Kėdainiai is a city in central Lithuania, Kaunas county, on both
sides of Nevėžys, 51 km north of Kaunas. Kėdainiai district
municipality and ward center.
The Old Town is included in the
register of cultural heritage as an urbanistic monument of state
significance. There are 4 churches and 1 church here (Catholic -
Kėdainiai St. Joseph's Church and Kėdainiai St. George's Church, as
well as Kėdainiai Evangelical Lutheran Church and Kėdainiai
Evangelical Reformed Church, Kėdainiai Lord's Transfiguration
Church). The Lithuanian Independence Monument stands near the
Kėdainiai railway station. An important industrial (mainly chemical
and food processing) and transportation center. There is one post
office (LT-57001).
The city's birthday is celebrated on
August 8-10. In the summer, the "Cucumber Festivals" are also
celebrated (the Jews of Kėdainiai started the cucumber business in
the 19th century).
The main parts of the city of Kėdainiai are Babėnai (in the north),
Janušava (in the west) and the old town of Kėdainiai in the center.
Other parts of the city are actually small neighborhoods formed from
former villages or industrial areas.
Justinava is a district of
collective gardens in the north of Kėdainiai.
Vilainiai - part of the
city of Kėdainiai on the left bank of the Nevėžis, south of the
Vilainiai settlement and the road to Aristava. The most important street
is Šetos. Own buildings from the pre-Soviet and Soviet period prevail.
There are several apartment buildings. Established small businesses.
There is a polytechnic department of the Kėdainiai Vocational Training
Center.
Pramonė district (Zabieliškis) - the southeastern part of
Kėdainiai, between the Jonava-Šeduva and Kėdainiai-Babtė roads, by the
Obelie river. Exclusively manufacturing industry companies are located
here: AB Lifosa, UAB "Kemira Lifosa", AB "Kėdainių grūdai", sugar
factory, AB "Progresas", UAB "Medžio plaša", UAB "JGB". There are also
warehouses of UAB "Norfos mažmena" (in the former Kėdainiai electrical
equipment factory), a bus park, a bakery, new buildings of UAB "Natūrali
oda". The new Zabieliškis landfill and AB "Lifosa" phosphogypsum mines
are located along the industrial district. The most important streets
are: Pramonės, Metalistų, Biochemikų.
The city has a cultural center, the Kėdainiai Regional Museum,
operating since 1921, one of the oldest in Lithuania. Since 2000 moved
to the restored premises of the former Kėdainiai Carmelite monastery
(18th-19th centuries) in September. The most important exhibits of the
museum: 17th century. documents, grave clothes of Duke Jonušas Radvila
(1612–1655), 17th century. clothing details from the crypts of the
Evangelical Reformed Church of Kėdainiai, antler furniture from the
Apytalaukis manor, Gothic XV c. St. The sculpture of John the Baptist,
the crosses of the godmaker Vincas Svirskis. The museum owns:
Memorial Museum of Juoz Paukštelis. The museum was founded in 1988. in
the house of the writer Juozas Paukštelis. He lived here in 1938. The
exposition tells about the writer Juoz Pauštelis (1899–1981), other
writers and literati from the Kėdainiai region. The museum hosts
literary and art exhibitions, holds literary afternoons and evenings,
organizes excursions, and conducts educational activities.
The
mausoleum of the Radvil Dukes in the Reformed Church, where the 17th
century art monuments of state importance - sarcophagi.
A
multicultural center based in a small synagogue. You can get acquainted
with the culture of the peoples who lived in Kėdainiai, there are
exhibitions, various events, music concerts, educational activities. In
the center, the authentic folk works of the Kėdainiai region are
presented by the living folklore ensembles "Temela", "Jorija".
V.
Ulevičius Museum of wood sculptures, where you can familiarize yourself
with the works of the carver who lives in Krakės.
Janina
Monkutė-Marks Museum, which exhibits works of art and organizes various
events.
