Juodkrantė is the second largest settlement in the Curonian Spit, 18 km south of Klaipėda, by road 167 Smiltynė–Nida. The settlement is located in the territory of Neringa municipality. A historical-urban reserve, a settlement with a linear plan, stretching 2 km along the lagoon. There is the Juodkrantė Evangelical Lutheran Church (built in 1885, also called Francis of Assisi Church), a functioning civil cemetery. Remaining in the 19th century the end of the 20th century of early villas and other buildings, coastal fishermen's homesteads, there is a harbor by the Curonian Lagoon, a marina for yachts. During the summer there is a ferry from Dreverna. Rest houses, L. Rėza sea cadet school, primary school, library (since 1959), post office (LT-93017), cultural center are in operation. A monument to bureaucracy stands.
Juodkrantė is a value from the earlier German place name Schwarzort, meaning "black place". It is believed that the XIV century. A shipwreck took place in the Baltic Sea at Juodkrant, which is why the area could be called a black place. There is also a version that from the other shore of the Curonian Lagoon, the area looked dark because of the overgrown coniferous trees.
People have lived here since ancient times: stone, brass and
Early Iron Age archaeological amber artifacts have been found in its
vicinity. Juodkrantė is mentioned in written sources as early as
1429. Then it was closer to the sea, 2.5 km north of the present
settlement. 1509 Juodkrantė received a fishing privilege.1599-1600
the old village (13 homesteads) was almost covered by sand. in 1603
it suffered greatly from the plague, only 6 inhabited homesteads
remained here. The sand was still shifting and the seaside
Juodkrantė was mentioned for the last time in 1724.
In front
of Gintara Bay, there used to be the village of Grikienė (or the
village of Sins), now located in the territory of Juodkrantė.
in 1669 the forest warden Hans Reinish got the privilege of
establishing a bittern next to the road. in 1682 a permit was
obtained and to build for fishermen. 18th century at the end of the
year, the inhabitants of the ruined village of Karvaičiai moved to
Juodkrantė, together with the relocation of the Karvaičiai church,
which in 1878 burned down Senoji Juodkrantė (in the north), Naujieji
Karvaičiai (in the south) and Juodkrantė near the church (in the
middle) merged into one settlement. in 1885 the brick church of
Juodkrantė was built.
Around 1840 Juodkrantė became famous as
a resort and in 1858 Steamships from Klaipėda, and later from Tilžė,
started sailing to it. Around this time (1855, 1860 and 1861), amber
was found while dredging the bottom of the lagoon. This further
encouraged the development of the settlement. 1861-1882 very
valuable prehistoric amber articles were found near Juodkrantė.
1860-1890 the development of the resort was promoted by the company
"W. Stantien & M. Becker's amber mining activities. 19th century -
20th century at the beginning, many hotels, villas, summer houses,
restaurants and shops were established in Juodkrante.
in 1946
August 3 Juodkrantė became a city-type settlement (as a summer
residence), in 1947. connected to Klaipėda, and from 1961
incorporated into the new city of Neringa. During the Soviet era,
rest houses were built, among them - the rest house of the Vilnius
furniture combine "Ėuolynos" (architect E. Guzas), the republican
rest house for agricultural builders (architect E. Jurgelionis). in
the Lutheran Church in 1973. a museum of miniatures was established,
where painted miniatures, jewelry, medals were exhibited, and the
windows had stained-glass windows by artist B. Bruža.
Juodkrantė is located in the valley of the old parabolic dunes, there
are still fragments of old pine forests. Close to Juodkrantė are the
protected Pilkojis kopa. Near Juodkrantė there is an observation deck on
Garniai hill. Near Juodkrantė has been since the 19th century. A colony
of gray herons and cormorants is observed at the beginning of the year.
Currently, it has expanded greatly and is beginning to pose a threat to
the forest, as the trees are drying up from their acidic excrement.
There is a place near Juodkrantė where most amber was mined in
Lithuania. It has been mined here since 1862, the place is called Amber
Bay.
Exhibition of wooden folk sculptures of the Witches' Hill,
established in 1979-1981 and 1988. (the authors of the project are the
sculptor S. Sharapov and the architect A. Nasvytis, the sculptures were
carved by more than 100 folk craftsmen). Most of the sculptures are
characters from folk tales and fairy tales.
Stone sculpture park
"Earth and Water", established in 1995. on the embankment under
construction (architect R. Krištapavičius).
The exhibition hall of
the Lithuanian Art Museum, installed in 1982.
Juodkrantė exhibition
house
Evangelical Lutheran Church (Catholic services are also held)
Famous people
Famous Lithuanian folklorist Liudvikas Rėza hails
from Juodkrantė, Karvaičiai village. He was here in 1994. built monument
(author Arūnas Sakalauskas). Ludvikos Rėza sea cadet school in
Juodkrantė is also named after L. Rėza.
The German painter
Gustavas Fenkol (1872–1950) spent his youth in Juodkrante. Publicist
Martin Kakies (1894–1987) was born in Juodkrante.
Juodkrantė is one of the most versatile sailing spots in Lithuania. Kites and windsurfing are available both on the lagoon side and on the sea side at the small lifeguard station. Suitable for all wind directions.