Visit

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.

Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė (1861–1943), writer, publicist, and educator, spent almost 40 years of her life in Joniškėlis. It was the period of the town’s cultural rise, the prosperity of Lithuania, when the most prominent personalities of the Lithuanian nation of that time arrived to town.

G. Petkevičaitė was born in Puziniškis manor (Panevėžys District), in a family of intelligentsia nobles. The writer’s father, Jonas Leonas Petkevičius, practiced as a doctor, and her mother, Malvina Chodakauskaitė, graduated from the Vilnius ­Gymnasium. Petkevičius was appointed head of the Joniškėlis hospital in 1865 and moved here with his large family. Gabrielė was taught by the famous Lithuanian linguist and journalist Laurynas Ivinskis for two years (1866–1868).

G. Petkevičaitė was elected to the Constituent Seimas of Lithuania in 1920. As the oldest member of the Seimas, she had the honor of presiding over the first session. She even took part in the Lithuanian presidential elections, being the first female candidate. Joniškėlis gymnasium is named after her.

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.

The chapel-shaped wooden composition is dedicated to the book smugglers of the Saločiai region – Steponas Pavilionis, Juozas Steponavičius, Antanas Krasinskas-Voverys, and Jonas Burkus. Unveiled in 1993.

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.

Lithuanians defeated the forces of West Russian Volunteer Army on 12 November 1919 in Saločiai. In order to commemorate this victory and honor the fallen soldiers a seven-meter obelisk was erected in the market square of the town in 1928. At its top was a globe pierced by a sword, as a bold statement that Lithuania had won a place for itself among the rest of the world. In the post-war years, the enemies desecrated the bodies of the fallen partisans at its foot. The monument was demolished in circa 1964. The wreckage was taken away and buried somewhere in gravel pits…

Saločiai obelisk was erected again in June 1989, on the initiative of the town’s Sąjūdis group.

Soldiers of the Pušalotas company of the Joniškėlis partisan battalion who died  in the spring battle with the Bolsheviks in 1919 near the village of Bernatoniai (now Panevėžys District) are buried here.

A monument depicting a stepped pyramid was erected on the grave of the soldiers in 1928 with the care of the members of the spring movement and former comrades. President Antanas Smetona participated in the ceremony of consecration of the monument. The monument was created by the architect Vladas Švipas. His model was exhibited at the Paris World Fair in 1937.

During the Soviet occupation, the monument stood abandoned, state symbols and names of fallen soldiers were torn from it.

When you don’t know anything about a new city, the best way to get to know it is at the museum of the r

When you don’t know anything about a new city, the best way to get to know it is at the museum of the region. Museum of Pasvalys Region opened its doors in 1998 in the reconstructed premises of the former cinema Svalia. Get to know the history of the region, discover unique exhibits! Take a walk around the market square of the times of A. Smetona! Take a motorcycle trip to the Caucasus with the legendary traveller Antanas Poška! Meet the partisans in a virtual reality bunker! Descend into the 20-meter depth of Žalsvasis spring – the deepest cave in Lithuania!

Taking into account the trends of modern museology, education and cultural activities have become one of the priority functions of the museum. The museum offers more than 30 educational programs, organizes thematic excursions, organizes conferences, seminars, meetings with prominent personalities of Lithuania and Pasvalys. The exhibition spaces of the museum are perfectly suitable for various chamber events. About 30 exhibitions are organized in the museum during the year, where the works of Lithuanian and foreign artists – professional artists and folk artists – are displayed.

Start your journey of discovery from the Pasvalys Regional Museum!

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.

An unforgettable night tour of the three-hundred-year-old manor, blood-chilling legends and the opportunity to peek at the dark history of this land await you. The mysterious owner of the manor will show you the creepiest corners and tell you unforgettable stories not for the faint of heart…

Persons from the age of 13 can participate. Program participants must have searchlights, wear comfortable, waterproof shoes, and warm clothes. It can be booked for birthdays, bachelorette parties, and bachelor parties.

Number of participants: 10-40 persons

Duration: 1.30 hours

According to legend, a famous researcher of photochemistry, the first Lithuanian physical chemist, world-famous scientist Theodor von Grotthuß used to sit under this oak tree. He lived and worked nearby in the Gedučiai estate. The basement of T. Grotthuss’ grave remained in the forest, where he was buried, later the remains were moved elsewhere. Oak is a state-protected botanical natural heritage object. 

After the defeat during the uprising against tsarist Russia in 1863, families of Russian colonists were settled in Lithuanian villages. An Orthodox community was established in the village of Gegabrasta. It had its own school, cemetery, and built a cozy house of prayer – a small wooden church in the late 19th century. Bright yellow with even brighter green domes, the sanctuary shines romantically in the tranquillity of the pine forest. There is no longer a Russian community in the village of Gegabrasta, but the church is functioning, the titular church festival is held every year in May, believers from all over the region of Panevėžys come to it.

Buildings remaining until the late 19th century – early 20th century. The manor belonged to Klebokas, then to baron Ludvik Rop. He planted a park and built a red brick manor house that has survived to this day. During the Soviet era, the palace served as a cultural center and an administrative center for the local economy. Later, families lived here. The palace building was purchased by a private individual in 2003.

The manor palace is made of red brick, the central part has two floors, with an attic. A mixed-style park stretches along the Jiešmuo stream – a place for local people and guests to relax. A hanging wooden bridge connects the shores of Jiešmuo pond, there is a possibility to ride water bikes. An oak tree grows in the park – a botanical natural monument, its diameter reaches 1.5 m.