans () were partisans who waged guerrilla warfare in Lithuania against the Soviet Union in 1944–1953. Similar anti-Soviet resistance groups, also known as Forest Brothers and cursed soldiers, fought against Soviet rule in E ...
of the Vytis military district
Vytis military district (also Vytis partisan military district) is a military district of Lithuanian partisans which operated in 1944–1953 in the counties of Panevėžys and Ukmergė as well in some parts of the Kėdainiai
Kėdainiai () is o ...
actively operated in the Panevėžys County
Panevėžys County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the north-east of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Panevėžys. On 1 July 2010, the county administration was abolished, and since tha ...
from 1944 and militarily confronted with the Soviet forces in notable battles, however following the death of chief Bronius Karbočius in 1953 the staff of the Vytis military district was not restored and the last partisans were killed in action in 1956.
After World War II, the natural process of the city's evolution was disrupted. The Soviet Communist Party
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU),. Abbreviated in Russian as КПСС, ''KPSS''. at some points known as the Russian Communist Party (RCP), All-Union Communist Party and Bolshevik Party, and sometimes referred to as the Soviet ...
exercised dictatorial control and the city was transformed into a major industrial center. During the 1960s and 1980s, several large-scale industrial companies were established. The Soviet authorities also partly destroyed the old town and only after protests by local population was total destruction of the old city center stopped.
The number of inhabitants increased from 41,000 to 101,500 between 1959 and 1979.
Independent Lithuania
In 1990, the population reached 130,000. After Lithuania regained its independence, the city's industry faced some major challenges. For some time it was regarded as a place where plastics cooperatives were making large profits. During the 1990s, with crime rate increasing in all post-Soviet states, Panevėžys shortly became one of the centres of criminal activity in Lithuania. The city hosted multiple gangs, such as the Tulpiniai gang. The crime rate in the city became so high the local residents began calling the cityChicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
on the Nevėžis river
The Nevėžis (; ) is the sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania.Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
and Klaipėda
Klaipėda ( ; ) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the List of cities in Lithuania, third-largest city in Lithuania, the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, fifth-largest city in the Baltic States, and the capi ...
instead. However, with the economic growth in the early 2000s, investment also reached Panevėžys. Babilonas real estate project, the largest such project in the Baltic States
The Baltic states or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. The three sovereign states on the eastern co ...
with an 80 ha land area, has been developed in Panevėžys since 2004.
Panevėžys Free Economic Zone was established in 2013.
Geography
Panevėžys is situated in the middle of Lithuania; it is halfway between twoBaltic
Baltic may refer to:
Peoples and languages
*Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian
*Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originatin ...
capitals – Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
and Riga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
. The good geographical location with good road infrastructure, and the international highway Via Baltica
European route E 67 is an E-road running from Prague in the Czech Republic to Estonia and by ferry to Finland. It goes via Prague, Wrocław, Warsaw, Kaunas, Panevėžys, Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki.
The route is known as the Via Baltica ...
provides opportunities for business. The city is connected by railway to Šiauliai
Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...
(Lithuania) and Daugavpils
Daugavpils (see also other names) is a state city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city derives its name. The parts of the city to the north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region ...
(Latvia), as well as with Rubikiai/Anykščiai
Anykščiai (; see #Name, other names) is a ski resort city in Lithuania, west of Utena, Lithuania, Utena. The Roman Catholic Church of St. Matthias in Anykščiai is the tallest church in Lithuania, with spires measuring in height. Anykščia ...
by the Aukštaitijos narrow gauge railway. This railway is preserved as a historical monument and serves as a tourist attraction. east of Panevėžys the Panevėžys Air Base
Panevėžys Air Base (also known as Pajuostis, and Tulpė) is an air base in Lithuania located 6 km east of Panevėžys. It is a transport base, with a very large ring taxiway 2 km in diameter. There are 32 large revetments.
The main ...
is located.
Cityscape
Urbanism and architecture
16th – 18th centuries
Old Panevėžys started to develop at the beginning of the 16th century on the right bank of Nevėžis
The Nevėžis (; ) is the List of rivers of Lithuania, sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman (river), Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania.Alexander Jagiellon
Alexander Jagiellon (; ; 5 August 1461 – 19 August 1506) was Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1492 and King of Poland from 1501 until his death in 1506. He was the fourth son of Casimir IV and a member of the Jagiellonian dynasty. Alexander was el ...
separated the lands from the state manor for the Parish of Ramygala
Ramygala (, literally "quiet end") is a town in Lithuania. It is located some south from Panevėžys on the banks of the Upytė River, a tributary to the Nevėžis River. According to 2017 estimate, it had 1,440 residents.
Etymology
The name R ...
, currently this part of Panevėžys is located in the Senamiesčio Street (''Old Town Street''). Soon, in a more convenient place, on the land of the Grand Duke
Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly:
* in ...
's manor on the left bank of the Nevėžis, near the important roads to Ramygala and Upytė
Upytė is a small village in Panevėžys district municipality in northern Lithuania. It is situated some 12 km southwest of Panevėžys on the banks of Vešeta Creek. It is now the capital of an elderate. In 1987 it had 580 residents. In ...
