Places to visit in the city of Pasvaly

Hundreds of exhibits are gathered in the open-air collection: An exposition of 214 millstones, 64 bowl stones, 7 “footed” stones, 2 boundary stones, and mill gears. They were collected by local researcher Antanas Stapulionis over many years. Large and small millstones bring to mind the ancient craft of grinding grain, both in mills and at home. And the bowl-shaped stones are a legacy of the old Balt religion. Balts used them during ceremonies, worshiping their deities. In later centuries, the stones of the pagan period were adapted for farm purposes: rubbing, pressing, house thresholds, foundations, etc. However, their true purpose and use is not forgotten even in our days.

For almost a hundred years, Pasvalys was a railway town. Passenger and freight wagons rolled along the narrow tracks. In the 1940s, the deportation of the people of the Pasvalys region into exile to Siberia began here. They were taken away in cattle wagons. The tragedy is commemorated by a memorial square. The composition was created by the sculptor Valius Remeika.

Six Lithuanian soldiers who died in the struggle for independence in 1919-1920 are buried in the grave. In honor of the fallen Pasvalys Riflemen built a tombstone – cross of pink granite in 1937. After the beginning of the Revival, in 1988 and later, this place was an emotional hotbed of patriotism. Processions from the church travelled to the cemetery, national holidays were celebrated at the grave, and volunteers gave an oath to the restored state of Lithuania. You will find the soldiers’ grave after a short walk along the main path, on the left side, it is surrounded by a high metal fence. The city of Pasvalys and its surroundings were defended from the Bolsheviks in 1919 by the legendary “death battalion” of the Joniškėlis partisans, which later grew into the 9th infantry regiment of the Lithuanian army. It is the soldiers of this regiment who rest in the cemetery.

His real name is Albinas Vaitkus. He worked as the head of Pasvalys library in 1941, he made a significant contribution to the creation of the city’s cultural life. A modern exposition is dedicated to his memory in the library. It seems that it reflects the writer’s complicated life path, from his childhood in Gruzdžiai Village, wanderings around Pasvalys during the war years to his activities in exile. The exhibition includes the writer’s authentic books, a desk, a typewriter, a collection of pipes and many other items he used. The exhibition is interactive, games, puzzles, and quizzes are installed in the terminal. Educational sessions are available.

In this place, the paths of book smugglers met, and in a nearby wooden house, authentic book hiding places, made in the walls, are still preserved. The region of Pasvalys was famous for its book smugglers, Jurgis Bielinis, known as the king of book smugglers, visited here many times. As many as eight book smugglers from the Pasvalys region are recorded in the Wall of Book smugglers in the garden of the Vytautas the Great War Museum in Kaunas. The author of the roofed pole is sculptor Arūnas Grušas.

The ophthalmologist began his career in the early 20th century as a military doctor in the Russo-Japanese and WWI wars. He did a lot to make his field in the independent Lithuania a priority. Researched the diagnositics, treatment, and prevention of eye diseases. Under the care of P. Avižonis Eye clinic was opened in Kaunas in 1930. Communicated with well-known Lithuanian public figures of that time. The monument stands on the street named after the professor, next to the Pasvalys Regional Museum. Author – sculptor Algirdas Bosas, funder – Birutė Blaževičienė, daughter of P. Avižonis.

The expatriate poet has finally returned to his hometown after long wanderings and welcomes visitors in the very heart of Pasvalys – at the confluence of rivers Svalia and Lėvuo! B. Brazdžionis is a historical figure who symbolizes the resilience and resistance of Lithuanian culture during the years of occupation by the Soviet Union. It is not for nothing that B. Brazdžionis is called the herald of freedom of the Lithuanian nation. The granite pedestal is like an iron curtain splitting with the sound of the famous “Šaukiu aš tautą!”. It is a gift to the city and culture, which was presented to the citizens of Pasvaly by the native, patron of various cultural and historical projects,  Pranas Kiznis PhD. Authors of the monument: Rimantas Dichavičius and Ukrainians Boris Krylov and Oles Sydoruk.

Petras Vileišis – fighter for the freedom of the Lithuanian press, educator, entrepreneur, reviver of Lithuanian spirit, supporter of culture and art, statesman… His birthplace is in the village of Mediniai near Pasvalys. P. Vileišis devoted most of his life to engineering activities – building bridges throughout the Russian Empire. The citizens of Pasvalys paid their respects to their famous countryman. The city gymnasium, which has just moved to the new building, was named after him in 1935. At the same time, a monument was erected nearby, symbolizing P. Vileišis not as an engineer, but as a tireless reviver of Lithuanian spirit. The monument was created by the sculptor Vincas Grybas.

Žygimantas Augustas signed three important historical agreements with the Livonian Order in Pasvalys in 1557, thus making the town on the outskirts of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania famous. The 5-meter-high granite pedestal with a bronze bust of Žygimantas August standing in the center of Pasvalys is the only monument to this ruler in Lithuania. Its construction was initiated and financed by the honorary citizen of the Pasvalys region, businessman. Pranas Kiznis PhD. The monument was created by Ukrainian sculptors Boris Krylov and Olessy Sydoruk, with the assistance of artist Rimantas Dichavičius.

An interactive sculpture of the legendary musician Antanelis stands on the observation deck of the old Lėvuo bridge. Sculpture is not only form, but content as well. When you touch the right hand, Antanėlis (in the voice of Jonas Nainys) tells about the most beautiful places in Pasvalys, when you touch the left hand, Antanėlis, in the voice of actress Olita Dautartaitė, retells his legend. And when you put your palm on the button of the clothes of Antanėlis, you hear a poem by the poet Vladas Braziūnas – read in the Pasvalys dialect about the old bridge of Lėvuo. The sculpture of Antanelis was donated to the city by the team of the Pasvalis Regional Museum.

From the very beginning, the city center was bustling with life – there was a market square and shops. Over the centuries, the streets running into the square have formed a unique urban plan, which today is recognized as an urban heritage. On the outskirts of the square, there are preserved buildings from the early 20th century  and a narrow stone-paved street leading past the red-brick hospital to the site of the old wooden bridge.

People of Jewish nationality who lived in the city of Pasvalys and its vicinity were buried in this place for several centuries. After the destruction of the Jewish community during the Holocaust in 1941, the use of cemetery stopped. During the Soviet era, they were destroyed, only a few fragments of the former tombstones remained. After the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, a monument was built at the site of the cemetery. Today, it is the territory of the Svalia Valley Park.

“For this day to be immortalized, everyone will bring something for the roadside monuments. Stone by stone, same as our captivity, we will pile them up to build an altar… Maybe a bag of soil – to build the mound according to the ancient custom… Maybe a cross…” (Writer Kazys Saja, 17 August 1989).

The first crosses were erected here by the people of Pasvalys, Joniškėlis, neighbors from Pakruojis, guests from Kretinga, Akmenė, and Mosėdis on 23 August 1989, the day of the Baltic Road campaign. This is how they gave meaning to their determination to seek freedom. Later crosses were erected here to commemorate various important occasions. 14 crosses stand in the valley today.

The first information about Pasvalys water mill dates back to 1755. The mill built on the bank of the Lėvuo River was named after the city of Pasvalys, the mill stood in the same place as the one we see today. A new brick mill building was built in approximately 1830, a stone dam and a bridge over it were built. Later, the mill was rebuilt several times. Its current appearance no longer resembles a classic water mill. Its millstones were set in motion by new technologies – diesel and electric motors. But the dam remained in its place and commemorates the history of almost two centuries. Today, the history of Pasvalys water mill is continued by PJSC Ustukių malūnas.