3436 LITHUANIA - A red fox cub

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) it is not only the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere, but also one of the world's 100 worst invasive species, due to its ability to adapt quickly to new environments. Despite its name, the species often produces individuals with other colourings. Too small to pose a threat to humans, it has extensively benefited from the presence of human habitation, and has successfully colonised many suburban and urban areas.

2881 LITHUANIA - The map of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Founded by the Lithuanians, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania existed from the 13th century until 1795, and expanded to include large portions of the former Kievan Rus' and other Slavic lands, including territory of present-day Belarus, parts of Ukraine, Poland and Russia, but also of Estonia and Latvia. At its greatest extent in the 15th century, it was the largest state in Europe, a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state with great diversity in languages, religion, and cultural heritage.

2781 LITHUANIA (Šiauliai) - Hill of Crosses

Located about 12km north of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania, the Hill of Crosses is an historical and architectural monument, a unique composition of folk art. It attracts people with its peace, spirituality, and sacred nature. The oblong mound stands on a plain and is surrounded by the valleys of Kulpė Stream and its nameless tributaries. The hill itself is the Jurgaičiai-Domantai mound, which sits next to a former ancient village that was here in the 13th-14th centuries.

2545 LITHUANIA - Baltic Song and Dance Celebrations (UNESCO ICH)

Both a repository and a showcase for the region's tradition of performing folk art, this cultural expression culminates in large-scale festivals every fifth year in Estonia and Latvia and every fourth year in Lithuania. These grand events, held over several days, assemble as many as 40,000 singers and dancers, belonging to amateur choirs and dance groups. The Baltic Song and Dance Celebrations were initially organized in Estonia in 1869, in Latvia in 1873, and in Lithuania in 1924.

0174, 0352, 2349 LITHUANIA (Vilnius) - Vilnius Historic Center (UNESCO WHS)

0174 Vilnius Historic Center - St. Anne's Church

Posted on 17.04.2012, 05.10.2012, 05.03.2016
Raised in the late 13th century around a castle, Vilnius, situated at the confluence of the rivers Neris and Vilnia, became capital of Grand Duchy of Lithuania under Gediminas (r. 1316-1341), and increased in importance along with the expansion of the Duchy, which at its height it covered the territory of modern-day Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, and portions of Poland and Russia. After the formation of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569), it was one of the state capitals (together with Warsaw), opening its doors to migrants and reaching a real Babylon, where are spoke a variety of languages, from Lithuanian, Polish, Ruthenian, Russian and Old Slavonic, to Latin, German, Yiddish, Hebrew and even Turkic.

0352 Vilnius Historic Center - The tower and the monument of Gediminas

Following centuries proved to be malefic for the city. During the Russo-Polish War (1654–1667), Vilnius was pillaged and burned by Russians, and its population was massacred, during the Great Northern War it was looted by the Swedish, in 1710 the bubonic plague killed about 35,000 residents, and devastating fires occurred repeatedly. In 1795 Vilnius was annexed by the Russian Empire, and in 1812 it was taken by Napoleon, for a short period. The numerous uprisings of the population were harshly suppressed by the Russians, who eventually banned the use of the Polish and Lithuanian languages. Disputed after WWI by Lithuanians, Poles and Russians, the city passed from one hand to another, eventually being won by Poland.

2349 Vilnius Historic Center - The Cathedral and its bell tower

Occupied by Soviet Union in 1939, was given to Lithuania, again annexed by the soviets, then by the Germans, and again by the soviets. Only in 1991 Lithuania became again independent. Despite the whole devastation that the city suffered over time, Vilnius is one of the largest surviving medieval old towns in Northern Europe, an impressive Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and classical complex, with 70 streets and lanes numbering 1487 buildings.As political centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, it has had a profound influence on the cultural and architectural development of much of eastern Europe.

1509 LITHUANIA (Klaipėda) - Ventė Cape Lighthouse

Ventė Cape is a headland in Nemunas Delta, known as a rest place for many birds during their migrations, particularly the autumn migration. The Cape, being in the former Memel Territory, was part of Germany until 1919, and was marked as one of the most dangerous places in different old maps. It is the main reason why an 11m-high lighthouse (one of the seven that exist in Lithuania) stands in the horn. The first wooden lighthouse in Ventė Cape was built in 1837, surrounded by water on three sides. The present red brick lighthouse was built in 1852, at 30m from the Curonian Lagoon, and its signal is seen from 3.5km. In order to protect the lighthouse, the horn of Ventė Cape was paved with stones in 1860. Water measuring station was built next to the lighthouse in 1880.

