Varniai (;
Samogitian: ''Varnē'') is a city in the
Telšiai County
Telšiai County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the west of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Telšiai. There are Lithuanians (98.7%), Latvians (0.1%), Russians (0.9%), and others (0.3%) ...
, western
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 ...
.
In the Middle Ages the city was known as Medininkai (
Samogitian: ''Medėninkā'').
Etymology
''Medininkai'' or ''Medenike'' was first mentioned in 1320. This town existed until the end of the 16th century, when the town of ''Varniai'' was founded in the 15th century north of Medininkai, on the left bank of the
Varnelė river. The latter name is derived from the Varnelė River, which flows through the town. As early as 1904,
Vaižgantas mentions its name as ''Varnė''. In other languages the town is known by: , .
In 1491, the
Kulm law
Kulm law, Culm law or Chełmno Law (; ; ) was a legal constitution for a municipal form of government used in several Central European cities in the Middle Ages and early modern period.
It was initiated on 28 December 1233 in the Monastic State o ...
was granted to Medininkai, and in 1635, the
Magdeburg rights
Magdeburg rights (, , ; also called Magdeburg Law) were a set of town privileges first developed by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (936–973) and based on the Flemish Law, which regulated the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages gr ...
were granted to the renamed Varniai. Eventually, the name of Medininkai disappeared from common usage altogether.
History

Town established in the 14th century, on the bank of the Varnelė River, near an important
Samogitia
Samogitia, often known by its Lithuanian language, Lithuanian name ''Žemaitija'' (Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see Samogitia#Etymology and alternative names, below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five ...
n castle. It was the center of the Samogitian Catholic church: after the
baptism of Samogitia, the
Samogitian Bishop resided in the town. In 1320, it was the site of the
Battle of Medininkai, in which the Samogitians defeated the invading
Teutonic Knights
The Teutonic Order is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem was formed to aid Christians on their pilgrimages to t ...
.
Afterwards, it was invaded by the Teutonic Knights in 1329, and by the
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order,
formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation.
History
The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after thei ...
in 1377.
[ In 1413, the Supreme Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło) and Grand Duke of Lithuania ]Vytautas the Great
Vytautas the Great (; 27 October 1430) was a ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. He was also the prince of Grodno (1370–1382), prince of Lutsk (1387–1389), and the postulated king of the Hussites.
In modern Lithuania, Vytautas is revere ...
ordered the demolition of the pagan temple and Christianized the population.[ Around 1414–1416 the first church was built, and c. 1464 the first cathedral. In 1425, a third of the population died due to an epidemic.][ It was granted Chełmno municipal rights in 1491.] During the Swedish invasion, the town was plundered by the Swedes in 1655 and 1656.[ Five diocesan synods were held in the town between 1656 and 1752.][
Varniai was the center of the Diocese of Samogitia until the middle of the 19th century when after the ]January Uprising
The January Uprising was an insurrection principally in Russia's Kingdom of Poland that was aimed at putting an end to Russian occupation of part of Poland and regaining independence. It began on 22 January 1863 and continued until the last i ...
in 1863 the Tsarist
Tsarist autocracy (), also called Tsarism, was an autocracy, a form of absolute monarchy in the Grand Duchy of Moscow and its successor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire. In it, the Tsar possessed in principle authority and ...
authorities of the Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
moved it 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 ...
.
With support of Merkelis Giedraitis
Merkelis Giedraitis (; – 6 April 1609) was Bishop of Samogitia from 1576 to 1609. Educated at Protestant universities in the Duchy of Prussia and Germany, he actively combated the Reformation implementing resolutions of the Council of Trent in ...
, Mikalojus Daukša
Mikalojus Daukša (other possible spellings include ''Mikalojus Daugsza'', and ''Mikolay Dowksza''; after 1527 – 16 February 1613 in Varniai, Medininkai) was a Lithuanian language, Lithuanian and Latin language, Latin religious writer, transla ...
translated and made ready for publication '' Katechizmas'', the first Lithuanian language
Lithuanian (, ) is an East Baltic languages, East Baltic language belonging to the Baltic languages, Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family. It is the language of Lithuanians and the official language of Lithuania as well as one of t ...
book printed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...
, then part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
.
Varniai also was the residence of Samogitian bishop Motiejus Valančius.
Gallery
Varniai1.2009-05-21.jpg, View of Varniai from the tower of the Samogitian Diocese Museum
2015-09 Varniai 12.jpg, One of streets in Varniai
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, kultūros centras.JPG, Varniai Centre of Culture
GiedraitisMerkelis.JPG, Merkelis Giedraitis
Merkelis Giedraitis (; – 6 April 1609) was Bishop of Samogitia from 1576 to 1609. Educated at Protestant universities in the Duchy of Prussia and Germany, he actively combated the Reformation implementing resolutions of the Council of Trent in ...
Monument
DauksaMikalojus.JPG, Mikalojus Daukša
Mikalojus Daukša (other possible spellings include ''Mikalojus Daugsza'', and ''Mikolay Dowksza''; after 1527 – 16 February 1613 in Varniai, Medininkai) was a Lithuanian language, Lithuanian and Latin language, Latin religious writer, transla ...
Monument
ValanciusVarniai.JPG, Motiejus Valančius Monument
ValanciusVarniai2.JPG, Former house of Motiejus Valančius
Varniai. Gimnazija.JPG, Varniai Motiejus Valančius Gymnasium
Notable residents
* Boris Schatz
* Merkelis Giedraitis
Merkelis Giedraitis (; – 6 April 1609) was Bishop of Samogitia from 1576 to 1609. Educated at Protestant universities in the Duchy of Prussia and Germany, he actively combated the Reformation implementing resolutions of the Council of Trent in ...
* Mikalojus Daukša
Mikalojus Daukša (other possible spellings include ''Mikalojus Daugsza'', and ''Mikolay Dowksza''; after 1527 – 16 February 1613 in Varniai, Medininkai) was a Lithuanian language, Lithuanian and Latin language, Latin religious writer, transla ...
* Motiejus Valančius
References
External links
Varniai – A Resourceful Renaissance Center of 16th Century Cultural and National Ideology
Park of Varniai and history of Varniai
Museum of Samogitian episcopate
Website of Varniai
{{Authority control
Cities in Telšiai County
Cities in Lithuania
Telšiai District Municipality
Telshevsky Uyezd