Location: Map
Kernavė (German, 18th century: Kernau) is the oldest known
capital of Lithuania, located northwest of Vilnius, with a
little over 300 inhabitants. It is the seat of the district of
the same name in the Rajongemeinde Širvintos.
In the 13th
century, Kernavė was a feudal town with five fortified castles.
Today only mounds remain of the prehistoric castles. The
so-called heaps of rubbish were first mentioned in the Livonian
Chronicle in 1279. The largest, the "Throne of Mindaugas", is
said to have been the seat of a legendary king of Mindaugas.
Sacrificial ceremonies are said to have been held on the
"Sacrificial Mountain" in pre-Christian times. The Balts were
not forcibly converted until the 13th century. The last pagan
high priest is said to have retreated to the "mountain of
Lizdeika" with the "holy virgins" and the "holy fire". Lizdeika
was the nickname of the Lithuanian chief priest. The remains of
a settlement from the 3rd and 4th centuries were found between
the hills. Kernavė was also the home of the legendary Grand Duke
Traidenis.
The Catholic Parish Church of the Virgin Mary
Scapular in Kernavė was built in 1910-1920 in the neo-Gothic
style.
From the hills there is a view of the valley of
the Neris, a tributary of the Memel. The place was inscribed on
the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004.
Geography
Kernavė archaeological site - the state cultural reserve
of Kernavė, established in 1989, since 2004. is on the UNESCO World
Heritage List. To the northeast of the town is a small Kernavė lake (or
Pragarinė lake).
History
Prehistory
According to
archaeological data, in the vicinity in the 9th-7th millennium BC was an
ancient settlement that later expanded. Based on historical sources, it
is common to believe that Kernavė was located in the XIII-XIV centuries.
on the right bank of the Neris (now called the Pajauta valley), and at
that time was an important city and the first clear residence of the
ruler with a powerful system of defensive fortifications. In the Pajauta
Valley in 1986 discovered in the 3rd-4th centuries city (Lower Kernavė
is older, flourished until the time of the Crusaders, when they had to
move to the mounds and Upper Kernavė when their attacks began).
Archaeological findings show that highly specialized artisans lived here
(jeweler, bonesmith), and based on the imported jewelry found, it can be
guessed that rich townspeople lived here. The first Lithuanian merchants
Remeišis and Studila (mentioned in the Riga Debt Book at the end of the
13th century) also lived in Kernave, and many craftsmen worked there.
Kernavė XIII century. was one of the most significant centers of the
formation of the Lithuanian state. A powerful defensive complex of five
mounds was located in this area. 12th-14th centuries at its foot, in the
Pajauta valley, a medieval city grew, with about 3-4 thousand
inhabitants. It had a fairly regular system of streets, residential
houses and artisan workshops. It is hypothesized that the capital of
Mindaugas could be located here.
The Middle Ages
Kernavė was
mentioned for the first time in 1279. In the Verse Chronicle of Livonia.
13th-14th centuries Kernavė occupied a special place in the territory of
Lithuania, it was one of the most important economic, political and
defense centers of the emerging Lithuanian state - one of the first
Lithuanian cities, here until 1321. was the residence of the rulers,
often called the first capital of Lithuania.
Kernavė flourished
during the rule of Traidenis (1269-1282) and Vytenis (1295-1316) and had
the features of a medieval town: the duke's residence was well fortified
on the Aukura hill, the forts guarding it (Lizdeikas mound and Mindaugas
throne mound), a fortified papylus - Upper Town (Castle Hill). Near the
residence, in the Pajauta valley and on the upper terrace to the west
and north of the mounds, a lower town was being built - unfortified
papillae of artisans and merchants, which occupied a dozen hectares. A
network of streets, fords and markets (on the banks of the Neris) has
developed in the lower town. Fenced estates of 8-10 acres of townspeople
with wooden buildings and workshops were created. 13th century at the
end of the 19th century, the population engaged in crafts, local and
international trade. Kernavė merchants are mentioned in 1290, 1303. in
the Riga debt book. The dead are buried in the Kriveikiškis cemetery.
The city was first mentioned in 1380-1390. In the list of Russian
cities, it is believed that Kernavė dates back to the 14th century.
there were about 500 inhabitants.
