Ramygala
Encyclopedia
Ramygala is a small city in Lithuania
. It is located some 24 km (14.9 mi) south from Panevėžys
on the banks of the Upytė River, a tributary to the Nevėžis River
. According to 2005 estimate, it had just below 1,700 residents.
The name "Ramygala" was first mentioned in the 13th century. In 1370 the place suffered from the Teutonic Knight attack. Sometime before 1500 the first church was built and in 1503 the name "Ramygala" was used to refer to a town. Since then Ramygala slowly grew. Few years later it had a manor, and at the end of the 16th century it received a privilege to host fairs. Unlike many other towns in Lithuania, Ramygala did not belong to a noble family but rather to Vilnius Cathedral
and later to Vilnius University
.
In 1781 the town established a parish school next to a new church after the old one was destroyed by fire. The school grew and expanded significantly in the 20th century. It built two new school buildings and a dorm. In 2005 it was named Ramygala Gymnasium. The school hosts a small museum dedicated to the local history and traditions. A new Neo Gothic
church was built in 1897-1914. It has 3 aisles and 3 altar
s. It features only one bell tower. The tower was damaged during the World War II
, but was rebuilt in the 1950s.
Since the second half of the 18th century, Ramygala was administrative center of a valsčius. After the administrative reform by the Soviet authorities in 1950, the town became a capital of a raion
(Lithuanian: rajonas). In 1957 it received city rights. In 1962 Ramygala lost the status of the capital of a raion. Now it is a center of an eldership, the smallest administrative division in Lithuania. It has a small hospital and a library.
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...
. It is located some 24 km (14.9 mi) south from Panevėžys
Panevežys
Panevėžys see also other names, is the fifth largest city in Lithuania. As of 2008, it occupied 50 square kilometers with 113,653 inhabitants. The largest multifunctional arena in Panevėžys is the Cido Arena...
on the banks of the Upytė River, a tributary to the Nevėžis River
Nevežis River
Nevėžis River is the sixth longest river in Lithuania and one of the main tributaries of the Neman River. Its length is , and it flows only within the geographical confines of Lithuania. It is the second longest river in Lithuania, after the Šventoji River, that flows exclusively within its borders...
. According to 2005 estimate, it had just below 1,700 residents.
The name "Ramygala" was first mentioned in the 13th century. In 1370 the place suffered from the Teutonic Knight attack. Sometime before 1500 the first church was built and in 1503 the name "Ramygala" was used to refer to a town. Since then Ramygala slowly grew. Few years later it had a manor, and at the end of the 16th century it received a privilege to host fairs. Unlike many other towns in Lithuania, Ramygala did not belong to a noble family but rather to Vilnius Cathedral
Vilnius Cathedral
The Cathedral of Vilnius is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania.It is situated in Vilnius Old Town, just off of Cathedral Square. It is the heart of Lithuania's Catholic spiritual life....
and later to Vilnius University
Vilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
.
In 1781 the town established a parish school next to a new church after the old one was destroyed by fire. The school grew and expanded significantly in the 20th century. It built two new school buildings and a dorm. In 2005 it was named Ramygala Gymnasium. The school hosts a small museum dedicated to the local history and traditions. A new Neo Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
church was built in 1897-1914. It has 3 aisles and 3 altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
s. It features only one bell tower. The tower was damaged during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but was rebuilt in the 1950s.
Since the second half of the 18th century, Ramygala was administrative center of a valsčius. After the administrative reform by the Soviet authorities in 1950, the town became a capital of a raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
(Lithuanian: rajonas). In 1957 it received city rights. In 1962 Ramygala lost the status of the capital of a raion. Now it is a center of an eldership, the smallest administrative division in Lithuania. It has a small hospital and a library.
Famous people
- Mykolas Vrubliauskas (1919–1998), ceramics artist
- Saulius MykolaitisSaulius MykolaitisSaulius Mykolaitis was a Lithuanian director, actor and singer-songwriter .- Life :Saulius Mykolaitis was born in Ramygala, a small city in Lithuania. His parents died while he was still studying at school...
(1966–2006), actor