, New Panevėžys began to develop (the current city center). Following the Volok Reform The Volok Reform (; ; ) was a 16th-century land reform in parts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Lithuania proper, Duchy of Samogitia and parts of White Ruthenia). The reform was started by Grand Duchess Bona Sforza in her possessions to increase th ...
at the end of the 16th century, New Panevėžys separated from the manor and became a separate territorial unit. Between the Old and the New Town stood the Panevėžys Manor, thus the different dependence of these parts of the city (to the state, the church, and the private nobleman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
) prevented Panevėžys from developing evenly. As a result, no prominent architectural ensembles and dominant compositions were formed, also there were no public buildings that stood out in terms of size or artistic expression. The city consisted of single-storey wooden buildings, a wooden church, and a small, inexpressive manor house. The only surviving heritage of that period in the city is the Renaissance style
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
building of the Upytė County Court and the network of streets.
The city was severely damaged during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667), war with Moscow in 1654–1667 and the Great Northern War of 1700–1721, thus only 18 families lived in Old Panevėžys in 1720 and 90 families in New Panevėžys in 1738. In the second half of the 18th century, Panevėžys, like many other small cities affected by the wars, consisted almost exclusively of wooden one-storey houses. In 1727, on the western side of the New Panevėžys Square, the construction of the ensemble of the Piarists
The Piarists (), officially named the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools (), abbreviated SchP, is a religious order of clerics regular of the Catholic Church founded in 1617 by Spanish priest Joseph Calasanz ...
Monastery was started: the monastery building, the church and the college (to be rebuilt after the fire of 1790 with a Classicism, Classicist style Church of the Holy Trinity, Panevėžys, stone masonry church). New buildings and the wooden synagogue built in 1794 did not change the city plan, but highlighted the city center, which had no striking accents in terms of size and spatial composition. Of these buildings, only the church has survived to this day, while others were damaged during the World War II and were demolished in the post-war
A post-war or postwar period is the interval immediately following the end of a war. The term usually refers to a varying period of time after World War II, which ended in 1945. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum, ...
years. The houses around the city's square highlighted its space, while the part of the city beyond the river (Old Panevėžys) had a typical rural view.
In the 1780s, there were two independent uniform radial-plan urban complexes separated by a forest: the town of New Panevėžys and the town of Old Panevėžys. In 1780, after the burning of the wooden church of Old Panevėžys, it was rebuilt not in the previous place, but in the pine forest of the Nevėžis loop, between both parts of Panevėžys. After cutting down the forest around the church, a new town was built next to it, according to the traditional rectangular plan and the planned square, which under the tsar's administration in the 19th century was named Nikolaev (called as Smėlynė by the local folks). In 1781, Old Panevėžys had 2 streets and 21 homestead, while in 1788 in New Panevėžys there were 144 plots near 8 streets. The longest in this part of Panevėžys was Ramygalos Street, which was divided into two branches at the northern end and between them was a triangular market square. At the end of the 18th century, a mixed plan of Panevėžys was forming: it consisted of three parts of different sizes and different stages of development. The entire structure was dominated by New Panevėžys in which the Piarists Monastery with a Classicist style towerless stone church was rebuilt after the fire of 1790.
19th – early 20th centuries
Since the early 19th century, New Panevėžys grew faster and by the middle of the century its territory spread mostly to the west, less to the east, and with other parts of the city – Old Panevėžys and especially the grown-up Smėlynė (which had 7 streets and a square in 1856) – had already formed a single complex. As the territory grew more slowly than the population, the buildings were mostly built in the central part of New Panevėžys, where densely built-up quarters were formed. After 1825 the Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in the city (it was rebuilt in 1845), while in 1830 the county's treasury, in 1837 – a prison, after 1840 – a hospital and after 1842 – a boyar's school were built. The significance of the Piarists Monastery increased, however it was closed after the Uprising of 1831 and the monks' corps was turned into a military barracks, while the Catholic church was remade into an Eastern Orthodox church architecture, Eastern Orthodox church. There were a number of brick buildings in New Panevėžys, some of them in the Classicist style and brick buildings began to dominate in the city center. However, unlike in most List of cities in Lithuania, Lithuanian cities, Panevėžys spread over a rather large area on both sides of Nevėžis and lacked buildings which would have formed its silhouette and highlighted the panorama of the city in the landscape of plains. In 1877–1885, the St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Panevėžys, St. Peter and St. Paul's Church of Romanesque Revival architecture, Romanesque Revival style with two tall towers was built instead of a wooden church, which began to dominate in the city's silhouette. In 1878, a planning project for the city of Panevėžys was prepared in which new quarters were planned in the northern and southern parts of the city as an organic continuation of the already established plan (12 new quarters were added to the existing 49 quarters). Since 1873, the growth of the city was also influenced by the completed Track (rail transport), railway track between Radviliškis andDaugavpils
Daugavpils (see also other names) is a state city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city derives its name. The parts of the city to the north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region ...
; the railway and station soon grew into the fabric of an expanding city.