The current old town of Kėdainiai covers an area of 86 hectares. A
unique layout, a network of streets and squares, buildings, and an
archaeological layer have been preserved since the time of the
Reformation. From an urbanistic point of view, the old town is the
fourth in Lithuania, having preserved its distinctive 17th-18th century.
formed image. XIV-XV centuries were found in it. wooden settlements (the
third case after Vilnius and Kernavė, when the remains of wooden
settlements were found). in 1969 The old town of Kėdainiai has been
declared an urbanistic monument of republican importance, as well as an
archaeological, architectural and historical monument.
17th
century under the rule of the influential Radvil nobles, the city was
planned and managed on the model of European cities. It was a cultural
and religious center of Protestantism - there were several churches, a
gymnasium, a printing house, and active intellectuals. Kėdainiai became
a special urban-economic phenomenon, as 6 shopping squares (in separate
confessional quarters) were formed there. 17th and 18th centuries there
were 10-16 craft workshops.
The city had a tolerant policy
towards foreigners and non-believers - 6 religious communities had
various freedoms, privileges and concessions. There were not only
Catholics, Protestants and Orthodox Christians, but also Jews, Germans,
even Scots (the largest community in the Baltic Sea region).
Kėdainiai Evangelical Reformed Church (Calvinists) and bell tower. in
1631 Construction began on the initiative and funds of Kristupas
Radvila, and was completed in 1653. his son Jonuš. The church is in
Renaissance style, single-nave, rectangular, very spacious, with four
small towers. The interior of the church is decorated with a preserved
oak pulpit of Renaissance forms, richly ornamented with intricate
carvings, and oak panels in the side niches. The mausoleum of the
princes Radvil family was established in the basement of the church. The
mausoleum preserves unique 17th-century art monuments of national
significance - the Radvil sarcophagi of princes Kristupas Perkūnas
(1547–1603), Jonuš (1612–1655), Mikalojus (1610–1611), Jurgis
(1616–1617), Stephen (1624–1624) and Elizabeth (1622–1626) .
St.
Joseph's Catholic Church and the bell tower. The church is wooden, folk
baroque style with a bell tower. in 1703 Carmelite monks began to build
a church. After all the obstacles and litigation, the monastery and
church were built in 1766. consecrated St. In the name of the Sacrifice
of the Virgin Mary. A charity society that helped the poor, a primary
school, and a shelter operated near the church. 19th century at the end
named St. in the name of Joseph.
St. George's Church. Gothic St.
George's Church was built between 1445 and 1460. one of the first brick
buildings in Kėdainai, made of Torun bricks, reminiscent of a fortress.
16th century a low renaissance-style belfry was built near the front
facade. Reconstructed in the 18th and 19th centuries. Inside the church
there are many valuable works of art.
Kėdainiai Evangelical Lutheran
Church and chapels. in 1629 built on a hill, served the large German
community at that time.
17th-19th centuries synagogue complex by the
Smilga river on the right bank of Nevėžys. Kėdainiai's old synagogue is
in baroque style (there are only two in Lithuania). This synagogue
commemorates the Kahala Jewish community, one of the largest and most
famous in Žemaitia, and the famous Jewish religious thinker Vilnius Gaon
Elihaju. 19th century the new synagogue of Kėdainiai was built, which
also performed the functions of a school. Next to it stands the ritual
butcher's hut (unrestored), which was connected to the synagogue by an
arch with a sundial (1828).
Church of the Transfiguration of
Kėdainiai. in 1854 The owner of Kėdainiai, Count Marijonas Čapskis,
donated the brick building to the Orthodox, which was rebuilt into a
church according to the project of the architect S. Ikonikovas. After
1893 after the reconstruction, the church acquired a Byzantine
appearance, which has survived to this day. Inside is the 20th century.
wall painting, several valuable icons.
The complex of the Carmelite
monastery of the Old Regula (18th-19th centuries).
City Hall. Built in 1653 (built since 1624), one of the three
surviving town halls in Lithuania, 17th century. renaissance style.
Reconstructed in the 19th century. Exhibitions, various representative
and cultural events and concerts take place here. The works of
Lithuanian sculptors are exhibited in the sculpture yard of the Town
Hall.
