Independence Square in the Old Town of Rokiškis

According to historians, the square that is visible now is an urban object of the Lithuanian Classicism era which  was formed by the end of the 18th century when Rokiškis was ruled by the family of counts Tyzenhaus. The square already was a gathering place for people at that time. In the square there was a marketplace which became a kind of entertainment for both the townspeople and the residents of Rokiškis area. The most important public and cultural events took place in the square, institutions, shops were located here. It is interesting that in the 20th century in Independence Square there were two taxi ranks: horse-drawn carriages and modern taxi cars that only ran during the warm season because the roads were not cleaned in winter. Brothers Romas and Balys Zizai were the ones who started driving people in the car. According to the stories, the brothers were earning really well. Sometimes the alcohol was used instead of petrol because it was cheaper. Although this fuel alternative was banned, police officers had too little knowledge to be able to tell what the car was powered by.