Other notable buildings from the 19th century and early 20th century are two windmills in Ramygalos Street (built in 1875 and 1880), Historicism (art), historicism brick style Panevėžys bottling plant of the state vodka monopoly in Kranto Street (built in 1880; served as a Panevėžys Cannery during the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet period), building of the current Juozas Balčikonis Gymnasium (1884), residential house of J. Kasperovičius (1889; served as a court during the interwar period, later as a Local Lore Museum during the Soviet period and currently is the Panevėžys City Art Gallery), historicism brick style prison buildings – a two-story administrative building near the street and a four-story prison building in the courtyard (1893; P. Puzino St. 12), eclectic two-storey hotel ''Centralinis'' with mezzanine and attic (1894; Laisvės Square 1), Moigių houses complex of pink and yellow brick masonry (1895; now Panevėžys Museum of Local Lore), historicism style yeast and distillery factory buildings (Respublikos St. 82), historicism style two-storey J. Masiulis Bookstore (1890–1900), Natelis Kisinas' house (1900; in 1987 it was integrated into the Panevėžys City Municipality building complex), Neoclassical architecture, neoclassical with Art Nouveau style features Panevėžys Credit Society Palace (1915; now Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library).
Interwar period
During theWorld War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
around 100 buildings were damaged or destroyed in Panevėžys. Following the Lithuanian Wars of Independence
The Lithuanian Wars of Independence, also known as the Freedom Struggles (), refer to three wars Lithuania fought defending its independence at the end of World War I: with Bolshevik forces (December 1918 – August 1919), Bermontians (October ...
, Panevėžys began to recover: city's bridges were renovated (1925), streets were paved, a power plant was built (1923). During the interwar period, a number of public and residential buildings and industrial buildings were built in the city, and a precise geodetic plan of the city was prepared – one of the first such works in Lithuania
Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
(1933–1934; engineers M. Ratautas, A. Kočegūra, P. Butrimas). In the 1930s, the construction of the sewerage system was started, the bed of the Nevėžis was adjusted, and Laisvės Square was renewed. In the early 1920s, the city lacked funds, thus the first slightly more significant building was a modest one-storey primary school with an attic at the intersection of Marija (now A. Smetona) and Klaipėdos streets, built in 1923; in the same year a wooden Panevėžys County Hospital was built.
Since the end of the 1920s, much more significant buildings have been built. In 1928, the Jewish Gymnasium from yellowish bricks was built in Elektros Street in the style of historicism (now serves as the Panevėžys Regional Court), which was called as a palace due to its splendid exterior decoration and installed heating and water supply systems. In 1930, the Panevėžys Cathedral of Baroque Revival architecture, Neo-Baroque style forms was consecrated by Jonas Mačiulis-Maironis. In the 1930s, instead of historicism, the style of Lithuanian Modern architecture, modernism began to prevail: building of the Panevėžys branch of the Bank of Lithuania (1931), Panevėžys State Girls' Gymnasium in Smėlynės Street (1932; architect Vytautas Landsbergis-Žemkalnis), Panevėžys District Municipality Building (1933), Jewish People's Bank building in Respublikos Street (1933; now restaurant ''Nendrė vėjyje''), Panevėžys City Primary School No. 3 in Ukmergės Street (1935), Panevėžys Regional Health Insurance Fund Building (1937), primary school in Danutės Street (1938; now Panevėžys 5th Gymnasium), a two-storey Panevėžys Farmers Small Credit Bank Building in Laisvės Square (1938), Panevėžys St. Chapel of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Marijonų Street (1939), three-storey primary school no. 2 in Maironio Street (1940; now Panevėžys Raimundas Sargūnas Sports Gymnasium), a four-storey building for the Seminary of Priests of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevėžys, Panevėžys Diocese (now Panevėžys Kazimieras Paltarokas Gymnasium), Panevėžys County Municipal Palace (1940). Cheap wooden construction was more popular for residential housing, thus houses in Panevėžys were also much cheaper (~9,000 Lithuanian litas, LTL) than in Kaunas (~30,000 LTL) and Šiauliai
Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...
(~19,000 LTL).
Middle – late 20th century
During the World War II, Panevėžys was damaged quite severely again. After the war, part of the historic buildings were reconstructed, and large-scale buildings that did not correspond to the historical scale appeared in the destroyed places and empty spaces. The mostly damaged part of Panevėžys was a quarter between Ukmergė and Elektros streets, which has long been inhabited by the poor Jews (so-called ''Slobodka''); at the end of the 1960s many brick apartment buildings were built in this quarter along with the Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre (1967–1968). Industrial enterprises were renovated in the post-war years, three-storey blocks of flats were built in empty places in the city center and near the center in Kranto, Ukmergės, N. Gogolio (now Smėlynės), Ramygalos, Klaipėdos, Agronomijos (now Marijonų), Sandėlių (now S. Kerbedžio) streets, Liepų Avenue, and two-storey houses in Margių, Algirdo, Stoties streets. During the Soviet era, Panevėžys was developed as an industrial center. According to the 1961 master plan, two industrial districts were formed: the city's northwest and northeast. In the sixties and seventies, large industrial companies were built: Lietkabelis, reinforced concrete products, precision mechanics, autocompressors, Ekranas factory, glass factory. Consequently, the city grew rapidly as residents from the surrounding villages and other districts moved to Panevėžys and construction of apartment districts has begun. The first quarters of 4–5 storey brick houses were built in P. Rotomskio (now Marijonų), Vilnius, J. Basanavičius streets, while since 1965 large-scale prefabricated houses were built, mainly five-storey (so-called ''khrushchyovkas''). The characteristic features of the buildings built in the 1970s and 1980s are the ignorance of the architectural environment, the use of strict, ascetic forms, the abandonment of aesthetic architectural goals, turning them into styless buildings. The multi-apartment houses built in the city center based on repeated projects diminished and leveled the general urban character of the center.Last decade of the 20th century – 21st century
In the first years of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, re-established Independent Lithuania, huge residential houses of several hundred square meters with no architectural value began to sprout on the outskirts of the city. No major constructions took place: the development of Kniaudiškės multi-apartment district stopped, the construction of public buildings decreased and with the closure of many industries, their buildings have been abandoned and demolished, however many buildings were also adapted by modern companies in the later years and Panevėžys continues to be referred as an industrial city. With the construction of large supermarkets on the western outskirts of the city, a shopping district was formed. Individual houses predominated in the construction of residential houses, with most houses being built in the nearest northern and southern suburbs of Panevėžys. New apartment buildings were built in Ramygala, Margiai, Klaipėda-Projektuotojų, Suvalkų, Pušaloto streets.Bridges
The first bridge over riverNevėžis
The Nevėžis (; ) is the List of rivers of Lithuania, sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman (river), Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania. The description of
Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...