Rectors' house. Founded in the 17th century, they were home to
the heads of the Kėdainiai school.
Market square. Four preserved
market squares (Old market, Groyės Rinkas square, Janušavas square,
Knypavas rinka).
Jurgis Andersen's house. 17th century Scottish
style, the house of mayor Jurgis Andersen.
The main street. Historic
Dožijio Street, with the 17th-18th centuries. architecture: gymnasium,
old pharmacy, Calvinist church, museum, many other buildings. It is the
most important cultural artery of the city - it is home to cafes,
restaurants, and various institutions.
Bright High School. It was
founded in 1647. Kristupas Radvilas, was a lyceum.
Old Town
Pedestrian Bridge. The reconstructed bridge of the old XV-XVI centuries.
transfers through Nevėžis on the spot connecting to the new town.
Minaret. At the railway station in 1880 a minaret was built. In order
to mark the memory of the Russian-Turkish war, the German-born Russian
general Eduard Totleben decided to build a Turkish minaret in Kėdainiai
Park. According to reports, such a tower supposedly stood next to the
Pleven mosque, at which E. Totleben often prayed during the war.
Probably the author of the minaret project was E. Totleben himself, who
built it in the park in 1880-1882. From the minaret, the then owner of
Kėdainiai and its surroundings used to show guests the park and his
estates. Currently abandoned.
Janina Monkutė–Marks museum-gallery.
Lithuanian émigré artist Janinas Monkutės-Marks, since 1953. who lived
in the USA, a museum-gallery was established. The author's canvases and
tapestries are exhibited there. Personal and group exhibitions of
Lithuanian and foreign artists are organized.
Dotnuva Street
Cemetery. The grave of Povilas Lukšis, the first Lithuanian volunteer
who died, graves of volunteers, cemetery chapel-mausoleum (1845).
Kaunas Street Cemetery. The graves of the victims of January 13: Alvydas
Kanapinskas and Vytautas Koncevičius, honorary citizen of Kėdainiai
region - doctor Teklė Bružaitė, colonel Justinas Kibirškis, writer
Justas Pyliponis, Tremtinii cross.
Babėnai forest is a park. The most
important city park (forest).
Babėnai's career. An artificial lake
dug in the 1950s. A popular vacation spot for Kedaine residents.
The
city's central park. Located by the pond of Dotnuvėlė river. It used to
be the Radvil Palace. Now city festivals and concerts are held here.
Mikalojus Daukša's oak tree. Located in Babenai (northern part of
Kėdainiai). It is the oldest oak tree in the city of Kėdainiai (diameter
- 1.70 m, height - 23 m). It is said that it was planted by Mikalojus
Daukša himself, the pioneer of Lithuanian writing, because it grows near
his former homestead.
AB "Lifosa" phosphogypsum "mountains".
Impressive mountains of phospogypsum waste (~ 21 million tons) on the
outskirts of the village of Zabieliškis.
Annual Cucumber Festival,
Spa of "Smilga" hotel, tastings of food
and Jewish dishes of Radvil nobles, billiards.
Sauna complex at the
Gray House Hotel
H. Vartbergė's chronicle mentions the settlement of Gaydine, Janas
Dlugošas mentions Kieidany. Later sources also call the city differently
- Keidaini, Keidany, Keidony, etc. 17th century Kėdainys, 20th century.
between the wars - Kedainiai.
It is believed that the name of the
city comes from the plural of the personal name - the surname Kėdainis,
which in turn comes from the verb kēdoti ("to scatter, flip, kētoti").
However, legend says that the name comes from the merchant Keidangen who
came from the Curonian Spit, who supposedly founded a small fishing
village.
It is not known when the first inhabitants arrived in Kėdainiai region. Their existence is evidenced by isolated and mostly accidental stone age artifacts: polished stone axes, various worked flint and bone tools.
1372 Kėdainiai is mentioned for the first time in written sources (in
the chronicle of H. Vartbergė). According to the legend, the name of
Kėdainiai comes from the name of the rich merchant Keidangen, who came
from the Curonian Spit and founded a small fishing village.
