Žagarė

Žagarė sits right on the Latvian frontier in northern Lithuania, an old market town that was once considerably larger and more prosperous than it is now, with a market square, two churches and the remains of a substantial Jewish community commemorated at the old cemetery and memorial sites. The Naryškin manor stands in a large landscape park of old oaks and ponds, restored in part and used for exhibitions, and the surrounding regional park protects the Švėtė valley and the hills. Cherries are the town's emblem: orchards around it supply a cherry festival each July with markets, music and a great deal of fruit. The town is quiet, unpolished and rarely visited, and the park is the main reason to walk here.

History

The name probably comes from the Lithuanian žagaras, "twig". A Semigallian settlement, Sagera, is first mentioned in March 1254, and in the 13th century the Semigallian fortress of Raktuvė stood here; Yisroel Salanter, father of the Mussar movement in Orthodox Judaism, was born in the town (Wikipedia, Žagarė).

What you'll find

• The manor park - old oaks, ponds and paths around the Naryškin house.
• The market square - the centre of a town that was once larger.
• Cherry orchards - the fruit growing that the July festival celebrates.
• The Švėtė valley - the regional park landscape around the town.

When to go

July for the cherry festival and the fruit; May to September otherwise for the park. Autumn colour in the oaks is good. Winter is very quiet and the manor keeps short hours.

Good to know

The manor is only partly restored and access to interiors is limited. The town is faded and services are few. The border is immediately north, so unmarked tracks can cross it. Public transport is sparse.

Nearby

Joniškis lies south; the Latvian border is immediately north.

Key facts