mentions a 128 meters long bridge on poles. In the interwar period, the city had two reinforced concrete bridges and three wooden bridges, which the city municipality were removing in the winters to prevent them from being carried away by ice. Both reinforced concrete bridges, named as Laisvės (''Freedom'') and Respublikos (''Republic''), were built in the 1930s. The Deck (bridge), decks of the Respublikos Bridge were blown up during the World War II, thus it was reconstructed in 1968. The Laisvės Bridge (located in the current Smėlynės Street) with huge arches became too narrow as traffic flows increased, thus it was demolished in 1964 and was replaced by a new uncut system beam reinforced concrete three-span bridge.
During the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet era, as the city grew, more bridges were built: the Nemunas Street Bridge (1976), the Ekranas Bridge on J. Biliūno Street (Nevėžis Dam, 1979). The bridge of Savitiškio (now – Vakarinės) Street was built a little earlier, first it was wooden, later it was rebuilt from a reinforced concrete. In the 2000s, the Panevėžys Bypass Bridge was built on the western outskirts of the city (reconstructed in 2019). The city also has three pedestrian bridges across river Nevėžis: at Skaistakalnis, near the Palace of Communities, and in the Culture and Recreation Park (1984, reconstructed in 2015).
In the north-east of Panevėžys, above Senamiesčio Street and the wide railway, a narrow-gauge railway viaduct was built in 1938, which is enlisted in the Register of Cultural Values of the Republic of Lithuania.
Parks and squares
The main green spaces of Panevėžys are located in the Nevėžis Valley along the riverNevėžis
The Nevėžis (; ) is the List of rivers of Lithuania, sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman (river), Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania. The area of greenery per one resident of Panevėžys is almost three times larger than the norm defined by legal acts (25 m²). The largest recreational area in the city is the 39 hectares Culture and Recreation Park (). The area of the oldest Skaistakalnis Park – 29.74 hectares, Youth Park () – 4.14 hectares. In the west of the city, it is planned to install another, Kniaudiškės Park, the area of which will reach 7.7 hectares.
Other important green areas in the city are Senvagė, Palace of Communities (), 13 January (), Remembrance (), Povilas Plechavičius squares, A. Baranauskas Park. As well as the greenery of Freedom (), Independence (), and Volunteers () squares. Over 6 million euros were invested in renovation of the Freedom Square in 2017–2021. The Independence Square also was renovated with 1.9 million euros investment in 2017–2021.
In 1934–1936, A. Jakštas Avenue was established with cement bricks pavement on the right bank of river Nevėžis. Planted with acacias, it became one of the most beautiful places in Panevėžys in a few years, and was called the Love Avenue by the townspeople. The A. Jakštas Street was newly reconstructed in 2018–2020 for 1.7 million euros.
The main recreational water body of the city is Ekranas Lagoon with place for launching boats, pontoon jetty with place for lowering and raising kayaks, mooring berth, as well as Sidewalk, pedestrian and bike paths, recreation and entertainment areas near it.
According to the religious groups census of 2011, 250,390 residents of the 
Monks of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception moved to Panevėžys in 1927 and settled close to the Church of the Holy Trinity; on 15 August 1915 the newly built Marian Chapel was consecrated.
Panevėžys is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevėžys, which was established in 1926. Its primary church is the Christ the King Cathedral, Panevėžys, Christ the King Cathedral, Consecration, consecrated in 1933. In 1938, construction of Panevėžys Minor Priests Seminary began, however it was never fully completed due to the World War II and was subsequently converted to a gymnasium.
