Roads Lead to Small Towns

Any of the five roads starting on the edge of Kupiškis will lead you to one or another small town. They are like beads scattered within the district.
The majority of towns were founded in the 16th - 17th centuries near the high roads of strategic value, small rivers and lakes. Most often - at the sides of farm estates.
The names of Adomynė, Antašava, Alizava and Skapiškis originate from the first and second names of former landlords. The distance between Palevene and Palevenele is 10 km and they are founded on the right high bank of the Levens. Both names owe to the name of the river.
The name of Šimoniai town comes from the nearby looming forest. The origin of Subačius is not quite clear, however, it may have originated from a human name or from markets earlier held there on Saturdays (called "sub-atos" at that time). There is also a settlement of a town type called Subačius, which emerged near a railway station at the end of the 19th century. The new Subačius outran the old one and became the centre of the neighbourhood.
You would never tell that Salamiestis ("town on an island"), a town established by Radvilos, has been once situated on an island - no sign of a lake could be detected. However, as an evidence for Reformation times, there is a little Evangelic Reformation Church situated at a respectable distance from the stone Catholic Church,.
Every little town has its school and functions as a cultural centre.


Towers are Reaching for Heavens

To mention the most characteristic samples of the sacred architecture in our region, the first to indicate is one of the most authentic architectural complexes in baroque in Lithuania, preserved until nowadays.
On the right bank of the Levens, the complex of Palevene St. Dominykas church and Domininkon Monastery is situated. It is one of the most significant constructions of sacred architecture in our region and one of the most authentic still existing architectural complexes in baroque in Lithuania.
Palėvenė church dates back to 1676. It has a single tower and its scheme resembles a cross. On its Northern side, the church adjoins the monastery with a closed yard and other buildings. During one hundred and a half years of its existence, Palėvenė monastery has been not only spiritual and cultural centre of Aukštaitija (the Highlands of Lithuania). Starting with 1798, it housed the studies of philosophy and rhetoric and in 1811, theology studies targeted at religious youth were moved from Vilnius. In 1858, bishop M.Valančius united the first members of the temperance fraternity - in this way, the first movement for temperance and preservation of national identity started its activities.
Uoginiai village chapel is also an interesting building of wooden sacred architecture, it has an open porch and a bell above the entrance. The building is of octagonal shape. In 1803-1807, priest and poet A. Strazdas conducted the Mass in this chapel.
The bell tower - gates of Palėvenėlė church were built in 1803 in such a way that they would not dominate the church facade. The composition is rather simple, however, the architectural solution is interesting. The bell-tower is made an inherent part of the stone fence of the churchyard.
The most modest monument of the sacred architecture is of baroque style. It is Skapiškis temperance chapel of triangle outlay, a monument to commemorate the movement, announced in that place by M. Valančius.


The White Estate Courts Looming There

The building must be harmonious and beautiful, convenient and strong, economic and well-suited to its surroundings. Such are the main principles of work and requirements for architecture students of Laurynas Stuoka-Gucevičius, a Classicism architecture representative in Lithuania, the most famous Kupiškis inhabitant. Having studied the basics of architecture at Vilnius University and then in Rome and Paris, the artist did not leave any palace buildings of his own design in Kupiškis region, the place of his birth. However, the court building of his most talented trainee, architect M. A. Šulcas design, is still there.
Around the year 1810, M. A. Šulcas made a design of Antasava estate buildings belonging to H. Antaševskis: the court building, barn, park and personage. In the corners of the park a few farm buildings are situated, there is a pool in the centre of the park. The centre of the estate is occupied by a two-storey palace, previously of the square shape. The dimensions of the buildings are harmonious, classicism shapes are moderate.
The constructions of Noriūnai court were built by local experts in the 19th century. The buildings is the monument of architecture. The main facade of the palace has a portico.
Farm labourers' premises and animal sheds are interesting: with stone poles, their not-plastered walls are decorated with unique stone mosaics. Two oval-shape towers are of exceptional value, made of local dolomite.
Noriūnai park has rare introduced trees.
Court farmsteads with wooden buildings dating back to the 18th century are of smaller scale than those with stone constructions. However, outstanding countryside properties are characteristic to the wooden court farmsteads. For example, Adomynė court palace is conspicuous in the plain context of the area and Jutkonys court buildings are situated in the surroundings of exceptional beauty, encircled by luxuriant trees.


