What do you think when you hear about Lithuania? Do you remember the Grand Duchy of
Lithuania? Or narrow European streets? Or white sandy beaches? But not only this is a
famous for a small, but truly beautiful country.
Lithuania, or the Republic of Lithuania, is located in the north of Europe, covering an area of
65,300 square kilometers. It borders Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Russia (Kaliningrad
region), and also has access to the Baltic Sea. Only 2795,175 people live in the country,
which is almost three times less than the population of the Moscow Region. Lithuania is on
the list of countries with the fastest disappearing population — 1% per year since 1993.
Many people don’t realize how rich the history of the Republic of Lithuania is. The first
settlements on the territory of the country appeared several thousand years ago, but its first
mention on the letter dates back to 1009 AD. In the XIII century, the first statehood was
formed, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania appeared. In 1253, with the permission of the Pope,
Lithuania converted to Christianity. Until the XVIII century, the country occupied one of the
most important places on the world stage, but then its power began to weaken. In 1940,
Lithuania was forced to join the USSR, and in 1990 it was recognized as an independent
republic. It is a member of the UN, NATO, the European Union, and so on.
For history buffs, we have a few places worth visiting:
- Mountain of Crosses. It is a place of pilgrimage, a shrine. Historians ‘ opinions about
the origin of the attraction differ, but it appeared several centuries ago. In the 1990s,
there were about 50 thousand crosses on the mountain. Every year, many tourists
come there, eager to leave a cross there for good luck. Therefore, now this “forest”
has become even thicker. - Vilnius Old Town. This place is a complex of ancient European architecture. Exploring
the pedestrian streets, you can find a lot of interesting things: temples of various
religions, museums, cozy antique shops or just beautiful courtyards. - Trakai Castle (Trakai). It can be called a real architectural and landscape treasure.
On foot bridges across the lake, you can get to the local village, where delicious food
and a boat station, and from there – to the island of Trakai Castle. On its territory
there are many museums that tell the amazing and mysterious history of Trakai and
its inhabitants.
https://fr.igotoworld.com/es/tour/2313_les-pays-baltes.htm
For those who like to have a good rest, love eating delicious food and just relax, we
recommend a holiday in Palanga-a city near the Baltic Sea. White sandy beaches,
surrounded by coniferous forest, are pleasing to the eye. In the main market you can buy
fresh fruits and vegetables, and in the main street you can try the famous zeppelins or watch
the sunset.
https://milkov.ru/travel/956.htm
To get a complete picture of Lithuania, we have prepared a few facts about it:
- Among all the cities of Lithuania, there’s not a single city with a population of one
million. - The white stork has become the national symbol of the Republic of Lithuania. The
country has a whole program to increase the population. - The anonymous Swing foundation operates in Vilnius. An unknown group of people
hangs a swing in the center of the city, changing their location. - In the center of Vilnius, there is an independent mini-republic “Uzhupis”, where
people of creative professions live. It even has its own constitution. - Shvituris beer is a real pride of the Lithuanians. It has won first place in international
competitions for several years in a row.
The Republic of Lithuania is a great place for those, who love both European streets and
beach holidays. We hope that after reading this article you will be interested in this country
and history