Biržai Castle
Biržai, Lithuania
The manor in the castle of Biržai
Biržai Castle is located in Lithuania
Biržai Castle
Biržai Castle
Coordinates56°12′N 24°45′E / 56.20°N 24.75°E / 56.20; 24.75
TypeCastle
Site history
Built1589

Biržai Castle is a castle in Biržai, Lithuania. Construction of the earth bastion-type castle started in 1586 by the order of Krzysztof Mikołaj "the Lightning" Radziwiłł. In 1575, preparing for this construction, a dam was built on the Agluona and Apaščia rivers at their confluence, and the artificial Lake Širvėna, covering about 40 km2 (15 sq mi), was created. Major castle building works were finished in 1589.[1]

Since the second half of the 17th century, the castle has been the main seat of the Biržai-Dubingiai Radziwiłł family line, which was transferred here from the Dubingiai Castle. Biržai Castle served as a major defensive structure during the wars with Sweden.

The castle was reconstructed from ruins in the 1980s, in the Renaissance-Baroque style. The residential manor of the castle houses a library and a regional history museum "Sėla" (literally Selonia), founded in 1928.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kuncevičius, Dr. Albinas. "Lithuanian Castles and the Possibilities of Their Use for Cultural Tourism". Association of Lithuanian Museums. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
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