The Memory of the Region Preserved at Museums

The treasures of cultural and spiritual culture of Kupiškis inhabitants, accumulated by a number of generations, are stored at Kupiškis Museum of Ethnography. The ancient everyday life and household utensils, folk art and national clothing samples collected by famous local ethnographers, sisters Stefanija, Mikalina and Elvyra (Dulaitienė) Glemžaitės served as the basis for the establishment of the Museum.
Ethnographic and national art expositions are waiting for museum visitors. The exhibitions of professional and folk artists are organised in the exhibition hall.
One of the Museum branches is A. Petrauskas Museum in Uoginiai village. Most of the exhibits were collected by A. Petrauskas himself. The Museum guests are amazed at the unique harmony of nature, everyday life and art. A. Petrauskas
Museum is visited by excursionists from all over Lithuania, foreign guests are also coming to admire the accumulated valuables.
V. Šleivytė, an artist, founded her picture gallery in Viktariškiai village, housed in the buildings of the farmstead she was born at. Pictures drawn in a pastel and created using other techniques is quite a rare phenomenon in the history of Museums.
In Kupiškis, visitors are also welcomed by the public memorial Museum of the well-known forestry professor P. Matulionis. District foresters are taking care of it.
Upon commemoration of the 100th birth anniversary of academician J. Matulis, president of the Science Academy of Lithuania of many years, a memorial Museum was opened in Naiviai. The Museum is experiencing its first steps of activity.


From Ancient Times to the Present Days

Kupiškis dialect is very specific. But this is not the only reason, why the region is interesting, it is also famous for its great respect to ancient traditions and cherishment of ancient customs. Kupiškis district inhabitants are diligent people who enjoy entertainments and singing after their work.
Traditional religious holidays such as the Christmas Eve, Christmas, Shrovetide, Easter and St. John's Day enjoy customs characteristic to each of them. Winter holidays are even more specific, enriched with unique rituals, abundant songs, wishes and sorcery. Wedding rituals are extremely distinctive.
Local fans of theatre have successfully brought wedding rituals and customs on to the stage during the pre-war times and Soviet times. The Ethnographic Folk Theatre, founded in 1965, (director P. Zulonas), has its "Ancient Wedding of Kupiškis Region" having been performed for over 20 years all over Lithuania, also in Poland and Latvia. The performance was shot by Lithuanian Cinema Studio, records and audio-tapes of the performance were issued:
The ethno-cultural and ethnographic activities are alive at schools: young ethnographers' groups are gathering and putting down folklore works. In this way, schoolchildren and cultural workers give a hand to scientists and are themselves creating scenarios for concerts and performances based on the collected data.
Kupiškis could be distinguished by its large art festivals and contests of folk singers, musicians and story-tellers. Skapiškis became famous for its international country theatre festivals.


Rest in the Sanctuary of Nature and Sports -the Source of Health

Kupiškis district cannot boast at its numerous water bodies or dry pine forests. However, you can find excellent places for rest.
The short - term rest places popular among Kupiskis inhabitants are beaches of Kupiškis lagoon and Pyragiai lake. Fishing fans are always numerous around the lagoon in summer and on its ice in winter. The fishers are pleased with record-striking pikes, carps, perches and etc.
Hunting is also popular in the district, its lovers are proud of impressive trophies - antlers and boar fangs.
Active rest lovers can enjoy mushroom picking areas. In autumn, people from adjacent districts come to marshes to pick up cranberries. Cranberry areas of Kupiškis are the largest in Lithuania. These are botanical strict reserves of Notigalė, Kepurinis, Iženas and Aloja - cranberry bearing areas pleasing with berries rich in vitamins.
Forests are also rich with raspberries and bilberries; cow-berries are also found in dryer pinewoods.
Those who have been interested in sports since childhood may have attended a sports school in Kupiskis. Both children and grown-ups may chose among water sports, basketball and football.
Kupiškis inhabitants are found among Lithuanian sportsmen, participants of the world games and championships.


The Continuous Creation Process

Folk art as one of the forms of folk creation, has been evolving in the course of many centuries. It has been developing in a rather confined environment, therefore, its artistic expression style remained characteristic for a certain region for years.
The art works of the earlier Kupiškis region generations, having reached our times, are exhibited and stored at museums. This heritage is the source for investigations, understanding and learning used by presently existing generation of folk artists.
The ranks of folk artists consist of people of various age, they are under constant change resulting with the joy of creation.
The constant exposition of the Ethnographic Museum contains numerous samples of woven articles, fine wood-carving, metalwork and ceramics produced by earlier generations. The folk art stock of the current generation of Kupiškis people is supplemented by paintings, pictures made of cut paper, crochet-works, twig-works, stone-mason articles, wood- and metal-works. Folk artists are no longer existing in a confined space. Their personal and annual exhibitions are held in the exhibition hall of the Museum. The most interesting and valuable articles are exhibited in other towns of Lithuania and abroad.
Fairs would not be what they are without works of folk artists, which serve as town, office and home decorations.