Varniai
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Varniai | |
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City | |
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 Coat of arms | |
  Varniai Location of Varniai | |
| Coordinates: 55°44′0″N 22°22′0″E / 55.73333°N 22.36667°E | |
| Country |  Lithuania |
| Ethnographic region | Samogitia |
| County | Telšiai County |
| Municipality | Telšiai district municipality |
| Eldership | Varniai eldership |
| Capital of | Varniai eldership |
| First mentioned | 1314 |
| Granted city rights | 1950 |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 873 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Website | Varniai.lt |
Varniai (; Samogitian: Varnē) is a city in the Telšiai County, western Lithuania. In the Middle Ages the city was known as Medininkai (Samogitian: Medėninkā).
Etymology
[edit]Medininkai or Medenike was first mentioned in 1320. This town existed until the end of the 16th century, when the town of Varniai was founded in the 15th century north of Medininkai, on the left bank of the Varnelė river. The latter name is derived from the Varnelė River, which flows through the town. As early as 1904, Vaižgantas mentions its name as Varnė.[1] In other languages the town is known by: German: Medeniken, Polish: Wornie.
In 1491, the Kulm law was granted to Medininkai, and in 1635, the Magdeburg rights were granted to the renamed Varniai. Eventually, the name of Medininkai disappeared from common usage altogether. [2]
History
[edit]Town established in the 14th century, on the bank of the Varnelė River, near an important Samogitian castle. It was the center of the Samogitian Catholic church: after the baptism of Samogitia, the Samogitian Bishop resided in the town. In 1320, it was the site of the Battle of Medininkai, in which the Samogitians defeated the invading Teutonic Knights.[3] Afterwards, it was invaded by the Teutonic Knights in 1329, and by the Livonian Order in 1377.[3] In 1413, the King of Poland Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło) and Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great ordered the demolition of the pagan temple and Christianized the population.[3] Around 1414–1416 the first church was built, and c. 1464 the first cathedral. 1425, a third of the population died due to an epidemic.[4] It was granted Chełmno municipal rights in 1491.[4] During the Swedish invasion, the town was plundered by the Swedes in 1655 and 1656.[4] Five diocesan synods were held in the town between 1656 and 1752.[4]
Varniai was the center of Samogitian episcopate until the middle of the 19th century, when authorities of the Russian Empire moved it to Kaunas.
With support of Merkelis Giedraitis, Mikalojus Daukša translated and made ready for publication Katechizmas, the first Lithuanian language book printed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, then part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
It was also the residence of Motiejus Valančius.
Gallery
[edit]-
Varniai as depicted in Carta marina -
One of the Varniai streets -
Samogitian Diocese seat in Varniai -
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Interior of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul -
Bishops of Samogitia sarcophagus in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul basement -
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Varniai Centre of Culture -
Varniai eldership building -
Merkelis Giedraitis Monument -
Mikalojus Daukša Monument -
Motiejus Valančius Monument -
Former house of Motiejus Valančius -
Varniai Motiejus Valančius Gymnasium
Notable residents
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Vanagas, Aleksandras (2004). „Lietuvos miestų vardai“ (2nd ed.). Vilnius: Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas. pp. 244–245. ISBN 5420013541.
- ^ Jankevičiūtė, Giedrė (2008). Lietuva. Vadovas. Vilnius: R. Paknio leidykla. ISBN 9789986830979.
- ^ a b c Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XIII (in Polish). Warszawa. 1893. p. 941.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b c d Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XIII (in Polish). Warszawa. 1893. p. 942.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
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- (in Lithuanian) Varniai – A Resourceful Renaissance Center of 16th Century Cultural and National Ideology
- (in Lithuanian) Park of Varniai and history of Varniai
- (in Lithuanian) Museum of Samogitian episcopate
- (in Lithuanian) Website of Varniai
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