Archaeological excavations proved that Kėdainiai grew from a small
settlement of fishermen and farmers, which in the 14th century. at the
beginning it was already located on the right bank of Nevėžius. In the
north of that village grew a huge grove where there was a pagan temple.
It was destroyed by the Crusaders, and in its place in 1403 after
building a brick church. It is assumed that the first owner of the city,
Radvila Astikaitis, around the 15th century. built a mansion on the
steep and picturesque left bank of Nevėžis in the middle of A city was
built below the manor (which Janas Dlugoš mentions in the 15th century),
during which from the 15th century In the mid-19th century, trade routes
ran from Vilnius to Raseinius, an important center of Žemaitija at that
time, and from Kaunas to Riga and Šiauliai. On the side of this road,
near the mouth of the Smilga stream, a market square appeared, now
called the Old Market. 1520 there were already 145 residential houses
and about 1160 inhabitants, markets were held and market taxes were
collected.
in 1535 After the appointment of Duke Jonas Radvilas,
the owner of Kėdainiai, as the elder of Žemaitiai, the city became the
administrative center of Žemaitija. The economic and commercial
activities of Kėdainiai were revived in 1568. In 1581, Gardin's seima
was granted the right to develop ship trade on the Nevėžio river. The
Warsaw Sejm legalized a free port in the emerging suburb of Skongali and
in 1585 approved regulations for urban artisans. Since 1574 during the
rule of Jonas Kiška, general seimelis of the Žemaicai nobility were held
in Kėdainiai. By his care in 1590 April 15 king Zigmantas Vaza granted
the Kėdainis the rights of Magdeburg, and at the same time the right to
organize Saturday markets, three annual fairs, to build shops for the
townspeople and to keep model scales, measures of length and measure.
The first coat of arms of Kėdainiai with the symbols of the Kiški family
was also approved: a silver horseshoe with three golden crosses is
depicted in the azure field of the coat of arms; in the middle of the
horseshoe, two salmon facing opposite directions. 16th century at the
end, the first brick town hall in the Gothic style was built.
During 1598 the fire burned down 196 residential houses, and in 1600
fire - 59. However, already in 1604 There were 348 residential houses
and about 2,800 inhabitants in Kėdainiai. At that time, as many as 104
taverns were operating in the city: 82 beer, 21 vodka and one mead.
Since 1614 Kėdainiai once again belonged to the representatives of the
Protestant Biržai-Dubingiai branch of the Radvilai family. Under the
rule of the great hetmons of Lithuania and the voivodeships of Vilnius -
Kristupus Radvila and his son Jonuš (1612-1655) - the city experienced
an economic and cultural boom. 17th century in the first half of the
year, there were 10 artisan workshops in Kėdainiai, which had about 300
artisans. Guilds of tailors, potters, tanners, blacksmiths, weavers,
shoemakers, carpenters, butchers and merchant guilds operated in the
city. in 1627 August 24 Kristupas Radvila confirmed the old freedoms of
the city of Kėdainiai and granted the new coat of arms, which uses the
heraldic figures of the two families that ruled the city - the Radvilas
and the Kiškis: on a golden field, the black wing of the Radvilai eagle
with a leg holding in its claws the steel horseshoe of the Kiškis with
three golden crosses on an azure field.
in 1629 German evangelical Lutherans, who were exempted from taxes for ten years, settled in the manor fields in the western part of Kėdainiai. About 80 immigrant families settled in the new district of the city, named Jonušava. in 1648 April 28 The ruler of Lithuania Vladislaus Vaza confirmed to Jonušava the right to organize markets, to have their own mayor and a separate coat of arms. It consisted of the initial I in a blue field and above the initial in a yellow field a red duke's cap. Two legally legalized communities began to exist in Kėdainiai: Old Kėdainiai, whose foundation was made up of evangelical reformers, and Jonušava, or New Kėdainiai, where German evangelical Lutherans lived. In the history of Lithuanian cities, this is the second case after Trakai when two legally recognized communities existed in one city. In addition, in 1648 Russian Orthodox settled in the southern part of Kėdainiai near Knypava market place, because Jonušas Radvila's wife Marija Mogilaitė was Orthodox, so at her request Jonušas Radvila in 1652. built a wooden church in the southern part of Knypava and founded a monastery next to it. There was also an Aryan community in the city, which operated here publicly until 1658, when all Arians were expelled from the state of Lithuania and Poland by the decision of the Seimas. in 1655 There were about 500 residential houses in Kėdainiai, over 4 thousand. population. in 1667 The Kėdainiai manor belonged to Duke Jonuš Radvila, voivode of Vilnius (with 534 peasants).