XIV century in the first half,
after the growth of Vilnius, Kernavė became a partial principality ruled
by Gediminas' son Manvydas. The castle complex in 1365 were burned by
the Crusaders, the castles were burned again in 1390. during the retreat
of the city's defenders, led by Algird's son Vygant. After the death of
Vygant in 1392 Kernavė became the estate of the Duke of Lithuania
Kernavė, initially ruled by Astikas, descendants of the Traidenis
family; Kristinas Astikas from Kernavė is mentioned in 1413. Having
received the coat of arms of Trumpets in Horodle. Later, the Kernavė
estate was ruled by the Podbereskis, Hlebavics, Kurnicki, Ryminskis,
Despot Zenoviči, Bzhostovskii, Bialozori.
15th century Ave. The
Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas of Kernavė wrote letters to the Grand
Master of the Teutonic Order, funded the construction of the first
church (built before 1430, around 1698 and rebuilt in 1738). Near the
church and the manor, on the upper terrace, Naujoji Kernavė began to be
built. The old Kernavė, which was in the Pajauta valley, passed to the
church in 1522. The privilege of Žygimantas the Elder mentions the
church meadow that was there. in 1571 Žygimantas Augustas granted
Kernave the rights of Magdeburg (renewed in 1792, given a coat of arms).
16th century was the center of the settlement, from the 17th century.
middle - old town.
Wars with the Crusaders and internal conflicts
prevented the further development of Kernavė. It was overshadowed by
Trakai, Vilnius and other administrative-political centers.
New
times
in 1777 a parochial school operated for some time. in 1792 May
25 Stanislaus Augustus granted city rights and a coat of arms. However,
a few years later, after the collapse of the Republic of the Two
Peoples, the opponents of the new cities of the Russian Empire abolished
self-government. Church land holdings in 1843. taken over by the state.
The manor fell into disrepair after the 19th century. reforms of the
1960s.
1 km east of Kernavė in 1920-1939. was the
Lithuanian-Polish demarcation line.
in 1924 established primary
school, 1949-1973 seven-year-old, eight-year-old, later Juozas
Šiaučiūnas primary school, now Musninkai school department.
1940-1949 imprisoned and deported 20 inhabitants, 1941 Juozas
Šiaučiūnas, a teacher and the founder of the Kernavė Museum, was
imprisoned and died in the camp. In the vicinity of Kernavė in
1945-1948. the partisans of the Great Kova District were active.
1950-1995 Kernavė surroundings, 1950-1992. collective farm center.
Since 1979 In Kernavė, successive archaeological researches have
been started, during which the valuable objects found can be seen in the
Kernavė Archaeological Museum. in 1989 The Kernavė Archaeological and
History Museum-Reserve was established. in 1998 approved coat of arms of
Kernavė.
There is a library and a cemetery in the town. The town
hosts the Rasa festival, live crafts and live archeology days, which are
visited by about 20 thousand tourists. 2006-2008 the Baltic Sound music
festival took place.
Origin of the name
The name of the town
is probably hydronymic, from Kernavė, the right tributary of the Neris.
Its form from the 13th century. almost unchanged. At least 5 water names
with the same or similar root can be found in Lithuania. The name of the
stream itself is difficult to explain, since now there are almost no
identical words left to explain kernava. B. Kviklys believed that the
word kernavė means "sticky place in meadows, forests", but this word is
found only in Panevėžys district.
Some authors believe that the
town is named after the legendary founder Kerniaus.
Legends
In
the annals of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Žemaitia, it is stated
that Duke Kernius around 1040 not only founded the first capital of
Lithuania, but also invented the name of Lithuania. Legends and accounts
say that Duke Kernius was burned according to pagan customs, and the
ashes were scattered on a mound.
The mounds of Kernavė are
surrounded by legends. Somewhere from here there was an underground road
to Trakis and Vilnius. It is closed with iron doors in Kernave, silver
doors near Trakai, golden doors near Vilnius.
The Lizdeika
mountain is named so because Lizdeika, the chief crook, lived there.
After 1387 Christianity was introduced and the Temple of Thunder was
demolished in Vilnius, until his death, Lizdeika, together with ghosts,
stoked a fire on Mount Aukuros, preached to people from it and
interpreted dreams. The most beautiful village of Lizdeika was Pajauta,
the Pajauta valley stretching from the foot of the hills is named in her
honor.