Last modified: 2007-06-16 by dov gutterman
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City of Ariogala is in Raseiniai district in Kaunas county,
Lithuania. The city itself forms Ariogala City Eldership with
3,627 inhabitants. The outskirts of the city forms another
Ariogala Eldership with 4610 inhabitants.
"The History of the Town: Ariogala is one of the oldest
towns throughout Lithuania. The original meaning of the word
"Ariogala" might be related with the edge, the end or
the border of something, however, the root of the word er- or
ar-) lets conjecture that this word might be derived from some
name. Therefore, Ariogala might have been "the edge/end of
Ario (or Erio)".
The history of Ariogala is immemorial. Firstly it was mentioned
in the jottings of Mindaugas in 1253 when he granted half of the
lands of Ariogala for the newly established episcopate of
Lithuania. Later, in 1257 the lands were transferred to the
bishopric of Livonia.
Some of the historical sources claim that Ariogala was the
capital of Mindaugas. Gediminas, The Great Duke of Lithuania, and
his posterity were the representatives of the dynasty of great
dukes.
Ariogala was an important station at that time and had to
withstand numerous onslaughts of crusaders. People were
frequently killed, held prisoners, driven to Prussia. Many of
assaults are mentioned in the chronicles of crusaders: in 1294,
1322, 1348.
Only in 1382 the marshal of the Crusader Order, Kun Hotenshtein,
occupied and burnt the wooden castle of Ariogala. Afterwards, the
castle was not mentioned in the historical sources. One of the
last assaults of crusaders was made mention of at the time of the
reign of Vytautas (1405). The assaults stopped just after 1410
when the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas beat up the crusaders
in the Battle of Žalgiris.
Ariogala became the estate of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the
time of Vytautas reign. It began to increase around the XVth
century. In the period of Žemaičiai baptism (around 1426 ) the
Church of Roman Catholics was built with Vytautas concern.
Ariogala was given partial rights of town. It got the privilege
to develop trade and to have a market. Stanislovas Augustas, the
ruler of Lithuania and Poland, bestowed on the rights of free
town, seal and emblem to Ariogala on 12 April, 1792. Two crossed
swords in red background with a crown over and inscription
beneath "We'd better lost our life than Freedom" were
depicted in the emblem. Such a militant emblem was given not
accidentally. Crumbling and inner contradictions destroyed the
country, however, it was tried to be saved by various reforms. It
was strived to provide more rights for self-government. The
swords in the emblem remind that freedom can be protected only
with a weapon. Lithuanian President V. Adamkus comfirmed the
emblem of Ariogala by the decree announced on 15 November, 2001.
Only for three years Ariogala could preserve its self-government.
The rights of Ariogala town were abolished on 18 March, 1795. At
one time there lived many Jews in Ariogala. They bought goods,
sent them to Prussia, traded in wax, honey, salt, fur and other
products. They had several inns.
According to the legends, Ariogal was a big city in ancient
times. In the time of Russian Czar, Ariogala declined and turned
into a marginal town Padubysys. An important road from Kaunas to
the lands of Žemaičiai took past it. Ariogala burnt three times
before World War I. In 1915, it was completely burnt during the
war between Germans and Russians and only around thirty huts
remained.
There is no news when the first school was established in
Ariogala. It is known that there was a parish school in 1852. It
was closed after the 1863 revolt and Russian school was
established instead. The school for boys was established in 1878.
Later it was reorganized into a mixed school, however, separated
schools for boys and girls were set up in 1907. In 1908, the
fellowship "Saulė" established Lithuanian school in
Ariogala. During the occupation of Germans there was no school,
its buildings were burnt. Only after the independence normal work
began at school. 185 schoolchildren attended it in 1933. In 1923,
the school for Jews was established. Sixty eight children
attended it.
When Lithuania was independent Ariogala was the council of
district. There were two grammar schools, a post, medical and
veterinary offices, police station, two fellowships of small
credit; a pair of mills, electric station, a cooperative, dairy,
many artisans. Whithout the parish of Catholics, there was the
parish of Evangelicals, three prayer houses that belonged to
Jews, three libraries, the place for reading, many culturial,
economic, religious, youth organizations.
