Biržai Castle / Biržai Region Museum "Sėla"

BIRŽAI CASTLE 

Duke Kristupas Radvila (1547-1603) built a modern, largest and strongest Italian-type bastion fortress in Lithuania at the time to protect his Biržai lands and the northern border of Lithuania. The works started in 1575, with the construction of a dam at the confluence of the Apaščia and Agluona rivers. In 1586-1589, embankments were poured, a representative palace, an Evangelical-Reformed church, an arsenal and food warehouses, barracks and other buildings were built. The fortress and the city formed a single defensive complex. The construction of the fortress was completed in 1589.

Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Zygmantas Vaza, and later his descendants, without giving up their claims to the Swedish throne, involved Lithuania and Poland in long-term wars with Sweden (1600-1635 and 1655-1660), during which in 1625 the Swedes destroyed the fortress.

In 1637, on the initiative of Duke Kristupas II Radvila. massive reconstruction works of the fortress began. It is not only a rebuilding of the castle, but the rebuilding was a reliable type of fortification, the Dutch one was used instead of the Italian one, where the main detail is the strong encircling ramparts and the bastion.

In 1640 Jonušas Radvila (1612-1655), son of Kristupas II, son of Kristupas II, who inherited Biržai, continued the reconstruction of Biržai Castle.

In 1655 in autumn, the Biržai fortress again fell to the Swedes.

in 1659 Duke Boguslavas Radvila (1620-1669), cousin of Jonušas Radvila, took over the castle. Even though he lived in Karaliaučius, he took care of rebuilding the Biržai fortress, which was unfinished due to the wars, in 1662. the general plan of the fortress was prepared, but in 1669 after the death of Boguslav Radvila, the last male descendant of the Biržai-Dubingiai Radvila branch, the construction work on the castle stopped.

In his will, Boguslavas Radvila left all his property to his daughter Ludvika Karolina (1667-1695). The construction of the fortress was renewed by Ludvika Karolina in 1671, the work lasted until 1682. This fortress was much bigger than the first one. The palace, fortifications and 21 buildings formed a huge defensive complex.

During the Northern War (1700-1721) in Biržai, on 26/02/1701, the Russian Tsar Peter I and the Lithuanian-Polish King Augustas II concluded a treaty against Sweden. In August of the same year, the Swedes occupied Birži and only in 1703. managed to retrieve them.

On September 14, 1704, the army of the Swedish general A.L. Levenhauptas occupied the fortress again. While retreating, the Swedes blew up the palace and other buildings of the fortress.

The representative palace of Biržai Castle was rebuilt in 1978-1986, and in 1987 the Biržai Public Library was established, and in 1989 - Biržai Region Museum "Sēla". The northern border of Lithuania was built in the 17th-18th centuries by the princes of Radvila. In addition to the representative palace, two parapets, a bridge, as well as the currently rebuilt arsenal building of the bastion fortress complex that defended it were rebuilt.

Photo credit: R. Drevinskas

BIRŽAI REGIONAL MUSEUM "SĖLA"

Biržai Region Museum "Sėla" is situated in the palace and arsenal. The whole complex consists of the rebuilt palace, arsenal, bridge, two gunpowder rooms and ruins of the gate and the fortification building.

The collections represent the culture and history of Biržai region. You will have a chance to get acquianted with the archeological finds from the era of Selonian and Semigalian tribes, the period of the dukes Radziwill and counts Tyszkiewicz. You will be able to learn about life in Biržai in the 18th to the second half of the 20th century. Equally interesting and valuable are the exhibitions on the history of the religious confessions of Biržai region, art and ethnography.  There is an interactive warfare exhibition focusing on the 16th, 17th and 18th century on display in the arsenal.

The museum invites you to visit the exhibition of ancient brewing traditions and to take part in their special program "From a grain to a song: Biržai tradition and hospitality". This is a unique opportunity  to experience the hospitality of Aukštaitija region and see the ancient brewing equipment. The museum also organizes a wide range of educational programs and workshops for schoolchildren of all ages.

Museum's two temporary exhibition halls host a new exhibition every 3 to 4 weeks.

MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

The museum "Sėla" boasts sizable collections which are on display in the palace (Prehistory, Ethnography, Religion, Biržai and the Radziwiłł family, Biržai in the 19th century, Biržai in the 20th century) and arsenal (houses a permanent warfare exhibition since 2014).

Facebook: Birzumuziejus

Coordinates: 56.205033, 24.753207