Panevėžys has a rich History of the Jews in Lithuania, history of Lithuanian Jews. In 1875, Panevėžys had eight synagogues, possibly the amount of the prayer communities was the same. The smaller synagogues were also called houses of prayer or a religious school – they served both functions of these institutions. The houses of prayer could have also been set up in private houses. The prayer community was led by a council consisting of an elder, a teacher, a treasurer, and a rabbi, and took care of the management of synagogues and prayer schools and the organization of charity. After Telšiai, Panevėžys was known as the most significant center of Torah study, Torah studies. As early as 1897, the Jewish community in the city had one main synagogue, later numbered 8, 7, 12, and perhaps 15 houses of worship, however only small fragments of these buildings have survived to this day. The most important wooden synagogue, built in 1764 or 1794, stood in the area between Elektros and Ukmergės streets, but it burned down at the end of the
During the interwar period, Panevėžys was one of the leading Lithuanian cities in streets management: there were only two first-tier cities in Lithuania with more paved streets than unpaved ones – Panevėžys and Vilkaviškis. However, Panevėžys, being larger, had significantly more paved streets. Sidewalks were also being built along the streets. Initially, the streets were paved with plain stones, but in the 1930s the central streets were already paved with hewn stones. In 1935 out of 40 kilometers of city's streets in total of 26 kilometers were paved. Country roads were also being paved: to Berčiūnai (5.4 km; 1933–1934) and Velžys, towards Ukmergė (3.6 km; 1935). Unfortunately, none of these pavements in Panevėžys has survived to this day as during the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet era, all paved streets were covered with Asphalt concrete, asphalt.
Panevėžio autobusų parkas, "Panevėžio autobusų parkas" Ltd. is serving 16 Panevėžys city routes with 44 buses running. Total urban route network consists of . Network is equipped with 223 passengers' bus stops
City bus schedules
Additionally, Panevėžys is home to a railway station that currently serves passenger trains to Mažeikiai, and formerly trains on the now-truncated Aukštaitija narrow gauge railway.
Panevėžys.lt
Official city page
* Jews in Panevėžys before the Shoa
The murder of the Jews of Panevėžys
during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.
Panevėžys Live Webcam View (WebCam)
balticlivecam.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Panevezys Panevėžys, Cities in Lithuania Cities in Panevėžys County Capitals of Lithuanian counties Municipalities administrative centres of Lithuania Holocaust locations in Lithuania Municipalities of Panevėžys County
Demography
Population
According to the 2021 census, the city population was 89,100 people, of which: * Lithuanians – 95.95% (85,498) * Russians in Lithuania, Russians – 1.98% (1,767) * Ukrainians in Lithuania, Ukrainians – 0.25% (223) * Poles in Lithuania, Poles – 0.21% (188) * Belarusians in Lithuania, Belarusians – 0.14% (128) * Others / did not specify – 1.46% (1302)Religion
According to the religious groups census of 2011, 250,390 residents of the Panevėžys County
Panevėžys County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the north-east of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Panevėžys. On 1 July 2010, the county administration was abolished, and since tha ...
indicated their religion as: 203,375 – Roman Catholic, 2,525 – Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox, 1,787 – Old Believers, 437 – Evangelical Lutheran, 3,091 – Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Church, Evangelical Reformed, 62 – Sunni Islam, 15 – Judaism, 36 – Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church, Greek Catholic, 29 – Karaite Judaism, other – 1,228, Irreligion, irreligious – 16,138, did not specify – 21,667.
In 1507, the first Panevėžys church was built on the right bank of river Nevėžis
The Nevėžis (; ) is the List of rivers of Lithuania, sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman (river), Nemunas. The long Nevėžis flows entirely within Lithuania.Ramygala
Ramygala (, literally "quiet end") is a town in Lithuania. It is located some south from Panevėžys on the banks of the Upytė River, a tributary to the Nevėžis River. According to 2017 estimate, it had 1,440 residents.
Etymology
The name R ...
Parish. The church was small, wooden, covered with boards, with a tower and 3 bells, had 3 altars. Near the church there was a rectory and outbuildings, a tavern, a sauna and a brewery. In 1528, it was decided to establish a parish school. An independent Panevėžys Parish was established in 1568. In 1629–1631, pastor Jerzy Tyszkiewicz, Jurgis Tiškevičius built a new wooden church. In 1636, Grand Duke Władysław IV Vasa built the Chapel of Saint Casimir of the Vilnius Cathedral and assigned to it manors of the Panevėžys Old Town and Ramygala. Since then, the pastors of Panevėžys and Ramygala have been the pastors of St. Casimir's Chapel, and in Panevėžys and Ramygala there were only their vicars. In 1655, during the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667), the church was greatly damaged: its floors, windows, altars were broken, paintings were stolen, moreover, soon the church was turned into military barracks and slightly later – a hospital. In 1781, the Canon (priest), canon of Vilnius Chapter (religion), Chapter Mikalojus Tiškevičius built a new wooden church on the right bank of river Nevėžis, near New Panevėžys, to which he moved the parish from Old Panevėžys. In 1877–1885, by the care of the pastor Mykolas Chodoravičius, the current St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Panevėžys, St. Peter and St. Paul's Church was built from bricks. Catholic priests of the city (e.g. Kaziemiras Paltarokas, Felicijonas Lelis, Jonas Karbauskas, Jonas Balvočius) were active Lithuanian book smugglers, book smugglers during the Lithuanian press ban.
Monks of the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception moved to Panevėžys in 1927 and settled close to the Church of the Holy Trinity; on 15 August 1915 the newly built Marian Chapel was consecrated.
Panevėžys is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Panevėžys, which was established in 1926. Its primary church is the Christ the King Cathedral, Panevėžys, Christ the King Cathedral, Consecration, consecrated in 1933. In 1938, construction of Panevėžys Minor Priests Seminary began, however it was never fully completed due to the World War II and was subsequently converted to a gymnasium.
