In Ukmergė District Municipality, different ways of exploring history and landscape come together in one thematic area: chronological regional history at the museum, distinctive manor-house architecture and waterside trails. The Šventoji flows through Ukmergė itself. Those wishing to combine culture with time outdoors will therefore find a range of highlights, without being tied to a set route.
Museums and Architectural History
The Ukmergė Local History Museum presents the region’s history chronologically. Its exhibits cover natural history, archaeology, history, ethnography, written culture and art. The archaeological collection includes finds from Obeliai, Berzgainiai, Antatilčiai, Ukmergė Hillfort, as well as Samantoniai, Sukiniai, Bečiai and Pabaiskas. Historical sources mention that Vilkmergė Castle stood on the hillfort—bringing together, in the museum, archaeological sites and a historical account relating to the same place.
The buildings, too, tell of different periods and functions. The Užugiris School Museum is housed in a manor-house-style building in the village of Užulėnis. Antanas Smetona, the first president of the Republic of Lithuania, gave it to the people of his native area. His summer residence is traditionally called Užugirio Manor; Smetona himself called the estate Užugirio kiemas. The classicist Taujėnai Manor was built by Benediktas Morikonis in the late 18th century and has been preserved. Siesikai Manor Castle, meanwhile, is Lithuania’s only surviving Renaissance building with a fortified residential function. The examples therefore differ in both their architecture and their recorded uses.
Ukmergė is also home to the Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity, a Neo-Byzantine masonry church. It was built as an Orthodox church in 1868. Both its present Catholic dedication and its original function are part of its architectural history.
Trails, Parks and Outdoor Discoveries
Two trails in Ukmergė offer a clear comparison of their lengths: the Podolė–Kamenec Trail is 800 metres long, illuminated and designed as a cycling and walking path along the Šventoji. Facilities include a water fountain, benches and a children’s playground. The Mirabeliai Trail is a 1-kilometre walking route with access to the river, a playground, and recreation and picnic areas. The descriptions highlight the difference between a trail along the river and a route with access to it.
For a larger park area, there is Ukmergė Health Park: it covers more than 12 hectares and has walking paths, fitness trails and exercise equipment, a playground, renovated ponds and a rose garden. Pilies Park has walking paths, a children’s playground and outdoor musical instruments; its three viewpoints are illuminated. Some details about the facilities mentioned may change. Check them before your visit.
The “Mini Lietuva” miniature park offers a different focus. It features carefully recreated miniatures of Lithuania’s well-known architectural and cultural landmarks, making the walk a vivid journey of discovery through the country. The Rimantas Zinkevičius Folk Art Museum, by contrast, is dedicated to the work of a single artist: on display are his nativity scenes, devotional figures, sculptures of saints, fairy-tale characters and fantastical figures, created over the course of his life. Visiting arrangements for this museum may change; check them before your visit.
Vepriai: Stations of the Cross and Meteorite Crater
In Vepriai, religious heritage connects the landscape with a walking route. The Calvary comprises 35 Stations of the Cross between Lake Vepriai and the Šventoji, in the southeastern part of the town; the route covers 5.5 kilometres in total. The Veprių krašto muziejus preserves ethnographic, historical and sacred heritage from the surrounding area. This includes wayside chapel pillars that survived the Soviet era.
Another distinctive feature of the area is the Vepriai Crater, the largest discovered meteorite crater in Lithuania. The Pivonija Forest in Ukmergė is also popular with residents and visitors for walks and outdoor activities. The options thus range from a route with Stations of the Cross to city parks and riverside trails, as well as places focused on regional history, art and geology.
Discover more destinations: Taujėnai, Ukmergė, Lėnas, Trakai District Municipality, Švenčionys District Municipality, Ukmergė District Municipality, Trakai District Municipality, Vilnius District Municipality.
For the broader travel overview: Vilnius County.
