Ažuolynas
Encyclopedia
Ąžuolynas is a public park in Lithuania
's second largest city, Kaunas
, in the Žaliakalnis
neighbourhood. The park covers about 63 hectare
s and is the largest urban stand of mature oaks in Europe. Vydūnas Alley
serves as the park's northern border. It is a popular recreational destination for the inhabitants of Kaunas. Most of its trees are oaks ranging in age from 100 to 320 years old, but it also holds linden
, birch
, and maple trees.
The current park is what remains of a much larger oak forest that grew around the city, and was connected to the forests in Karmėlava
, Rumšiškės
and Kaišiadorys
. Those forests were cut down during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, and the timber was used in city buildings, bridges, castles, and ships. The section of the forest between Kaunas
and Garliava
was cut down in the 19th century.
A valley in the park is named for the poet Adam Mickiewicz
, who rested there during his days as a teacher in Kaunas schools. In 1938 Tadas Ivanauskas
established the Kaunas Zoo
in the northern corner of the park. A year later Kaunas Sports Hall
, which hosted Eurobasket 1939
, was established near Ąžuolynas. The park's infrastructure was reconstructed in 1955; in 1966 the Valley of Songs was installed. The park is used extensively for sports activities of students of the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
located nearby. A section of Ąžuolynas, Vytautas Park, contains a number of recreational attractions for children.
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
's second largest city, Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, in the Žaliakalnis
Žaliakalnis
Žaliakalnis is an elderate in Lithuania's second largest city, Kaunas. Žaliakalnis is located north of the old town and the downtown area, between the Neris and Girstupis rivers...
neighbourhood. The park covers about 63 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s and is the largest urban stand of mature oaks in Europe. Vydūnas Alley
Vydunas alley
Vydūnas alley is a street in Kaunas Žaliakalnis neighbourhood, bordering Ąžuolynas park in the north.It was built by a special plan as a residential area of Temporary capital of Lithuania. The alley was built according to writings of Lithuanian philosopher Vydūnas and was intersected with two...
serves as the park's northern border. It is a popular recreational destination for the inhabitants of Kaunas. Most of its trees are oaks ranging in age from 100 to 320 years old, but it also holds linden
Tilia cordata
Tilia cordata is a species of Tilia native to much of Europe and western Asia, north to southern Great Britain , central Scandinavia, east to central Russia, and south to central Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, and the Caucasus; in the south of its range it is restricted to...
, birch
Silver Birch
Betula pendula is a widespread European birch, though in southern Europe it is only found at higher altitudes. Its range extends into southwest Asia in the mountains of northern Turkey and the Caucasus...
, and maple trees.
The current park is what remains of a much larger oak forest that grew around the city, and was connected to the forests in Karmėlava
Karmėlava
Karmėlava is a small town in Kaunas County in central Lithuania. As of 2001 it had a population of 2886. The town of Karmėlava is located north east of Kaunas and near the second busiest civil Kaunas International Airport in Lithuania.-History:...
, Rumšiškės
Rumšiškes
Rumšiškės is a Lithuanian town , situated east of Kaunas on the northern bank of Kaunas Reservoir. Southern part of the town is now under the waters of the artificial lake. The 18th century St...
and Kaišiadorys
Kaišiadorys
Kaišiadorys is a city in central Lithuania. It is situated between Vilnius and Kaunas. Kaišiadorys is one of six Lithuanian diocese centres. It is home to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Christ built in 1932. The Lithuanian Veterinary Institute is located there.-Etymology:Its name is...
. Those forests were cut down during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries, and the timber was used in city buildings, bridges, castles, and ships. The section of the forest between Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
and Garliava
Garliava
Garliava , is a city in Lithuania, considered a suburb of Kaunas. Garliava is located south from the center of Kaunas. In 1809 Józef Godlewski built a Holy Trinity church and named it Godlewo in his own honour, although Lithuanians started calling it Garliava. This year is generally viewed as the...
was cut down in the 19th century.
A valley in the park is named for the poet Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
, who rested there during his days as a teacher in Kaunas schools. In 1938 Tadas Ivanauskas
Tadas Ivanauskas
Tadas Ivanauskas was a prominent Lithuanian zoologist and biologist, and one of the founders of Vytautas Magnus University.- Biography :...
established the Kaunas Zoo
Kaunas Zoo
Lithuanian Zoo previously known as Kaunas' Zoo is the only Zoo in Lithuania. It is located in an Ąžuolynas oak grove park in the south-western Žaliakalnis elderate of Kaunas. The territory of the zoo is ....
in the northern corner of the park. A year later Kaunas Sports Hall
Kaunas Sports Hall
Kaunas Sports Hall , also known as the S. Darius and S. Girėnas Hall is the second largest arena of Kaunas, Lithuania. It is the first arena built in the residential Žaliakalnis neighbourhood of Kaunas specially for basketball in Europe and is referred to as a "Mecca of the Lithuanian basketball"....
, which hosted Eurobasket 1939
Eurobasket 1939
The 1939 European Basketball Championship, commonly called Eurobasket 1939, was the third regional championship held by FIBA Europe. Eight national teams affiliated with the International Basketball Federation took part in the competition...
, was established near Ąžuolynas. The park's infrastructure was reconstructed in 1955; in 1966 the Valley of Songs was installed. The park is used extensively for sports activities of students of the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education
The Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education is the only state-supported institution of tertiary physical education in Kaunas, Lithuania. It has the university status. Since its establishment, the academy is headquartered in Žaliakalnis neighbourhood of Kaunas, in close proximity to the Kaunas...
located nearby. A section of Ąžuolynas, Vytautas Park, contains a number of recreational attractions for children.