Raudondvaris Manor

Raudondvaris means red manor, and the name is literal: the house is built of red brick on a terrace above the confluence of the Nevėžis and the Nemunas, begun in the early seventeenth century by the Radvila family in a late Renaissance form with round corner towers, and later held by the Tyszkiewicz family who remodelled it and laid out the park. It was burnt in the twentieth century and restored, and now holds a museum with rooms on the manor's history and on the composer Juozas Naujalis, along with galleries and event spaces. The park runs along the bluff with views down to the rivers, and the old orangery and outbuildings survive. It is a short trip west from Kaunas.

What to look for

• The red-brick house - late Renaissance with round corner towers.
• The river confluence - the Nevėžis meeting the Nemunas below.
• The terrace park - grounds along the bluff with outbuildings.
• Museum rooms - displays on the manor and on Juozas Naujalis.

When to go

May to September for the park; the manor keeps museum hours and closes on Mondays. Events and weddings can restrict access to parts of the house at weekends.

Practical notes

The interiors are restored rather than original and are partly given over to events and galleries. The museum is small. The park is modest. It is a two-hour stop rather than a day out.

Nearby

Kaunas lies east; Zapyškis church is west along the river.

Key facts