The whole Lithuania, including Ariogala, experienced one more
trial in the year of World War II. Germans killed almost all the
Jews who lived in Ariogala. Quite a lot of Lithuanians were
exiled to the expanse of Siberia.
From 1950 till 1962 Ariogala was the centre of the district.
Ariogala, Betygala, Čekiškė, Pernarava and part of Girkalnis
were in the newest district. The establishment of the centre of
the district in Ariogala, urged the restoration of the town and
set the fast developement of it off. Since 1962 Ariogala is
ascribed to the district of Raseiniai and still has the rights of
the town. According to its territory Ariogala is the second town
in the region of Raseiniai. Marvellous surroundings distinguish
Ariogala. Torrential Dubysa and its hollows fascinate everybody's
eyes. In the Valley of Songs, which is in Ariogala, not only
local but also republican occasions take place.
Currently, the territory of Ariogala occupies 482 hectares. 41%
of the area is built up; various parks occupy 25% and
agricultural places take 13%. The rest of the territory is
occupied by waters and areas used for different purposes. There
are two cosy parks in the town.
According to the data produced in 2001, 1,743 men and 1,954 women
lived in Ariogala, altogether 3,697 people. At the moment 1653
families live in Ariogala.
Today there is a post office in Ariogala ( works from 1880 ), bus
station, kindergarten, grammar school, secondary school (1918 -
1948 it was grammar school, 1948 - 1949 it was gymnasium ),
library, church, recreation centre, restaurant, hospital, clinic,
pharmacy, around 20 shops, veterinary hospital, market. The most
important industrial enterprises are: The company "Ariogalos
Gelžbetonis" ( the former shop of Raseiniai concrete
counstructions ) established in 1968 and the shop of Raseiniai
sewing concern "Šatrija". In 2002, UAB
"Skorgenas" was established in Ariogala. It goes in for
building small ships. Postwar liberty battles that took
place in this region are remembered by the chapel, which was
built in 1991 in the cemetery of Ariogala, by the initiative of
exiles and political prisoners. The chapel is devoted to
partisans and it is a monument for the exiles. Traditional
jamborees " The fire of freedom - for the future generations
" are organized in the Valley of Songs. They began in 1991 (after
the regain of independence ) and started glorifying the name of
Ariogala. Every summer partisans, former political prisoners,
exiles and other participants of Liberty freedoms for Lithuania
gather in Ariogala. The way to the Valley of Songs is set with
the sculptures created by the folk artist Juozas Grabauskas.
The town of Ariogala had the great anniversary of 750 years on 12
July, 2003. The town appeared in new colours, surrounded by
wonderful squares, green parks, the homesteads in the background
of flowers. After the midday, the lovers of theatrical art
gathered on the churchyard of the church of Ariogala where pupils
of Ariogala Secondary School introduced to the evangelical
performance (director A. Kazlauskas) " Ir žodis buvo Dievas
". The audience were intrigued by the passages from St.
Matthew and other Gospels about Christ and the truths of his
teaching. The most memorable things were: the direction and
original perfomance of young individual actors; professional
expression of the message of the work. Memorial stone was
consecrated near the buildings of local authorities of the town.
The note was inscribed in the granite board, which was hung on
the stone : "750 years - to Ariogala, 1253 - 2003 ".
People from Ariogala will remain for a long time in the history:
bookdistributor Mykolas Račkus, historian Vincas Trumpa, prof.
Stasys Šalkauskas, prof. Kazys Šalkauskas, dr. Audronė
Globienė (1958), dr. Kazys Lekevičius, journalist Aldona
Svirbutavičienė, writer Jurgis Savickis, painter Aloyzas
Stasiulevičius and others."
Source: <kaunas.lcn.lt>
.
The coat of arms and the flag are presented in its
website, but in Lithuanian only. Flag is also shown in Wikipedia.
Valentin Poposki, 8 March and 13 June 2007