Telšiai

Telšiai is the historic and cultural centre of Samogitia, the northwestern region whose people kept a distinct dialect, identity and reputation for stubbornness, and the town is built over seven hills above Lake Mastis with the cathedral of St Anthony, a Bernardine church of the eighteenth century, standing on the highest. Below it the streets drop to a lakeside promenade with a bear sculpture, the Samogitian emblem, and a series of bronze figures along the way. The Alka Samogitian Museum holds the regional collections, and the town has an art academy that gives it an unusual concentration of studios and sculpture for its size. Wooden houses survive in the older quarters. It is the base for the Samogitian hills and the Plateliai lake country.

History

The town is named after the Telšė, a rivulet that flows into Lake Mastis, and legend says a knight named Džiugas founded it. It is first mentioned in 1398, received Magdeburg rights in the 17th century, and at the end of that century became the cultural and political centre of Samogitia, where the nobles' sejmiks met (Wikipedia, Telšiai).

What to look for

• The hilltop cathedral - the Bernardine church above the town.
• Lake Mastis - the promenade and the bear sculpture on the shore.
• The Alka museum - the Samogitian regional collections.
• Studios and sculpture - the art academy's mark on the streets.

When to go

May to September for the lake and the hills; autumn colour is good. Museums close on Mondays. Winter is cold and quiet, and Samogitia gets more snow than the rest of the country.

Practical notes

The town is small and a day covers it. Museums have limited English. The lakeside is pleasant rather than remarkable. Public transport to the surrounding Samogitian sites is sparse, so a car helps.

Nearby

Varniai lies southeast; Žemaičių Kalvarija is northwest.

Key facts