Panevėžys has a rich History of the Jews in Lithuania, history of Lithuanian Jews. In 1875, Panevėžys had eight synagogues, possibly the amount of the prayer communities was the same. The smaller synagogues were also called houses of prayer or a religious school – they served both functions of these institutions. The houses of prayer could have also been set up in private houses. The prayer community was led by a council consisting of an elder, a teacher, a treasurer, and a rabbi, and took care of the management of synagogues and prayer schools and the organization of charity. After Telšiai, Panevėžys was known as the most significant center of Torah study, Torah studies. As early as 1897, the Jewish community in the city had one main synagogue, later numbered 8, 7, 12, and perhaps 15 houses of worship, however only small fragments of these buildings have survived to this day. The most important wooden synagogue, built in 1764 or 1794, stood in the area between Elektros and Ukmergės streets, but it burned down at the end of the World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Seventeen Jewish houses of worship have already been mentioned in the Interwar period, interwar city. The Jewish population of the city was nearly completely The Holocaust in Lithuania, exterminated during the German occupation of Lithuania during World War II.
The Panevėžys Evangelical Lutheran Parish was founded in 1790–1795, before that it was a filial church of the Biržai Parish. The Evangelical Lutheran Church, Panevėžys, Panevėžys Evangelical Lutheran Church was built in 1845–1850. The church was significantly damaged following the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states (1940), Soviet occupation of Lithuania as the building was Nationalization, nationalized, its tower was demolished and it was converted into a dance club, later – a household goods store. Following the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, the parish and the church were restored.
During the interwar years of the independent state of Lithuania, Panevėžys region became the main residence of the Crimean Karaites. On 3 May 1922, the board for the management of the affairs of the Panevėžys Karaite community was registered. The only houses of worship in the times of interwar Lithuania were in Panevėžys and the Karaites studied in Lithuanian schools. In November 1938, with the help of the Ministry of Education, a kenesa building was built in Panevėžys and celebrations were held. A Karaite priest, a ''chazanas'' from Trakai, came to those celebrations along with the Karaites from all over Lithuania. The Karaites of Panevėžys actively participated in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence
The Lithuanian Wars of Independence, also known as the Freedom Struggles (), refer to three wars Lithuania fought defending its independence at the end of World War I: with Bolshevik forces (December 1918 – August 1919), Bermontians (October ...
, and later served in the Lithuanian Armed Forces
The Lithuanian Armed Forces () are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Navy, the Lithuanian Air Force and the Lithuanian Special Operations Force. In wartime, the Li ...
. Panevėžys became a center of Karaite culture and in 1934, 1936, 1939 the Karaites published three issues of (, 'Progress') journal; the 1939 edition of the journal had 40 pages and included Maironis' poem, translated into the Karaim language, about the Trakai Island Castle. Also, the houses of the Karaite community were popular in Panevėžys. However, during the Soviet period the Panevėžys Kenesa was closed and later demolished. Currently, there is a small, but active Karaite community in Panevėžys.
Culture
The Museum of Ethnography has accumulated a lot of artifacts of historical and cultural heritage. The Art Gallery organizes about 20 different exhibitions every year as well as music and literature evenings, lectures and discussions about culture and art research. The Photography Gallery arranges 30 exhibitions of photography every year. 10 photo artists had personal exhibitions abroad and won international awards. The Public Library has 8 branches. Since 1989 Panevėžys has been organizing International Ceramics Symposia. The unique collection of ceramics is the biggest in the Baltic countries and is added to each year. The Chamber orchestra, Women's Choir "Golden oriole" (), ensemble "Muzika" () are well known for various music projects not only in Lithuania but also abroad. The Brass instrument, Brass Orchestra "Panevėžio Garsas" (English: ''Panevėžys Sound'') plays not only for Lithuanian audience but also for people in the Baltic countries, Germany, France and the Netherlands. The Orchestra won the Grand Prize in a festival in France in 1997. The city is a home to many theaters. Juozas Miltinis Drama Theatre is famous in Lithuania and Europe. Juozas Miltinis has brought up a number of actors. One of them is Donatas Banionis who is known internationally. Theater "Menas" (English: ''art'') was established in 1991. The city boasts of Puppet Wagon Theater which is the only in Europe. Antanas Markuckis, the director of the Theater was awarded International Prize of Hans Christian Andersen in Copenhagen in 2003. Every two years the theater organizes the International Theater Festival "Lagaminas" (English: ''suitcase''). There also is a musical theater and school called ''Juozas Miltinis school'' where drama lessons are lectured. In 2024, Stasys Museum was opened, hosting the artworks of artist Stasys Eidrigevičius.Education
Primary and secondary education
Soon after 1727 thePiarists
The Piarists (), officially named the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools (), abbreviated SchP, is a religious order of clerics regular of the Catholic Church founded in 1617 by Spanish priest Joseph Calasanz ...
established a college in Panevėžys, which was the first high school in the city, and because of it Panevėžys became an important centre of education in the region.
On 14 October 1773, the Commission of National Education was created by the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Grand Duke Stanisław August Poniatowski, which supervised universities, schools and was responsible for other educational matters in the Commonwealth. Because of its vast authority and autonomy, it is considered as the first Ministry (government department), Ministry of Education in European history and an important achievement of the Enlightenment in Poland, Enlightenment in the Commonwealth. At the time the education province of Lithuania was assigned to be managed by Vilnius University.
