Everything about Druskininkai totally explained
Druskininkai (; ) is a
spa town on the
Nemunas River in southern
Lithuania, close to the borders of
Belarus and
Poland. The city of Druskininkai has a population of 18,233 (
2001 Census) and dates back as a spa resort to the
19th century.
Geography
The town is located at the Ratnyčia River
estuary to the
Nemunas River. It is surrounded by a natural forest reserve. The town is situated in a picturesque landscape with
rivers,
lakes,
hills and
forests.
History
According to some sources the site of the present-day Druskininkai was inhabitated by local
Yotvingian tribes in the early
Middle Ages. In the
13th century the area was conquered by
Lithuanians. A small castle was built in the area as a part of the defence system against the
Teutonic Order. The castle was conquered by Teutonic Knights and destroyed in
1308 after which the area was soon depopulated.
The first mention of the present-day Druskininkai dates back to
1636. The name comes from
Lithuanian root
druska meaning
salt which suggests that the local population collected the precious
mineral. In the late
18th century it was discovered that minerals found in the waters of Druskininkai area are healthy and their usage in medical treatment of
asthma started. In the early
19th century Ignacy Fonberger, the
University of Vilnius professor, focused on the analysis of the chemical composition of Druskininkai waters and discovered that they contain large amounts of
Calcium,
Sodium,
Potassium,
Iodine,
Bromine,
Iron and
Magnesium. He also promoted the town as a
holiday resort for the population of what is now
Vilnius.
In
1837 czar Nicholas I of Russia bestowed on Druskininkai the status of spa, and construction of wooden pensions and hostels started. To ease communication with the spa, a ferry service on Nemunas was started .
The spa became popular among other parts of the former
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In
1862 a railway line linking
Warsaw and
Saint Petersburg was opened and its station was placed only 19 km from the city. By the beginning of the
20th century Druskininkai spa resort became one of the most popular resorts in the area, with tourists and reconvalescents coming from all over the world. It also became a place of summer residence for the middle class of
Vilnius,
Warsaw and
Moscow.
After the
World War I the town became part of
Poland (see
Polish-Lithuanian conflict) and soon became one of the three most popular Polish resorts. Its popularity was increased by
Józef Piłsudski, who spent most of his summer holidays there and promoted development of the area. Soon most of the resort was bought by state-owned
Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego and construction of luxurious villas and pensions started. In
1934 a railway link with the
Porzecze train station was opened and the town became opened to the general public.
After the
Soviet aggression in 1939 and a staged "referendum", the town was incorporated into the
Belarusian SSR. In
1940 Druskininkai were transferred to the
Lithuanian SSR. Starting with
1951, it began to grow rapidly and several huge
sanatoriums and spa hospitals were opened. The city became a famous resort, attracting around 400,000 visitors per year from all over the
Soviet Union.
The
collapse of the Soviet Union was followed by economical difficulties faced by
Lithuania and some of its resorts, lacking their usual visitors. In 2001
unemployment reached 29% in Druskininkai. During the last few years, Druskininkai began a fast revival.
Sanatoriums, spa's and the city's
infrastructure began to be renovated both by the local government and privately-owned businesses. The numbers of visitors and tourists from
Lithuania,
Poland,
Russia and
Israel increase every year .
Nowadays, approximately 30 different illnesses are treated in Druskininkai . Despite demolitions during the World War I, the city features houses and villas reflecting all periods of its development - Russian, Polish and modern.
The first
water park in Lithuania was opened in Druskininkai on
26 December 2006.
Culture
There are a number of
art and historical museums and galleries in the city. Many cultural events take place, most of them during spring, summer and fall.
During
1896–
1910, famous Lithuanian
composer and
painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis lived and worked in the city. A number of regular events take place at his memorial museum each year.
An annual poetry event, "Druskininkai poetic fall", began in
1985 and attracts authors from all over the world. In
2001,
Grūtas park was opened near Druskininkai, exposing sculptures and other materials of the
Soviet era.
People
Further Information
Get more info on 'Druskininkai'.
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