Daugai is a town in the municipality of Alytus district, 22 km east
of Alytus and the same distance northwest of Varėna, 1 km south of
highway 128 Naujieji Valkininkai–Daugai–Alytus. The center of the
seniūnia, the major part of the city is in Daugai I seniūnaitis, the
small part is in Daugai II seniūnaitis. Urban planning monument. The
city plan is linear, with prominent rectangular plan elements. The
central part, formed around 1560, was expanded in 1928. rectangular plan
with a rectangular square, formed in the 16th century. on the second
side) and the trapezoidal square, formed in the 20th century. in the
first half. The houses are mostly single-storey (first half of the 20th
century).
Daugai Church of Divine Providence (romantic period
with elements of modified Gothic, built in 1862), the old brick
synagogue of Daugai (turned into a cultural center in 1955) stands.
There is a library, a post office, a cultural center, a polyclinic, a
supportive treatment and nursing hospital, and a pharmacy. Stūks Daugai
mound. In the old part of the city stands Šventapetris hill, a hill
covered with trees, which was once a hill on which the first Daugai
church was built (now it is commemorated by a wooden cross). In Daugai
cemetery, in front of the central gate, there is a grave of Lithuanian
partisans (the remains of partisans who died after the war were moved in
1990, as well as volunteers who died in 1920) and a monument - an oak
cross (1992). The preserved old Jewish cemetery (1.8 ha of irregular
oval area, operated until World War II).
The city is located in the Daugai morainic massif (Dzūkai upland). The city is surrounded on three sides by lakes Didiulis and Padaugėlaitis, and there are many smaller lakes in the vicinity. Stūksa Sala mountain. Daugai village is located next to the city. To the southeast of the city stands Daugai stone.
In the descriptions of the crusader roads to Lithuania in 1384
mentioned in Dowge. It is believed to be a personal toponym derived from
the plural Daugas, although this surname has disappeared in modern
times. It is common to derive the city's name from the name of Duke
Daugi - he is even depicted in the city's coat of arms. On the other
hand, in the vicinity of Druskininkai, Leipalingis and Rakainiai (in
southern Lithuania) the surname Daugevičius occurs, possibly a glorified
form of Daugas.
Folk etymology refers to submission. Already in
the days of Mindaugas, there were many homesteads here. There were many
groves around, teeming with animals and birds. There were fertile lands
in the valleys. And in the very middle of these hundred-year-old groves,
there was a lake, extremely deep and full of fish. It used to be a true
paradise for the inhabitants: the fields yielded good crops, the forests
had enough animals for furs and clothes, and there was enough honey and
fish. Later, the town was founded and named after the word daug -
Daugais.
Another legend says that the three mighty sons of
Daugius drowned in Lake Didiuli. They robbed the nets and scared the
fishermen. The latter remained healthy and alive only if someone managed
to shout: "In the name of God the Father, evil Dauga, stand up!".
To the north of Daugai, on the cape of the northern branch of Lake
Didiuli, there is a 1st-14th-century settlement. Mound of many.
Themselves are often mentioned from the 13th century. - XIV century (for
the first time in the descriptions of the Teutonic chronicles in 1384),
the crusaders used to march through them to Traky and Vilnius.
XIV century - 15th century The hunting estate of the Lithuanian princes
was heavily fortified. It is believed that the first Daugai church was
built during the reign of Vytautas (1392-1430). in 1457 (maybe since
1422) the center of the county. in 1503 Ldk is already called a city in
Alexander's privilege. It is believed that in 1639 King Vladislaus IV
and his wife Ludvika visited Daugai. 18th century at the beginning,
after wars, famine and pestilence, there were no inhabitants at all, the
city lost its former importance. Therefore, in 1742 got market
privilege. The rights of Magdeburg and the coat of arms of Daugai were
granted in 1792. April 26 The school was already working then.
Residents actively participated in 1863. in rebellion in 1863 near
Daugai, rebels fought with units of the Russian Empire army. in 1906 and
in 1925 There was a lot of burning. in 1919 Battles between the
Lithuanian army and the Soviet Russian army took place near Daugai.
1941, 1945 and in 1949 10 residents were deported from Daugai. Since
1945 At the beginning, a large unit of Lithuanian partisans operated in
the town, which later formed the core of the Geležinios Vilkas rink of
Dainava district, in 1949-1952. – Kazimieraitis national team, until
1949. In the Kalesnikki forest, there was a headquarters of the
partisans of the Southern Lithuania region.
In the early Soviet
era, it was the center of the district. in 1956 December 28 re-granted
city rights. It was the central settlement of the Soviet
economy-technics. There was an art school (since 1980), a school of
applied sports, and a rowing base.
in 1998 the Daugai coat of
arms has been restored.
Daugai parish school is mentioned in historical sources
in 1777, since 1863. government primary school, 1944-1947 secondary
school, 1947-1949 high school, since 1949 secondary school, since 2000
Many Vlad Miron Secondary School;
in 1929 Daugai technical school was
founded, 1960-1975. Daugai Soviet farm-technical school, 1990-2002.
Daugai Agricultural School, since 2002 Many School of Technology and
Business;
in 1939 a library was established;
in 1980 Daugai Art
School was established;
kindergarten.