Varniai (;
Samogitian: ''Varnē''; pl, Wornie) is a city in the
Telšiai County, western
Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
. In the Middle Ages the city was known as Medininkai (
Samogitian: ''Medėninkā'').
It was established in the 14th century, on the bank of the
Varnelė River, near an important
Samogitian castle. It was the center of Samogitian Catholic church: after the
baptism of Samogitia, the Samogitian Bishop resided in the town. Around 1414–1416 the first church was built, and c. 1464 the first cathedral.
Varniai was the center of Samogitian
episcopate
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
until the middle of the 19th century, when authorities of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...
moved it to
Kaunas
Kaunas (; ; also see other names) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the largest city and the centre of a county in the Duchy of Traka ...
.
With support of
Merkelis Giedraitis,
Mikalojus Daukša translated and made ready for publication ''
Katechizmas'', the first
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian ( ) is an Eastern Baltic language belonging to the Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family. It is the official language of Lithuania and one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.8 mill ...
book printed in the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was Partitions of Poland, partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire, Habsburg Empire of ...
, then part of the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
.
It was also residence of
Motiejus Valančius
Motiejus Kazimieras Valančius ( pl, , also known by his pen-name ''Joteika'' and ''Ksiądz Maciek''; 1801–1875) was a Catholic Bishop of Samogitia, historian and one of the best known Lithuanian/Samogitian writers of the 19th century.
Bio ...
.
Gallery
1539-Samogethia-and-Lituania.jpg, Varniai as depicted in Carta marina
2015-09 Varniai 12.jpg, One of the Varniai streets
Varnių muziejus3.JPG, Samogitian Diocese seat in Varniai
Varniukatedra8.jpg, Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
Varniukatedra2.JPG, Interior of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul
GiedraitisMerkelis3.JPG, Bishops of Samogitia sarcophagus in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul basement
Varniai, šv. Aleksandro bažnyčia.JPG, St. Alexander's Church
Varniai, kultūros centras.JPG, Varniai Centre of Culture
2015-09 Varniai 24.jpg, Varniai eldership building
GiedraitisMerkelis.JPG, Merkelis Giedraitis Monument
DauksaMikalojus.JPG, Mikalojus Daukša Monument
ValanciusVarniai.JPG, Motiejus Valančius
Motiejus Kazimieras Valančius ( pl, , also known by his pen-name ''Joteika'' and ''Ksiądz Maciek''; 1801–1875) was a Catholic Bishop of Samogitia, historian and one of the best known Lithuanian/Samogitian writers of the 19th century.
Bio ...
Monument
ValanciusVarniai2.JPG, Former house of Motiejus Valančius
Varniai. Gimnazija.JPG, Varniai Motiejus Valančius Gymnasium
Notable residents
*
Boris Schatz
*
Merkelis Giedraitis
*
Mikalojus Daukša
*
Motiejus Valančius
Motiejus Kazimieras Valančius ( pl, , also known by his pen-name ''Joteika'' and ''Ksiądz Maciek''; 1801–1875) was a Catholic Bishop of Samogitia, historian and one of the best known Lithuanian/Samogitian writers of the 19th century.
Bio ...
External links
Varniai – A Resourceful Renaissance Center of 16th Century Cultural and National IdeologyPark of Varniai and history of VarniaiMuseum of Samogitian episcopateWebsite of Varniai
Cities in Telšiai County
Cities in Lithuania
Telšiai District Municipality
Telshevsky Uyezd
{{TelšiaiCounty-geo-stub