Užutrakis Manor

Užutrakis was built in the 1890s for Józef Tyszkiewicz on a peninsula across the water from Trakai, a neoclassical palace by the Warsaw architect Józef Huss with a park laid out by Édouard André, the French landscape designer who worked on Sefton Park in Liverpool and the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in Paris. The park is the reason to come: André used the lake and the view of Trakai castle as the composition's focus, with lawns, tree groups and sight lines arranged so that the island castle appears framed from particular points. The palace interiors have been restored in stages and hold exhibitions and concerts. Walking round from Trakai takes about forty minutes, or a boat crosses in summer.

History

From the 16th century the peninsula between lakes Galvė and Skaistis was held by Lithuanian Tatar nobles, invited by Grand Duke Vytautas to serve in his guard. Count Józef Tyszkiewicz bought the estate in 1867, and the manor's "golden age" lasted from 1897 to 1917 (Wikipedia, Užutrakis Manor).

Highlights

• The framed castle view - Trakai composed in sight lines across the water.
• André's landscape park - lawns, tree groups and lake terraces.
• The neoclassical palace - the 1890s house and its restored rooms.
• Lakeside walks - paths round the peninsula and along the shore.

When to go

May to September for the park; autumn colour in October is excellent. The palace keeps museum hours and closes on Mondays. Summer weekends bring crowds from Trakai.

What to expect

Palace interiors are only partly restored and some rooms are empty or used for events. The park is large and the best viewpoints need walking to find. Getting there from Trakai means a walk, a boat or a drive round the lake.

Nearby

Trakai castle faces it across the water; Aukštadvaris lies southwest.

Key facts