Jurbarkas

Jurbarkas is situated on the right bank of the Nemunas river at the confluence of three rivers – the Nemunas, the Mituva and the Imsrė. The name of Jurbarkas was first mentioned in the chronicle of P. Duisburg, in 1259, when the crusaders built Georgenburg (Jurgenburg) castle there. Since the 14th century Jurbarkas became a royal estate. In the third decade of the 16th century the Polish King and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Žygimantas the Old constituted a
decree to govern the Samogitian land – all the populated locality on the Prussian border was given to govern to the Queens. The Queen Bona, the wife of Žygimantas II, was the first to govern Jurbarkas. In 1611 Jurbarkas was granted the rights of Magdeburg and a coat of arms, three white lilies on the red shield.

Jurbarkas Region is unique for its significant cultural heritage and spectacular landscape. The appeal of the region is emphasized by the fact that its 70-kilometre southern edge lies along the bank of the Nemunas, Lithuania’s biggest river. Whichever way you choose to travel around Jurbarkas Region – on land or by water – the culture and the past of the region unfold in front of your eyes. The evocative Seredžius, Veliuona and Jurbarkas fort-hills recall the defences of medieval castles, while the Renaissance-style castles of Panemunė and Raudonė, manor complexes and small towns located every 10 kilometres between Seredžius and Viešvilė contain many monuments of ancestral culture. The most famous architectural structures are: the renaissance style Raudonė castle (end of the 16th century) and Panemunė castle (beginning of the 17th century).

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