The city was governed and managed by a Magistrate elected by the
citizens, which consisted of 18 persons: the mayor, 3 burgomasters, 4
court advisers, a clerk, 5 jumpers, a treasurer, a clerk of the
treasury, a bailiff and a dean of guilds. Members of the magistrate
could be citizens of all religions and nationalities, which in Kėdainiai
could only be obtained by swearing an oath to the duke and the
Magistrate.
At the main roads to Kėdainii stood the city gate,
which was guarded at night by guards made up of townspeople, and those
who arrived were registered. All citizens were required to participate
in monetary levies, military exercises and processions. The princes of
Radvilas took care of the social needs of the townspeople, so in 1629 3
hospitals, an orphanage and a hospital were built for poor residents.
One of the first pharmacies in Lithuania was established in the city. It
is known that in 1636 pharmacist Elijus worked here.
Citizens of
different religious denominations were protected in 1627. a peaceful
coexistence agreement was signed. Kristupas Radvila and Vilnius Bishop
Eustachius Valavičius, who signed it, recognized the equality of the
evangelical, reformed and Catholic faiths.
The prosperity of
Kėdainiai was interrupted in 1654-1660. war with Russia and Sweden.
After the Russian army occupied almost the entire Grand Duchy of
Lithuania, in 1655 in August, negotiations began in the city with the
representatives of the Swedish king Carl X Gustav regarding the
surrender of LDK to Sweden. The negotiations ended in 1655. October 20
with the signed act by which the LDK terminated the union with Poland
and formed a new union with Sweden. On the Lithuanian side, the union
was signed by Jonušas Radvila.
Since 1659 Jonušas Radvila's cousin and son-in-law, Prussian
Governor-General Boguslav Radvila (1620-1669) began to rule Kėdainii. He
tried to revive the war-ravaged city: he granted new trade and shipping
privileges, approved new city management and management regulations.
However, the city's trade languished, and most of the townspeople moved
abroad. in 1663 There were only 40 inhabited plots in Kėdainiai and a
fifth of the craftsmen who lived here before. 17th century At the end of
the year, the reviving city was devastated by a big fire: about 100
residential houses, a gymnasium and a library burned down. in 1701 and
in 1704 the city was surrounded by Swedish troops. 1709-1711 a plague
raged in the city. Many residents of Kedainiški and the surrounding area
died during it. Only from the 18th century. in the middle of Kėdainiai
began to recover: the population increased, the number of merchants and
artisans increased. in 1765 There were about 300 houses in Kėdainiai,
over 2150 inhabitants, and 16 workshops.
18th century After the
collapse of the Lithuanian and Polish states at the end of the 19th
century, all the cities of the LDK lost their self-government, including
Kėdainiai. in 1795 by order of Russian army general A. Tormasov, the
City Magistrate was abolished. In his place, a judge and an assessor
were appointed to Kėdainai, who had to decide the cases of residents of
all religions and nationalities. However, the owner of the city,
Dominykas Jeronimas Radvila (1786–1813), partially restored the
self-government. According to his instructions, the townspeople were
allowed to elect 5 persons who were obliged to perform the functions of
the duke's administration.
in 1811 Kėdainiai became the property
of Count Pranciškaus Čapskis. By his order, self-government was left to
the city. However, in 1817 By the decision of the Raseiniai County
Court, Kėdainiai municipality was abolished, and the city became the
center of the county. in 1831 during the uprising, the rebels occupied
the city and the battle of Kėdainiai took place, during which the army
of many thousands of tsarist Russia was unable to defeat the rebels.