0123, 0225 & 0755 LITHUANIA (Vilnius) - Trakai Historical National Park (UNESCO - Tentative List)

0225 Trakai Historical National Park (2)

Posted on 13.02.2012, 27.05.2012, and 20.07.2013
Along the history, many territories located today in Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus were owned successively by one or other of them, whether they were called Kievan Rus, Kingdom of Poland, Grand Duchy of Lithuania or Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. If at all these "players" we add the allogeneous involved - from the east the Tatars and Grand Duchy of Moscow (become Russian Empire and later Soviet Union) and from the west the Teutonic Knights and Kingdom of Prussia (become Germany) - things get complicated in the region. So it's no wonder that Trakai was built and preserved by people of different nationalities, respectively Karaims, Tatars, Lithuanians, Russians, Jews and Poles (order is random).

0123 Trakai Historical National Park (1)

The town began to grow in the 13th century in the place named Senieji Trakai (Old Trakai), and was first mentioned  in 1337 in Teutonic Knights chronicles. When Grand Duke Gediminas has settled in Vilnius, Senieji Trakai was inherited by his son the Duke Kęstutis, who moved the town to its current location. A new castle was built in the strait between lakes Galvė and Luka, known as the Peninsula Castle, and another one, known as the Island Castle, on one of the 21 islands of Lake Galvė. At the end of the 14th century the town was in the center of a conflict between Grand Duke Jogaila and his uncle, Kęstutis. In 1392 the conflict has ended, and Kęstutis's son, Vytautas, became the Grand Duke of Lithuania.

0755 Trakai Historical National Park (3)

He spent much time in Trakai, even though its official capital was Vilnius. Here also he will die in 1430. In early 15th century he replaced the wooden fortress with a stone-built castle. Actually the principal construction material was red bricks, stone blocks being used only in the foundations and the upper parts of buildings, and.its style could be described as Gothic, with some Romanesque features. During the rule of Sigismund Augustus (r. 1548–1569), the castle was redecorated in a Renaissance style. After the establishment of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, in 1569, the town's importance declined, the castle becoming a luxurious prison for the political prisoners.

0588 LITHUANIA (Klaipėda) - Curonian Spit (UNESCO WHS)

The Curonian Spit (Kuršių nerija) is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. Its southern portion lies within Kaliningrad Oblast (Russia) and its northern within southwestern Lithuania. The width of the spit varies from a minimum of 400m in Russia to a maximum of 3,800 m in Lithuania. In 2000 Curonian Spit was included in UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, shared by the two countries, because it is considered "an outstanding example of a landscape of sand dunes that is under constant threat from natural forces", and also a cultural heritage due to its old fishing settlements and the buildings erected at the end of the 19th century.

 

The Curonian Spit is home to the highest moving (drifting) sand dunes in Europe, with an average height of 35m. Its location means it's frequently visited by migratory waterfowl. In 19th century it became a recreational centre: Juodkrante became famous as a health resort as early as 1840 and Nida, Preila and Pervalka were given official recognition in this category in 1933. In the centre, Nida, the largest settlement on the Spit, has a linear plan based on a single main street that runs parallel to the lagoon. Its main building it's the cottage of Thomas Mann (in both postcards). The german writter (1875-1955), 1929 Nobel Prize laureate, best known for the novel Doctor Faustus and the novella Death in Venice, came to Nida (then Nidden) on holiday and so liked the area that he built a summer house there to which his family came every year in the early 1930s. The house is superbly positioned among pine trees above the Curonian Lagoon. It is now a museum with information about the writer's work, and also a venue for conferences and music recitals.

0482 LITHUANIA (Panevėžys) - Traditional costumes from Panevėžys

This postcard belongs to the series Lietuviu tautiniai drabuziai (which means Lithuanian Folk Clothes - thanks Google Translate) and show (as explained Vaida - thanks a lot, I think I wouldn't have managed without these explanations) a traditional costume from 19th century from Aukštaitija (Highlands), one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania, in the northeast part of the country, which up to the 13th century corresponded to the Duchy of Lithuania.

0470 Baltic Sea map

Bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands, Baltic Sea is a brackish sea, mostly enclosed, which has a limited exchange of water with outer oceans. Is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via Kattegat, Skagerrak and North Sea, but also by man-made waterways to the White Sea via the White Sea Canal, and to the North Sea via the Kiel Canal. It has 1,600 km long, an average of 193 km wide, and an average of 55 m deep, with the maximum depth 459 m.

0271 LITHUANIA (Vilnius) - Kernavė, the cradle of Lithuania (UNESCO WHS)

Today, July 6, is Statehood Day in Lithuania, a public holiday to commemorate the coronation in 1253 of Mindaugas as the first and only King of Lithuania. This day is officially celebrated since 1991, i.e. since the first year after the re-establishment of the State of Lithuania. Today also would have started the 14th International Festival of Experimental Archaeology "Days of Live Archaeology in Kernavė", which was canceled "due to financial and technical circumstances".