Surroudings of Aštrioji Kirsna

Būdvietis Manor was founded in 1744. A barn and a chapel-mausoleum are the only buildings of the former Būdvietis Manor that have survived to this day. The two-storey barn that was built in 1803 has a rare architectural design. It is constructed of larch wood and is interesting due to its exterior and interior structures, which make it a unique building that represents Lithuanian folk architecture. The chapel-mausoleum was used as a church for the local gentlemen for many years.

Aštrioji Kirsna Manor was first mentioned in the 16th century. This estate is one of the largest in Dzūkija, comprising 19 buildings and a park. The most famous inhabitants of the estate were the Lithuanian noble families Sapiega, Karenga and Lukoševičius. Here, you can feel the fresh air and the wind rustling along the tops of the trees as you take a walk, admire the surviving buildings or ride a horse from the manor’s stud farm.

Rudamina’s former manor house and park, as well as a parsonage and the Saint Trinity Church create a harmonious collection of architectural heritage sites, reflecting the entire past of the town of Rudamina. The church in Rudamina was built in 1757 and was rebuilt in 1913. It is filled with works of fine art, examples of fine metal-working, and it has a surviving painting of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Rudamina Mound is one of the most famous monuments of the Yotvingians who lived in Užnemunė. The mound had a strong fortress that was used to guard the locals from the crusaders. The arrowheads found in the rampart are evidence of their attacks. It is believed that in 1240, Duke Ringaudas built a castle in Rudamina on the same place where the earlier Yotvingian castles had stood, and this is where King Mindaugas was crowned in 1251.