The Way of St. James

Meteliai was first mentioned in documents from 1508. The first church of Meteliai was built in 1619 by Povilas Sapiega, but in 1655 it was burned by the Russian army. A wooden church was then built in 1711 but it was also burned in 1807, this time because it was hit by lightning. The New Church of Meteliai, built in 1822, has Classic and Neo-Baroque features. The church also houses valuable paintings that were created at the end of the 17th century.

This interactive exhibition of glass walls in a building on the shores of Dusia Lake will surprise most visitors. There is plenty for both adults and children to do here, but to discover what is rare and valuable, you will have to open the drawers and doors, or look into the tree hollows. You can also plan a trip, learn about the life of pond turtles, book a tour or rent a bicycle, canoe or paddle board here. Powerful optical equipment allows you to observe the landscape around Dusia Lake and the birds floating on the lake’s surface.

 Diocesan Cross Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary is a Catholic sanctuary located on the southern shore of Dusia Lake. People say that after praying in front of the image of God’s mother in the chapel, one can be miraculously cured from all kinds of diseases. As in the old days, celebrations of the Pentecost, Peter and Octova take place here, attracting thousands of pilgrims.

The first museum in Lazdijai was founded in 1924 at the old Žiburys Gymnasium by Motiejus Gustaitis, the director of the gymnasium, a priest and an educator. Nowadays, the Lazdijai Regional Museum holds various exhibits of fine art, folk art and ethnography, and it has an exhibition featuring the works of Salomėja Nėris. In addition, various educational activities take place here. Salomėja Nėris settled in Lazdijai as an ‘exile of love’, and from 1928–1931, she taught German in the gymnasium. Here, she wrote a collection of poems called Feet in the Sand (Pėdos smėly), and the poet’s footprints in the sand can be found in the museum even today.

During the Cold War, there was a protected stretch called the ‘Iron Curtain’ between Lithuania and Poland. The Soviet border guards and their dogs would walk along this road, where the fence served as a high-voltage power line protecting the Soviet Empire from the Western World. Nowadays, you can see the remaining parts of this ‘Iron Curtain’ here.