Tauragė Castle

Tauragė Castle
Native name
Tauragės pilis (Lithuanian)
Map
TypeCastle and residential manor
LocationTauragė, Lithuania
Coordinates55°15′09″N 22°17′03″E / 55.2526°N 22.2842°E / 55.2526; 22.2842
Built1844 – 1847
Architectural style(s)Renaissance
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Tauragė Castle (Lithuanian: Tauragės pilis) is a 19th-century masonry building in Tauragė, near the Baltic Coast. It was originally built between 1844 and 1847 to serve as a customs building.[1][2][3][4]

History

A major fire devastated Tauragė in 1836. Consequently, the Tsarist authorities issued an order to prepare a new project for the city's construction that included a customs house that later became Tauragė Castle.[5][6]

The initial two-story customs building was completed in 1847. The initial building also served as a prison for smugglers and illegal immigrants.[7][8] The compound was expanded in late 19th century with a bathhouse, sauna, water well, several auxiliary buildings and stone wall with corner towers. The compound was later expanded twice – new buildings were added in 1971 and 1986.[9]

Since 1900s, this castle has been repurposed multiple times and has housed psychiatric hospital, county hospital, military baracks and commerce school. It has also housed a middle school and a restaurant.[10][11]

In modern times

Tauragė Castle houses a museum and children's library. The castle also hosts various exhibitions, events and celebrations.[12][13][14]

  • Castle from up close
    Castle from up close
  • Park next to the castle
    Park next to the castle
  • Exit
    Exit

See also

References

  1. ^ "Tauragės pilis". Lietuvos dvarai. Retrieved 2024-10-27. The Tauragė castle ensemble is located in the centre of Tauragė city. The castle was built for customs needs by Russian Empire
  2. ^ "Tauragė Castle ensemble". Krašto paveldo gidas. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  3. ^ "Tauragė Castle". trip.lt. 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  4. ^ "Taurage Castle, Tauragė, Lithuania". SpottingHistory. 2013-05-19. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  5. ^ "Tauragės pilies korpusas pradėtas restauruoti". Lietuvos rytas (in Lithuanian). 2009-07-15. Retrieved 2024-10-27. Tauragės pilies statybą nulėmė 1836 m. įvykęs didelis senosios Tauragės gaisras, po kurio carinė vyriausybė įsakė statyti naują Tauragę.(transl. The construction of Tauragė Castle was decided in 1836 after a large fire in Tauragė old town, after which the tsarist government ordered the construction of a new Taurage. )
  6. ^ "Tauragė Castle ensemble". Krašto paveldo gidas. Retrieved 2024-10-27. The construction of Tauragė Castle was determined by the huge fire of 1836. The fire took the major part of the city and thus the Tsarist authorities issued an order to prepare a new project for the city's construction.
  7. ^ "Tauragė Castle ensemble". Krašto paveldo gidas. Retrieved 2024-10-27. The two-storey brick building for illegal immigrants was built in 1847.
  8. ^ "kelionių po Lietuvą portalas". pamatykLietuvoje.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2024-10-27. 1847 m. pastatytas dviejų aukštų mūrinis pastatas, skirtas pasienio areštuotiesiems. (transl. A two-storey brick building was built in 1847 to house border smugglers. )
  9. ^ "Tauragė – places to visit". We love Lithuania. 2020-07-21. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
  10. ^ "Muziejus žengė dar vieną žingsnį: atvertos prabangiosios menės". Tauragės Kurjeris (in Lithuanian). 2022-12-31. Archived from the original on 2024-10-27. Retrieved 2024-10-27. Išvarę rusų valdžią, vokiečiai pilyje įkūrė psichiatrijos ligoninę. Atkūrus Lietuvos valstybę, čia laikinai įsikūrė apskrities ligoninė, kariuomenė, vėliau įsitvirtino komercijos mokykla.(transl. After the Russians were expelled, the Germans set up a mental hospital in the castle. After the restoration of the Lithuanian state, the castle temporarily housed the county hospital, the army, commerce school.)
  11. ^ "Tauragė Castle ensemble". Krašto paveldo gidas. Retrieved 2024-10-27. After the Tsarist era, the castle was used for various purposes: a mental hospital since 1916, Tauragė State College of Commerce in 1924-1940, while during World War II it was used by both USSR and German troops. In 1954-1964 the castle hosted Tauragė 1st Middle School, while in 1964-1990 – Tauragė Polytechnic School.
  12. ^ "Kalėdos Tauragėje: Pilies aikštėje sužibo auksaspalvė eglutė ir šventinės dekoracijos". Lithuanian National Radio and Television (in Lithuanian). 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
  13. ^ "Tauragės pilies rūsiai virto lankytojams atvertomis prabangiomis menėmis". Lithuanian National Radio and Television (in Lithuanian). 2019-01-09. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
  14. ^ "Šiuolaikinis menas šiuolaikiniame mieste: Tauragė švenčia kultūrą". Lithuanian National Radio and Television (in Lithuanian). 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2024-10-27.