Following the Partitions of Poland, Third Partition of the Commonwealth, Panevėžys and Lithuania proper became part of the Russian Empire. Only a few primary schools operated in Panevėžys during the Russian rule. On 14 November 1872 the Panevėžys Teachers Seminary was opened because there was not enough teachers for Russian folk schools in the Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...
and Vilna Governorate
The Vilna Governorate was a province ('' guberniya'') of the Northwestern Krai of the Russian Empire. In 1897, the governorate covered an area of and had a population of 1,591,207 inhabitants. The governorate was defined by the Minsk Governo ...
in which only Orthodox Christians were allowed to teach. In 1873, the seminary became the first educational institution in the Russian Empire where the Lithuanian language was lectured officially, despite the active Russification and Lithuanian press ban. Moreover, Panevėžys was part of the Kovno Governorate
Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...
which was one of the leading governorates by population literacy – 55.3%, compared to the average of 19% of population (9 years or older) of the Russian Empire in 1897. Following the Russian Revolution of 1905, Catholics were also allowed to study in the teachers seminary, however few Lithuanians studied in it (e.g. 8 of 132 in 1907) and two-thirds of the students had to be Orthodox Christians. Jonas Jablonskis was the only teacher of Lithuanian origin who taught in the seminary. Until the early 20th century the seminary prepared 400 teachers. During the World War I the seminary was evacuated to Mstsislaw and never returned to Panevėžys.
In 1905, the Ponevezh Yeshiva was established in Panevėžys and historically was one of the most famous yeshiva
A yeshiva (; ; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are studied in parallel. The stu ...
s in the world.
In 1905, the Juozas Masiulis' Bookstore was opened in a building on the current Respublikos St. which was the first Lithuanian language bookstore in Panevėžys and initially sold banned literature in the Latin script of the Lithuanian language, while following the lifting of the Lithuanian press ban continued legally selling literature in Lithuanian and other languages (e.g. the bookstore offered over 1,000 different titles publications in 1912). The founder of the bookstore, Juozas Masiulis, was a Lithuanian book smuggler and a member of the Garšviai Book Smuggling Society, he was exiled to Siberia
Siberia ( ; , ) is an extensive geographical region comprising all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has formed a part of the sovereign territory of Russia and its predecessor states ...
twice by the Tsar#Russia, tsarist authorities for selling at the time illegal Lithuanian literature.
In 1915, following a reorganization, the Juozas Balčikonis Gymnasium became the first Lithuanian Gymnasium (school), gymnasium in Education in Lithuania, Lithuania's education history and its pupils were taught in Lithuanian language.
Following the Act of Independence, restoration of Lithuania's independence in 1918, Panevėžys continued to grow and Lithuanization of education system was implemented which was beneficial for the Lithuanians who constituted the majority of the city's residents (e.g. 53% in 1923). A number of Lithuanian schools and gymnasiums were built to improve the level of education. Also, ethnic minorities schools of Russians, Poles and Jews operated in the city. In 1919, Panevėžys Teachers Seminary was reestablished. In 1928 primary education became mandatory in Panevėžys and in 1931 in Panevėžys County
Panevėžys County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the north-east of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Panevėžys. On 1 July 2010, the county administration was abolished, and since tha ...
.
On 22 March 1939, following the German 1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania, annexation of Klaipėda
Klaipėda ( ; ) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the List of cities in Lithuania, third-largest city in Lithuania, the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, fifth-largest city in the Baltic States, and the capi ...
, Klaipėda Pedagogical Institute was moved to Panevėžys and renamed to Panevėžys Pedagogical Institute (graduated by 93 graduates), however in the same year, following the recapture of Lithuanian capital Vilnius
Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...
, it was moved to Vilnius and renamed to Vilnius Pedagogical Institute.
Currently, Panevėžys has one elementary school, two primary schools, nine progymnasiums, and 15 gymnasiums. Moreover, there are Adult and Youth Training Centre, "Šviesos" Centre for Special Education, Special school – multipurpose center. Most of pupils in Panevėžys later studies in the universities or colleges as Lithuania is one of the world's leading countries in OECD's statistics of population with tertiary education (58.15% of 25–34-year-olds in 2022).
Tertiary education
Panevėžys never had its own independent university, however there is the Faculty of Technology and Business of Kaunas University of Technology which offer multiple bachelor's degree, bachelor's and master's degrees studies. The Panevėžys College, established in 2002, provides college education in three Faculty (division), faculties (Biomedicine Sciences, Social Sciences, Technology Sciences) and has over 1,000 students.Libraries
A number of libraries are located in Panevėžys, with the most notable being the Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library, Panevėžys District Municipal Public Library, and the Panevėžys City Elena Mezginaitė Public Library.Sport
FK Ekranas, winners of the A Lyga, Lithuanian Football League in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, was based in the town before it went bankrupt in 2015. After FK Ekranas bankruptcy the strongest football club is FK Panevėžys which is playing in Lithuanian top division A Lyga. BC Lietkabelis, one of the clubs that established Lietuvos krepšinio lyga, LKL and is playing in it since its inception, is also based in Panevėžys.Panevėžys City Municipality
Panevėžys, situated in the centre ofAukštaitija
Aukštaitija (; literally ''Highland'' or ''Upland'') is the name of one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. The name comes from the fact that the lands are in the upper basin of the Nemunas, as opposed to the Lowlands that begin from Š ...
