About Rokiškis

Do you know any other region which reflected the borderlines of the entire country even for three times within the territory thereof? These are the district borderline on the map, an Island on Dviragis Lake, Apvalusis (The Round) Lake. The biggest river in the region is the Nemunėlis – as if it was a diminutive name of the biggest river in Lithuania – the Nemunas – attracts tourists with wonderful nature. More than three hundred cultural and historical monuments embellish the landscape. Among them there is the most beautiful Neo-Gothic ensemble in Lithuania – Rokiškis St. Matthew’s Church, pride of Classical Urbanism in Lithuania – Rokiškis City Independence Square, the most attractive tourism location in Lithuania in 2011 – Rokiškis Manor (currently – Rokiškis Regional Museum). In 2012 the people of Rokiškis plan on arranging Gireišiai Geodetic Station located in Struvė Arc, which has been inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, in a more attractive manner.

Area – 180,6 thousand hectares.
About 36000 pop., and 16000 – in Rokiškis city.
The geographical location – in the north-east of Lithuania itself – has a long state border with Latvia.
The ethnic region is Aukštaitija.
Former land of tribal tribes (the fourteenth century was merged with Latgans and Lithuanians).
Protected areas: state-owned Jankūnų geomorphological reserve, Notigales telmological reserve, Petrošiškis and Suvainiškis wetlands, Kumpuolis hydrographic reserve, ornithological reserve of European significance of lake Čedasas, part of Sartai regional park area.
The city of Rokiškis was founded in 1499.

The land of Rokiškis raised many famous people: it brought up three prime ministers of the Interwar Lithuania – Vladas Mironas, Antanas Tumėnas, Juozas Tubelis, and it gave the country Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas – President and long-lived Prime Minister, after restoration of Independence. The patrimony of Bronislaw Komorowski, the contemporary President of the Republic of Poland, also lies in Kavoliškis, Rokiškis District…

And how many people from Rokiškis District contributed to the welfare of their country! The following fellow-countrymen were given Lithuanian state and national awards: writers Liudas Dovydėnas, Sigitas Parulskis, Vanda Juknaitė, actress Monika Mironaitė, surgeon Vytautas Jonas Sirvydis, forester Leonardas Kairiūkštis. Lawyers Antanas Tumėnas and Mykolas Riomeris laid the legal background of the state of Lithuania, meanwhile Justinas Vienožinskis laid the background of professional fine arts in Lithuania in the 20th century. Lionginas Šepka and Monika Bičiūnienė had raised the Lithuanian folk art to such heights as nobody else has ever succeeded in that, Rudolph Lyman, the Czech who lived and worked in Rokiškis, Irena Jasiūnaitė, opera singer, greatly contributed to development of musical culture in Lithuania. Antanas Strazdas, poet and folk swan, created and lived here, Paulius Širvys, the famous lyric poet, started his creative way here as well. Fellow-countrymen actors Vaiva Mainelytė, Ramūnas Rudokas etc. gave a meaning to theatrical traditions. This list could be continued on and on. Titles of Honorary Citizen of Rokiškis Region have been granted to the most distinguished fellow-countrymen.

Rokiškis District is also famous for its diligent farmers and creative businessmen as well. Thanks to them the people of Rokiškis produce cheese and other dairy, meat, fish products, oil, alcohol, wine, bake bread, pies (we have even 7 bakeries!), design and manufacture agricultural equipment, alternative energy, sow clothes, make ropes, and their products are delivered to the most distant countries of the world. Subject to turnover growth rates of industrial companies and the number of industrial products for one resident Rokiškis district demonstrates better results in comparison with the average rates of the county or the state. 26.2 per cent of all farms located in the county in 2010 were registered in Rokiškis district.

Rokiškis is referred to not only as the capital of theater life, but as the capital of wood sculpture, painted shutters as well. Professional theater festivals are held in the country’s periphery thanks to numerous creators and sponsors of theater art. This tradition has been continued for almost three decades already. International festivals of organ music, classic music, amateur theater and other events held here attract fans of art from different locations of the country. The town is embellished by the biggest theme park of wood sculptures in Europe. Award ceremonies of the republican awards of L. Šepka, L. Dovydėnas, J. Keliuotis are held in Rokiškis. Rokiškis branch of Panevėžys college is located here, in one of the few districts in the country, nationally well known cultural magazine of the region “Prie Nemunėlio”, is published here as well, Tourism Information Centre gives a warm welcome to guests and tourists. Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you seen? You are welcome here! Come here for tourism purposes, come here to have a rest, come here to work, come here to live!