Meters of Love

Alytus is the largest city in southern Lithuania and the sixth largest in the country. It is the center of the county, district municipality, city municipality, eldership, and the Catholic deanery. In Alytus, there are 4 churches (Alytaus Šv. Liudviko Church, Alytaus Šv. Angelų Sargų Church, Alytaus Šv. Kazimiero Church, Alytaus Švč. Mergelės Marijos Krikščionių Pagalbos Church), the Orthodox Alytaus Dievo Motinos Globėjos Church, and the former Alytus synagogue, built in the early 20th century, now inactive. The Alytus Regional Museum (established in 1928) operates here, along with 4 gymnasiums, Stasio Kudirkos district central hospital, Alytus tuberculosis hospital, Alytus city family center, Alytus correctional facility, and the Sports Palace (architect A. Kulvietis). In the city stands the Lithuanian Independence Decade monument – the 'Angel of Freedom', built in 1929 (sculptor Antanas Aleksandravičius). In 1934, the sculpture collapsed after being struck by lightning; it was restored in 1937. In 1952, the monument was demolished by the Soviets but was rebuilt in 1991 (sculptor Jonas Meškelevičius restored the sculpture, Jonas Blažaitis – the monument’s bas-reliefs). The monument is 13 meters tall (9 meters pedestal and 4 meters angel). It is said that the sculptor persuaded a young gymnasium teacher to model for the statue. The railway station is located in the west, in Likiškiai. On the surviving old railway bridge over the Nemunas (1899), a pedestrian and bicycle bridge called the White Rose Bridge has been built. On the right bank of the Nemunas stands the Alytus hillfort, and on the left bank is the Radžiūnai hillfort.