The Stelmužė Oak () is a

common oak ''Quercus robur'', the pedunculate oak, is a species of flowering plant in the beech and oak family, Fagaceae. It is a large tree, native to most of Europe and western Asia, and is widely cultivated in other temperate regions. It grows on soils ...

tree which grows in the former Stelmužė Manor park by

Stelmužė Stelmužė is a village in Zarasai district municipality of Lithuania. It is right near the border to Latvia. There is a wooden chapel built in 1650 not using saws or iron Nail (engineering), nails; it is the oldest wooden religious building in ...

tεɫˈmʊʒeːvillage,

Zarasai district Zarasai District Municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania. It borders with Latvia and Belarus. It has significant Russian minority population in Lithuania, with sixth of the population claiming Russian ethnicity. Local government u ...

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 ...

.Stelmužės ąžuolas
''

Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company that is a subsidiary of Comcast ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of ...

'' The oak measures 3.5 m in diameter and 13 m in girth at its widest part; being 2.8 m. and 9.58 m at waist level. The oak reaches 23 m in height with only side branches remaining alive. It is believed to be at least 1,500 years old, possibly, as much as 2,000 years old; this makes it the oldest oak in Lithuania and one of the oldest in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

. However, exact age measurements are difficult, as the inner part of the trunk has been removed. The oak has been protected since 1960. In 1987 it was listed as state natural monument of republican significance of the

Lithuanian SSR The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (Lithuanian SSR; ; ), also known as Soviet Lithuania or simply Lithuania, was '' de facto'' one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union between 1940–1941 and 1944–1990. After 1946, its terr ...

. In 2000 the oak was declared a

natural monument A natural monument is a natural or cultural feature of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities, or cultural significance. They can be natural geological and geographical features such as w ...

and included in the list of protected objects in Lithuania and in 2003 it was declared the botanical

natural heritage Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, includes flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. It forms part of our natural resources. Definition Definitions: * Natural heritage refers to natural feat ...

site. The oak is heavily damaged by various infections, fungi and overgrown with moss. The branches are supported. Although in early March 2021 new supports were installed, one branch broke on March 31 2021. Since 2005 the state of the oak was researched and maintained by Czech arborist Martin Nemec. He identified major threats and suggested a long-time maintenance plan.Evaldas Vylius Navys
Stelmužės milžinas – jau ne galiūnas
'' delfi.ee'', August 22, 2008 An offspring from the acorns of Stelmužė Oak grows in the National Revival Oak Grove (Tautinio atgimimo ąžuolynas) by

Jonas Basanavičius Jonas Basanavičius (, ; 23 November 1851 – 16 February 1927) was an activist and proponent of the Lithuanian National Revival. He participated in every major event leading to the independent Lithuanian state and is often given the informal hon ...

's , together with the offspring of other famous Lithuanian oaks. Jono Basanavičiaus gimtinė ir Lietuvos tautinio atgimimo ąžuolynas

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stelmuze Oak Individual oak trees Individual trees in Lithuania Landmarks in Lithuania Natural monuments of Lithuania Zarasai District Municipality

See also

References