Visaginas
Encyclopedia
Visaginas is a city with municipal rights in eastern Lithuania
, situated near the country's biggest lake, Drūkšiai
. Its administrative boundaries are in the process of being defined. The Vilnius
–Daugavpils
railway runs alongside the town, providing convenient communication with Vilnius
and Daugavpils
. Motorways connect the town with all other cities in the Republic.
The town grew up in a pine forest by Lake Visaginas. Tourism is currently an area of great potential.
. Historical annals first mention the location in 1526, when it was presented by the nobleman Vaitiekus Goštautas to the Naujasis (New) Daugėliškis parish. In the 14th–19th centuries the region was invaded by Livonian
, Swedish
, Russia
n and French
troops.
The settlement was founded in 1975 as Sniečkus, a town for workers in the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant
on the shores of Lake Visaginas. It was founded in place of four villages, which were demolished, and the largest of those villages was known as Visaginas. The new town was named after Antanas Sniečkus
, a former first secretary
of the Lithuanian Communist Party. In 1977 it was granted the status of a town, and received city rights in 1994. It is governed by a town council, which elects the mayor. In 1996, the city's coat of arms was confirmed by a decree of the President of the Republic.
The settlement was developed in complexes, with construction designed to create an infrastructure for the cultural and everyday life of the residents. All effort was made to preserve the natural surroundings as much as possible.
, 15.88% Lithuanians
, 10.29% Belarusians
, 9.13% Poles
, 5.69% Ukrainians
and 0.95% Tatars
. Orthodox Christians represented 40.42% of total population, Roman Catholics 27.29%, Non-affiliated
27.29%, Old Believers
2.89% and Muslims
0.46%. This creates a distinctive cultural ambiance in the town.
In 2001, the population was 29,554.
colleges, a sports centre and other institutions engaged in organizing educational and leisure-time activities, including 11 sports clubs with more than 1,600 members. Professional training is available in soccer, Greco-Roman wrestling
, and skiing
. The annual country music
festival "Visaginas' Country" is held
there.
with: Zambrów
, Poland
Slavutych
, Ukraine
Obninsk
, Russia
Smarhoń
, Belarus
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...
, situated near the country's biggest lake, Drūkšiai
Lake Drukšiai
Lake Drūkšiai, also called Lake Drysviaty or Lake Drysvyaty, or Drisvyaty is a lake located partly in the northeastern part of Lithuania and partly in the Vitebsk Voblast, in Belarus. The lake water was used to cool the reactors of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.The greatest depth of the lake is...
. Its administrative boundaries are in the process of being defined. The Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
–Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
railway runs alongside the town, providing convenient communication with Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
and Daugavpils
Daugavpils
Daugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
. Motorways connect the town with all other cities in the Republic.
The town grew up in a pine forest by Lake Visaginas. Tourism is currently an area of great potential.
History
In the distant past, the surroundings of Visaginas were once inhabited by the SeloniansSelonians
Selonians were a tribe of Baltic peoples. The Selonians lived until the 15th century in Selonia, located in southeastern Latvia and northeastern Lithuania. They merged with neighbouring tribes, contributing to the ethnogenesis of Latvians and Lithuanians....
. Historical annals first mention the location in 1526, when it was presented by the nobleman Vaitiekus Goštautas to the Naujasis (New) Daugėliškis parish. In the 14th–19th centuries the region was invaded by Livonian
Livonian Order
The Livonian Order was an autonomous Livonian branch of the Teutonic Order and a member of the Livonian Confederation from 1435–1561. After being defeated by Samogitians in the 1236 Battle of Schaulen , the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword were incorporated into the Teutonic Knights...
, Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
troops.
