Peripeteias of history and chocolate in Šiauliai

Peripeteias of history and chocolate in Šiauliai

Despite the fact that Šiauliai has got a modern look, it is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania, and in documents it is mentioned for the first time in 1524. It was granted self-governing rights in 1568. Very close to the site where present Šiauliai is located, the Saulė battle took place in 1236, in which the joint armies of Lithuanians, Samogitians and Semigallians defeated the Livonian order troops. The fate of the city depended greatly on its geography: on the one hand, it was located at the crossroad of trade roots, which was its advantage; however, the same geography doomed Šiauliai quite often to become the centre of military actions. Industry started developing in the 18^th century (textiles manufactory of A. Tyzenhaus, brewery Gubernija). After the 3^rd partition in 1795, Catherine the Great donated Šiauliai to count Platon Zubov, her favourite. 19^th century brought important changes to the city. The road connecting Riga and Tilsit as well as railroad Liepaja-Warsaw crossing Šiauliai were built encouraging the development of trade; in addition, many industrial enterprises were started. Of great importance to the economy of Šiauliai  were tanneries of Chaim Frenkel and brothers Nurokai. Rūta chocolate factory has been functioning since 1913. During WWII the number of inhabitants decreased radically, Jewish population were killed, the major part of the city destroyed in the battles of 1944. In the soviet period, the city was formed as an industrial centre. In 1977, Šiauliai University was founded.

Šiauliai is the fourth city of Lithuania, both by the number of inhabitants and by the territory, situated by the Talkša Lake. Few European cities can boast of having a lake and a forest right in the centre of the city. This natural complex has become the visit card of Šiauliai, oasis of health and recreation for its inhabitants. During cleaning of the Talkša Lake (52.5 ha) the canal connecting the lakes of Talkša and Ginkūnai was widened. There are several castle mounds in the Talkša Forest Park (119.1 ha). The Žuvininkai castle mound together with the historical settlement (where the castle was erected) in the Žuvininkai village is included in the Register of Cultural Values of Lithuania. Talkša ecological educational trail is created in the Park.

In 1986, when the anniversary of the Saulė battle together with the 750^th anniversary of the city was marked, the Saulė Clock Square was built by the coast of the Talkša Lake. The central element of it is a high column (18 m high sundial) topped by the gilded figure of a young archer (1986, sculptor Stanislovas Kuzma).

One more square, the central one in the city, is called the Resurrection Square. It was around this square that the Šiauliai city started growing. For centuries, it served as a market place. Since 1938, markets were moved to the Market Square. Nowadays the Resurrection Square is the venue of various events.

The Renaissance style Church of Saints Peter and Paul was built in 1617–1625. The diocese of Šiauliai was established on May 28, 1997, by the pope John Paul II. The church became the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. In 1625, one of the oldest sundials in Lithuania was erected on the southern wall of the building. The cathedral is seen from afar, whichever road leading to Šiauliai one takes.

Šiauliai boulevard (pedestrian avenue in Vilnius str.). In 1975, a section of street was transformed into a pedestrian zone with benches, decorated by original small sculpture (“A Reading Man”, “Three Dwarfs”, “Pelicans” and others), fountains and other details. It is in the pedestrian zone that cafes and shops cocentrate, there are museums of Bicycles, Photography even a museum of Cats there. The Museum of Photography is the only specialized museum of photography art and technology in Lithuania, an important centre of storing and representing Lithuanian photography. After reconstruction, it houses a photo laboratory, a reading room, an information centre and other modern museum spaces, while the roof terrace contains a city observation platform with camera obscura.

The Museum of Bicycles is the only one in Lithuania dedicated to the history of bicycles. Guests can visit a renovated interactive exhibition. The museum contains about 1500 exhibits; thematic exhibitions are arranged. Operating small-size bicycle models made by H. Sutkus deserve special attention; they are identified as the smallest bicycle models in Lithuania by the Agency Factum.

Chaim Frenkel’s Villa. This palace was built in 1908 and it is the only one in Šiauliai and one of a few structures of Art Nouveau style in Lithuania. It belonged to the tannery owner Chaim Frenkel and was built for his sons as their residence. The keynote of interior is wood decoration, numerous magnificent mouldings, and impressive frescoes fragments. Inside the inner territory, there is a park, partially survived, with a splendid fountain-pool in the centre. Today Frenkel’s villa is a museum, the exposition featuring “Provincial manor and city in the mid 19–20^th centuries”.

“Valerian pharmacy”. In 1870, Šiauliai city was permitted to open the 3^rd pharmacy. There were many owners, many names and historical twists and turns, however the pharmacy survived. Nowadays it is the pharmacy “Valerian”, one of the oldest pharmacies. Two cats trying to get in decorate its roof. Why to get in? They want valerian badly…

Confectionery factory “Rūta”. Its history started in 1913 in Šiauliai, when Antanas Gricevičius installed a caramel cooking pot in a small wooden building. The first workers of “Rūta” were its owner A. Gricevičius and his wife Juzefa. The founder of the factory learnt confectionery art in Šiauliai, Vilnius and St Petersburg. Quite soon, many people became fond of chocolates made by A. Gricevičius. In the soviet period, the factory became a state enterprise. After restoring Lithuania’s independence, the old buildings of “Rūta” and 0.9 ha of land were given back to the heirs of A. Gricevičius. In 2002, the factory was reorganized into a CC “Rūta”. To date it is the oldest confectionary enterprise in Lithuania producing chocolates of various sorts, tastes and shapes. The old building of the factory houses “Rūta” chocolate museum, which could be envied even by Brussels famous for its chocolate industry. The museum offers various educational activities for both adults and children. There functions a chocolate workshop, where a visitor can become a chocolate master for short. At the end of the activity, the self-made chocolates put into boxes can be taken home. Another activity offered to the visitors is called “Let’s taste the history of chocolate”. Thus, “Rūta” has since old become one of the most enjoyable pages of Šiauliai history, its pleasure and adornment.