Castles and manors give Jurbarkas District Municipality a distinct cultural focus. When planning your trip, it is also worth noting the differences between the individual places: Raudonė offers the history of a castle built at the end of the 16th century, complete with an observation tower, while Panemunė Castle is a manor’s Renaissance residence with a park and museum. In Skirsnemunė, a neo-Gothic church and a historic bell add to the picture; in Viešvilė, a four-kilometre hiking trail leads to a different kind of exploration. Together, they offer a selection of architectural history, exhibitions and trails.
Castles and manors as historical highlights
Raudonė Castle was built by Krišpinas Kiršenšteinas at the end of the 16th century and completed in 1600. Kiršenšteinas was a scribe at Kaunas Castle and had become wealthy through the timber trade. The 33.5-metre-high tower has an observation platform offering views over the park and surrounding area. Raudonė thus combines a precisely dated building history with a striking landmark and views across the landscape.
Panemunė Castle was built between 1604 and 1610 as a manor’s Renaissance residence. It is surrounded by a 15-hectare landscaped park with five ponds. The castle museum features an exhibition of the interiors of the ceremonial apartments of the rulers of the Duchy of Žemaitija. Also on display is the only preserved and restored 18th-century manor kitchen in Lithuania. The architecture, park and exhibition each offer a different focus: the estate tells the story of its function as a residence, while the exhibition highlights the ceremonial rooms and the preserved manor kitchen.
Cultural route and orientation along Road 141
The national cultural route “Castles and Manors”, designated in 2025, offers a thematic way to explore the area. It includes the Veliuona and Jurbarkas manors, as well as Raudonė and Panemunė castles. Its focus combines manor culture and gastronomy with nature, history, educational activities and entertainment. Distinct from this is the 70-kilometre section of Road 141 from Seredžius to Viešvilė. Along this section in Jurbarkas District are cultural heritage sites such as hill forts, manors, castles and churches. The route connects the places thematically; the road section defines a geographical area.
Church, bell and hiking trail
In Skirsnemunė, the brick Neo-Gothic Church of St George was built in 1903 at the initiative of the parish priest Kazimieras Žekevičius (1840–1926). An old bell can also be seen in the church. Cast by H. Bedeker in 1632, it is cracked and no longer in use. The church and bell complement the major castle complexes with a different kind of cultural heritage: here, the focus is on a specifically named initiator, the date of construction and a single historic object.
In Viešvilė, the informative hiking trail covers a four-kilometre route with several information boards. Jurbarkas Manor Park offers a different connection to the landscape: it covers about nine hectares and is easily accessible via a footbridge beside the festival stage. For your outing, you can choose between the four-kilometre hiking route in Viešvilė and a visit to Jurbarkas Manor Park, which covers about nine hectares and is easily accessible via a footbridge beside the festival stage.
Plan your stay around your excursion interests
If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Jurbarkas District Municipality, your preferred focus for excursions can help guide your choice. Consider whether you would like your trip to focus mainly on castle and manor history, churches and cultural heritage, or the hiking trail in Viešvilė.
Discover more destinations: Kėdainiai District Municipality, Kaunas District Municipality, Raseiniai District Municipality, Prienai District Municipality, Jonava District Municipality, Kaišiadorys District Municipality
For the broader travel overview: Kaunas County.