The settlement was founded in 1975 as Sniečkus, a town for workers in the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant
Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant
The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant is a closed two-unit RBMK-1500 nuclear power station in Visaginas, Lithuania. It was named after the nearby city of Ignalina...
on the shores of Lake Visaginas. It was founded in place of four villages, which were demolished, and the largest of those villages was known as Visaginas. The new town was named after Antanas Sniečkus
Antanas Snieckus
Antanas Sniečkus was First Secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party from August 1940 to January 22, 1974.- Biography :Antanas Sniečkus was born in 1903, in the village of Būbleliai, near Šakiai. During the First World War, his family fled to Russia where he observed the Russian revolution of 1917...
, a former first secretary
General secretary
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
of the Lithuanian Communist Party. In 1977 it was granted the status of a town, and received city rights in 1994. It is governed by a town council, which elects the mayor. In 1996, the city's coat of arms was confirmed by a decree of the President of the Republic.
The settlement was developed in complexes, with construction designed to create an infrastructure for the cultural and everyday life of the residents. All effort was made to preserve the natural surroundings as much as possible.
Population
In 1996, the population was 33,100, of which 55.68% were RussiansRussians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, 15.88% Lithuanians
Lithuanians
Lithuanians are the Baltic ethnic group native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,765,600 people. Another million or more make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland. Their native language...
, 10.29% Belarusians
Belarusians
Belarusians ; are an East Slavic ethnic group who populate the majority of the Republic of Belarus. Introduced to the world as a new state in the early 1990s, the Republic of Belarus brought with it the notion of a re-emerging Belarusian ethnicity, drawn upon the lines of the Old Belarusian...
, 9.13% Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, 5.69% Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
and 0.95% Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
. Orthodox Christians represented 40.42% of total population, Roman Catholics 27.29%, Non-affiliated
Irreligion
Irreligion is defined as an absence of religion or an indifference towards religion. Sometimes it may also be defined more narrowly as hostility towards religion. When characterized as hostility to religion, it includes antitheism, anticlericalism and antireligion. When characterized as...
27.29%, Old Believers
Old Believers
In the context of Russian Orthodox church history, the Old Believers separated after 1666 from the official Russian Orthodox Church as a protest against church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon between 1652–66...
2.89% and Muslims
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
0.46%. This creates a distinctive cultural ambiance in the town.
In 2001, the population was 29,554.
Industry
Power was the main branch of industry: the country's only nuclear power plant, one of the world's most powerful, is situated near Visaginas, it ceased operations in December 2009 over safety concerns, and is currently being decommissioned. Over 5,000 people were employed in the plant. There are opportunities for developing the construction industry in order to utilize the present industrial potential (concrete, ferroconcrete, and wood), and also the electronics industry, polish and paint, and clothing. There are over 1,500 companies in the town active in light industry, trade, and services.Education, culture, and sports
The town has a polytechnic school, six secondary schools, an elementary school, eight nursery schools, music and acrobaticsAcrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
colleges, a sports centre and other institutions engaged in organizing educational and leisure-time activities, including 11 sports clubs with more than 1,600 members. Professional training is available in soccer, Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
, and skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
. The annual country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
festival "Visaginas' Country" is held
there.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Visaginas is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with: Zambrów
Zambrów
Zambrów is a town in northeastern Poland with 22,933 inhabitants . It is the capital of Zambrów County. Situated in the Podlaskie Voivodeship , previously in Łomża Voivodeship .-History:...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Slavutych
Slavutych
Slavutych is a new city in northern Ukraine, named after the Old Slavic name of the nearby Dnieper River. As of 2007, its population was 24,549.-Geography:...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Obninsk
Obninsk
Obninsk is a city in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: Obninsk is one of the major Russian science cities. The first nuclear power plant in the world for the large-scale production of electricity opened here on June 27, 1954, and it also doubled as a training...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Smarhoń
Smarhoń
Smarhoń is a city in Hrodna Voblast, Belarus. It is located at . It was the site of Smarhoń air base, now mostly abandoned. Smarhoń is located 107 km from the capital, Minsk....
, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...