After suppressing the 1863 Kėdainiai manor was confiscated during the
uprising. Its owner M. Čapskis was accused of supporting the uprising
and exiled to Siberia. in 1866 the estate passed to the Russian army
general, military engineer Count Eduard Totleben (1818-1884). in 1871
the Liepoja-Romnai railway was built through the northern part of the
city. It connected Kėdainiai with other cities of the Russian Empire. in
1886 the manor was separated from the city, Kėdainiai regained
self-government.
19th century Kėdainiai was a private town and
estate in Kaunas county, the center of the county. There were 674
houses, 6113 inhabitants. More than half of the population were Jews.
There were 50 different workshops and 140 shops in the city. At that
time, Kėdainiai was famous for horse markets. The gardeners of
Kėdainiai, mostly Jews, started growing cucumbers, and since then
Kėdainiai has been famous as a land of cucumber growers.
in 1919 February 7-11 near Kėdainiai, the first battles of the
independence struggle took place, in which Povilas Lukšys, a native of
Lithuania, was killed - the first Lithuanian volunteer to die. The
fighting stopped the Bolshevik attack towards the temporary capital
Kaunas.
In the year of independence, Kėdainiai became the center
of the county and was classified as a first-class city. The city grew
and expanded: in 1923 There were 7,415 in Kėdainiai, and in 1939 - 8,622
inhabitants. However, in 1941 June 14 many inhabitants of the city and
its surroundings were exiled to Siberia. August 28 of the same year.
Nazis and their supporters, who shot 2,076 Jews of Kėdainiai, destroyed
their community that had existed for 400 years. in 1944 in July, while
retreating, the Nazis blew up the former palace of Count E. Totleben,
the gymnasium, the county hospital and bank, and bridges. in 1946 August
3 became a city under the county in 1950. - under the authority of the
district. After the Second World War, Kėdainiai developed as a center of
industry, especially the chemical industry (a chemical plant, Kėdainiai
biochemistry plant started operating in 1963), a sugar factory, a grain
products plant, and an electrical equipment factory were built. The
population grew rapidly: in 1959 there were 10.6 thousand in the city.
population, and in 1972 - 23.6 thousand population.
In the summer
of 1988, after the arrival of the cyclist marching column led by
Rimantas Astrauskas, the signatory of the March 11 act, a rally of the
Lithuanian movement took place in Kėdainiai, which demanded the
abolition of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and urged people to seek
independence. Soon, the Lithuanian Greens, led by Saulius Griciaus,
organized a protest - an hour's silence at the airfield of the USSR Air
Force. In the fall of 1988, the first Lithuanian green congress took
place in Kėdainiai, at a chemical factory. Thanks to their efforts, the
old sulfuric acid production line at the factory was closed. Shortly
after that, the number of lung cancer cases in Kėdainiai decreased
significantly.
The Basic Law of Local Self-Government, adopted in
1990 on February 12, Kėdainiai district was assigned the status of a
higher-level municipality. Since 1990 March 24 the municipal council of
Kėdainiai district is being elected again. in 1991 the new coat of arms
of Kėdainiai has been approved.
in 2009 The city of Kėdainiai is
divided into 11 wards (Babėnai, Liaudė, Naujoji, Parko, Pergalė,
Radvilė, Senamiestis, Smilga, Statybininkai, Taika, Žemaitė).
The city is located in the center of the lowlands of Central Lithuania. Dotnuvėlė and Smilga (from the west side) and Obelis (from the east side) flow into Nevėžis in Kėdainiai.
Kėdainiai is an important chemical industry center in the country. AB
"Lifosa" produces mineral fertilizers, the products are exported to
Western Europe and the CIS countries.
The food industry is also
developed in Kėdaini. Canned food, meat, bread, ice cream, grain, and
sugar companies work profitably, and their products are served to
consumers throughout Lithuania and abroad. There are also metal
processing, leather, and wood processing industry companies. In the
early years of Independence, a large UAB "Lukoil Baltija" oil product
terminal was established.
