Kunioniai (''Kunionys'', formerly , ) is a village in

Kėdainiai district municipality Kėdainiai () is one of the oldest List of cities in Lithuania, cities in Lithuania. It is located north of Lithuania's second largest city Kaunas on the banks of the Nevėžis River. Kėdainiai were first mentioned in the 1372 Livonian Chronicle ...

, in

Kaunas County Kaunas County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania. It is in the centre of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Kaunas. On 1 July 2010, the county administration was abolished. Symbols The county's coat of arms can be blazoned ...

, in central

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, 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, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

. According to the 2011 census, the village had a population of 321 people. It is located from

Josvainiai Josvainiai is a small town in Kėdainiai district, central Lithuania. It is located on the Šušvė River 10 km southwest from Kėdainiai. The town comprises the Catholic All Saints Church, a gymnasium, a post office, a public library, a st ...

, nearby the

Šušvė Šušvė () is a river in central Lithuania, a right (the longest) tributary of the Nevėžis river. It begins in Kelmė district municipality, 6 km (4 mi) southeast from Tytuvėnai. The 134.6 km (83.6 mi) long river passes through Tytuv ...

river, by the Josvainiai- Kampai II road. There are library, agriculture companies, farms. Former Jasnagurka manor is located next to Kunioniai.

History

Kunioniai is known since

1593 Events January–March * January 25 – Siamese King Naresuan, in combat on elephant back, kills Burmese Crown Prince Mingyi Swa on Monday, Moon 2 Waning day 2, Year of the Dragon, Chulasakarat 954, reckoned as corresponding to Jan ...

. It developed alongside the ancient road to

Kaunas Kaunas (; ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest List of cities in the Baltic states by population, city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaun ...

and probably belonged to the Josvainiai manor. There was a small Jewish community which hosted a

tavern A tavern is a type of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...

, distillated

vodka Vodka ( ; is a clear distilled beverage, distilled alcoholic beverage. Its varieties originated in Poland and Russia. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impurities and flavourings. Traditionally, it is ...

and baked cakes. There was a watermill on the

Vikšrupis The Vikšrupis is a river of Kėdainiai district municipality, Kaunas County, central Lithuania. It flows for and has a basin area of . The river is a right tributary of the Šušvė. It starts near Jakšiai village, then flows to the west thro ...

river and four wooden crosses made by

Vincas Svirskis Vincas Svirskis (January 28, 1835 — March 7, 1916) was the most prominent Lithuanian folk sculptor and wood carver, known for his works in Lithuanian cross crafting, god-carving and roofed pole Roofed pole or roofed pillar (, plural: ''st ...

(did not survive till nowadays). The first school was opened in 1929. During the Soviet era Kunioniai was a ''

kolkhoz A kolkhoz ( rus, колхо́з, a=ru-kolkhoz.ogg, p=kɐlˈxos) was a form of collective farm in the Soviet Union. Kolkhozes existed along with state farms or sovkhoz. These were the two components of the socialized farm sector that began to eme ...

'' center. Between 1950 and 1988 it was a Kunioniai ''

selsovet A selsoviet (; , ; ) is the shortened name for Selsky soviet, i.e., rural council (; ; ). It has three closely related meanings: *The administration (''soviet'') of a certain rural area. *The territorial subdivision administered by such a council ...

'' center.

Demography

References

Villages in Kaunas County Kėdainiai District Municipality {{KaunasCounty-geo-stub