Biržai Bridge

Biržai is a city in northern Lithuania, Aukštaitija region, Panevėžys County, 66 km north of Panevėžys, 201 km north of Vilnius, 27 km northeast of Pasvalys, 90 km south of Riga, near the Latvian border. It is the center of Biržai district municipality, Širvėnos eldership, Biržai city eldership, a parish center, and the regional park administration. An urban monument (old town and castle mound). The Jurgis Bielinis public library of Biržai district municipality, post office (LT-41001), cultural center, and district central hospital operate here. The Freedom Monument to those who died for Lithuania's independence stands here, built in 1931 (sculptor Robertas Antinis). It depicts a young woman by a cross holding a wreath, popularly called Birutė, hence the monument's name Birutė. In 1946, the monument was blown up by the Soviets and was rebuilt in a new location in 1990 (sculptor Robertas Antinis the younger). The monument to J. Janonis, built in 1976 (sculptor Konstantinas Bogdanas, architect Vytautas Brėdikis), also stands here. On the southern side of Lake Širvėna is Biržai Castle, which houses the Biržai Museum “Sėla,” founded in 1928, with art, history, and nature exhibits. In the northern part, the Astravas Manor remains, and three Biržai synagogues are preserved in the city.