Several agricultural companies are
successfully operating in Kėdainiai district. The city is famous for its
cucumber growing traditions. The level of employment in Kėdainiai is
high - the percentage of unemployment does not reach the natural level
(in 2006 it was about 4%).
The most important companies in the
industry are:
AB "Lifosa" - mineral fertilizers
UAB "Vesiga" -
sauces and mayonnaise
UAB "Laumetris" - production of agricultural
machinery; metal constructions (Keleriškii)
UAB "Progresas" - metal
structures
UAB "Kemira Lifosa" - chemical production
AB "Nordic
Sugar Kėdainiai" - sugar industry
UAB "Kėdainių duona" - bread
products
UAB "Međios pláša" - wood industry
UAB "JGB" - furniture
production
Concern Vikonda:
UAB "Vikeda" - ice cream
AB
"Kėdainių grūdai" - fodder, food products
other companies.
In
addition, AB "Krekenavos agrofirma" (meat products) and UAB "Kėdainių
konservų fabrikas" (canned vegetables) are located near the city, in the
villages of Mantvilonių and Šingalių. in 2012 Kėdainiai SEZ was
established.
Born in Kėdainiai:
Mikalojus Daukša (~1527–1613), priest,
humanist, counter-reformation figure, one of the creators of Lithuanian
writing (born in Babėnai).
Moshe ben Shimon Margalit (1710-1780),
Rabbi.
Johann Kasimir von Monkewitz (1722-1789), officer, lieutenant.
Vincentas Budrevičius (1795–1850), Philomath, Philaret, teacher.
Moshe Leib Lilienblum (1843–1910), writer and teacher of Lithuanian
Jewish origin.
Anna Katterfeld (1880-1964), German writer.
Wacław
Daszkiewicz (1893-1958), USSR colonel, general.
Feliksas Barasevičius
(1894–1918), revolutionary.
Juozas Urbšys (1896–1991), interwar
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, diplomat,
officer, political prisoner, translator (born in Šateniau).
Juozas
Paukštelis (1899–1981), writer, 1926–1946. taught at Kėdainiai high
school.
Stanisław Stomma (1908–2005), Polish lawyer, politician.
Józef Żylewicz (1912–1961), Polish track and field athlete.
Father
Stanislovas (1918–2005), priest, preacher, Capuchin monk, protagonist of
Lithuanian resistance to the Soviet occupation, one of the most famous
personalities of Kėdainiai district.
Konstantinas Rudnicki
(1920–1988), Russian theater historian and critic
Algirdas Audzijonis
(1935–2021), physicist
Valentina Pauškelytė (1938–2021), radio and
television journalist.
Vytautas Koncevičius (1941–1991), defender of
Lithuanian freedom, victim of January 13.
Algis Petras Piskarskas
(1942–2022), physicist, academician, one of the creators of laser
science in Lithuania.
Arvydas Karaška (1943–2023), Lithuanian
musicologist, encyclopedist.
Algirdas Paulavičius (1943–2020),
theater and film actor.
Alvydas Kanapinskas (1952–1991), one of the
defenders of Lithuanian freedom, a victim of January 13.
Ligita
Kinkevičienė (b. 1976), basketball player.
Beata Nicholson (b. 1979),
presenter, journalist, cook.
VšĮ Kėdainiai hospital
VšĮ Kėdainiai primary health care center
In Kėdainiai there are 2 high schools, 4 primary schools, a youth
school, Kėdainiai adult education center, Kėdainiai vocational training
center, a special boarding school, 3 kindergartens ("Aviliukas",
"Puriena" and "Vaikystė"). There is the Kėdainiai Jonuša Radvila Study
Center of Kaunas College, where higher non-university education,
language, art, sports and music schools are obtained.
Gymnasiums:
Kėdainiai Light High School - founded in the Radvilai period in 1625.
(gymnasium since 1631), located in the very center of the city.