, is sometimes called the capital of the Regions of Lithuania, region. It is a municipality on itself (Panevėžys City Municipality) and is also the capital of Panevėžys District Municipality
Panevėžys () is the fifth-largest List of cities in Lithuania, city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, eighth-most-populous city in the Baltic States. it occupies with 89,100 inhabitants. As defined by Eu ...
, and Panevėžys County
Panevėžys County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the north-east of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Panevėžys. On 1 July 2010, the county administration was abolished, and since tha ...
. The coat of arms with the red gate was adopted and formally approved in 1993.
Transportation
During the interwar period, Panevėžys was one of the leading Lithuanian cities in streets management: there were only two first-tier cities in Lithuania with more paved streets than unpaved ones – Panevėžys and Vilkaviškis. However, Panevėžys, being larger, had significantly more paved streets. Sidewalks were also being built along the streets. Initially, the streets were paved with plain stones, but in the 1930s the central streets were already paved with hewn stones. In 1935 out of 40 kilometers of city's streets in total of 26 kilometers were paved. Country roads were also being paved: to Berčiūnai (5.4 km; 1933–1934) and Velžys, towards Ukmergė (3.6 km; 1935). Unfortunately, none of these pavements in Panevėžys has survived to this day as during the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet era, all paved streets were covered with Asphalt concrete, asphalt.
Panevėžio autobusų parkas, "Panevėžio autobusų parkas" Ltd. is serving 16 Panevėžys city routes with 44 buses running. Total urban route network consists of . Network is equipped with 223 passengers' bus stopsCity bus schedules
Additionally, Panevėžys is home to a railway station that currently serves passenger trains to Mažeikiai, and formerly trains on the now-truncated Aukštaitija narrow gauge railway.
Climate
Panevėžys has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification, Köppen ''Dfb'').Notable residents
* Donatas Banionis – film and theater actor * Juozas Miltinis – theater director * Jonas Variakojis- Lieutenant-Colonel of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, participant in the Lithuanian Wars of Independence, Minister of National Defence. * Joseph-Shlomo Mil (John Mill (Bundist), John Mil) (1870–1952) one of the founders of the General Jewish Labour Bund in Lithuania, Poland and Russia, Jewish Labour Bund, born in Panevėžys * Simas Skinderis – football player * Ignatas Konovalovas – professional cyclist *Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman
Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman (; ; , known also as the Ponevezher Rav), was an Orthodox rabbi and rosh yeshiva (dean) of the Ponevezh Yeshiva. He was also a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Agudath Israel.
Biography
Kahaneman was born 13 ...
* Benjamin Zuskin – famous Russian stage and movie actor, murdered 1952 upon Stalin's orders; see Night of the Murdered Poets
* Radži – singer
* Vidmantas Bačiulis – Lithuanian screenwriter, film and television film director
* Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė – Lithuanian educator, writer, and activist
* Darius Grigalionis (born 1977) – backstroke swimmer
* Mindaugas Lukauskis (born 1979) – basketball player
* Danas Rapšys (born 1995) – swimmer
* Andrius Šidlauskas (swimmer), Andrius Šidlauskas (born 1997) – Lithuanian Swimming at the 2016 Summer Olympics, 2016 Olympic and Swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics, 2020 Olympic swimmer
* Tomas Navikonis (born 2003) – swimmer
* Tomas Lukminas (born 2004) – swimmer
* Rokas Jazdauskas (born 2005) – swimmer
* Kristupas Trepočka (born 2006) – swimmer
Twin towns – sister cities
Panevėžys is Sister city, twinned with: *Daugavpils
Daugavpils (see also other names) is a state city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city derives its name. The parts of the city to the north of the river belong to the historical Latvian region ...
, Latvia
* Gabrovo, Bulgaria
* Kalmar, Sweden
* Kolding, Denmark
* Lublin, Poland
* Lünen, Germany
* Maramures, Romania
* Rakvere, Estonia
* Székesfehérvár, Hungary
* Rustavi, Georgia
* Toyohashi, Japan
* Vinnytsia, Ukraine
* Ramla, Israel
The city was previously twinned with:
* Kaliningrad, Russia
* Mytishchi, Russia
* Vitebsk, Belarus
* Goes, Netherlands
Significant depictions in popular culture
* Panevėžys is one of the starting towns of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Lithuania in the turn-based strategy game ''Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms#Teutonic campaign, Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms''.See also
*Bnei Brak
Bnei Brak ( ) or Bene Beraq, is a city located on the central Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean Israeli coastal plain, coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. A center of Haredi Judaism, Bnei Brak covers an area of 709 hectares (1,752 acre ...
* Ponevezh yeshiva
References
Sources
* ''Istorija'' (History). City of PanevėžysPanevėžys.lt
External links
Official city page
* Jews in Panevėžys before the Shoa
The murder of the Jews of Panevėžys
during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.
Panevėžys Live Webcam View (WebCam)
balticlivecam.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Panevezys Panevėžys, Cities in Lithuania Cities in Panevėžys County Capitals of Lithuanian counties Municipalities administrative centres of Lithuania Holocaust locations in Lithuania Municipalities of Panevėžys County