Kėdainiai Atžalyn Gymnasium - founded in 1944. and on March 1, 2010
acquired the status of high school. The school is located in the new
district of the city, surrounded by residential buildings.
Secondary schools:
Kėdainiai Juoz Paukštelis pro-gymnasium - after
the separation, Kėdainiai bright gymnasium became the main one.
Lithuanian Sports University Kėdainiai Aušra pro-gymnasium - Built in
the new district of the city.
Kėdainiai Ryto pro-gymnasium is also
located in the new district of the city.
There are 4 kindergartens.
The Kėdainiai Mikalajus Daukša public library is operating.
In the city of Kėdainiai, there is a professional basketball club
"Nevėžis BC", which plays in the highest league of the country - LKL.
The match takes place in the Kėdainiai Arena, in the suburb of Kėdainiai
in Vilainai.
The city also has one professional football team,
Nevėžis, which plays in the LFF I League. Competes at the Kėdainiai
Stadium, which in 2008-2009 was completely renovated.
See also:
Football clubs in Kėdainiai
Two newspapers are published - "Kėdainiai fair" (Wednesdays and Saturdays) and "Rinkas aištė". Since 1926 released "Kėdainiai gars" in 2013 ceased publication (it was the only independent local media source). Kėdainiai Krašto Television (KKTV) operates. There is a news portal for the residents of Kėdainiai - www.kedainietis.lt, which publishes the largest photo gallery of Kėdainiai. Meetings of the municipal council are broadcasted on the radio.
in 1990 Peter Baguška
since 1995 Vigimantas Kisielius
since
1997 Victor Muntian
since 2005 Virginija Baltraitiene
since 2005
Nijolė Naujokiene
since 2011 Rimantas Diliūnas
since 2015 Saulius
Grinkevičius
from 2019 Valentin Tamulis
The company "Kėdbusas" is responsible for the city's public
transportation. Buses reach all major parts of the city. The bus park
has been renovated. There are no more Hungarian Ikarus brand buses, old
model Daf buses are also being written off. Neoplan and Volvo buses
specially adapted for the city run in the city. The most important
routes: 1 (to Babėnis and the oil base, stops at Justinava gardens), 4
(to Vilainii), 7 (to the hospital), 2 (to AB "Lifosa"). Bus routes 3, 4A
and 6 run less frequently.
Due to low passenger flows, the network of
intercity routes is poorly developed. Buses only go to the most
important settlements, often only once a day and not every day. The
sparse network of intercity buses is partly due to the fact that the
district is crossed by national roads, on which intercity buses serve
the nearby settlements. The following routes depart from Kėdainiai bus
station (more important): to Miegėni (via Surviliškis), to Pašušvi (via
Lipliūnis, Krakes), to Krakes (via Josvainii, Pajiesli), to
Šventybrastis (via Tiskūnis), to Labūnavas, to Pagiris (via Šeta), to
Čekiške (via Pernarava), to Skaistgiris (via Kunionii), to Šlapaberže
(via Dotnuva), to Anciški (via Lančiūnava), to Vandžiogala, to Azytėni
(via Krakes). In the summer, additional routes are allowed to Pašilius,
Daumantas, Apytalaukis.
Since the district is crossed by several
important national roads, a number of intercity buses stop at the
Kėdainiai bus station. It is true that some buses no longer pass through
Kėdainii after the construction of the Via Baltica bypass. Although the
buses of SP UAB "Kėdbus" do not go on intercity trips, the city is
served by UAB "Kautra", UAB "Busturas", UAB "Panevėžio abusai" and other
companies. Most routes go to Kaunas (there are 2 stops, buses run every
hour or more, from early morning to late evening). Frequent flights to
Šiauliai, Panevėžys. Once or several times a day, buses leave for
Vilnius, Ukmerge, Jonava, Panemune, Birži, Riga, Žagarė, Alytus,
Druskininki, Pakruoj.
Kėdainiai is located near the main
Vilnius-Šiauliai railway. Therefore, it is not difficult to reach
Vilnius, Šiauliai, Klaipėda, Jonava by passenger trains.