Cities

Towns

Protected areas

Vilnius

Telšiai

Neris Regional Park

Kaunas

Gelgaudiškis

Kėdainiai

Druskininkai

Vilnius Old Town

Kaunas Old Town

Marijampolė

Molėtai

Šalčininkai

Kintai

Sudargas

Kernavė State Cultural Reserve

Alytus

Klaipėda

Šiauliai

Ukmergė

Birštonas

<div>In cartography, the names &quot;Mažoji Lietuva&quot; (English: Lithuania Minor; German: Klein Litauen) and &quot;Prūsų Lietuva&quot; (German: Preussisch-Litauen) have been used since the 17th century. These names were used not only on German maps but also on English, French, Flemish, Polish, Russian maps, periodic publications, books, and so on. From 1618 until the beginning of the 19th century, the Prussian Lithuanian lands were referred to as the &quot;Lithuanian Province&quot; (German: Provinz Litauen) in legal documents of the Prussian state, royal decrees, and regulations. After World War I, when efforts were made to annex the Lithuanian-speaking Prussian lands to the state of Lithuania, the name &quot;Mažoji Lietuva&quot; was most commonly used. In 1919, the name &quot;Klaipėda Region&quot; (German: Memelland) emerged, denoting an administrative territorial unit that existed from 1919 to 1939 in the northern part of Mažoji Lietuva along the Nemunas River and the Baltic Sea. When only this part of Mažoji Lietuva was incorporated into Lithuania, the name &quot;Klaipėda Region&quot; was used to refer to the ethnographic region as well. However, since the second half of the 20th century and especially in recent decades, the name &quot;Mažoji Lietuva&quot; has firmly established itself in society and has become the traditional name for this region. The Lithuanians of Mažoji Lietuva refer to themselves as &quot;lietuvininkai&quot; and, less frequently, as &quot;šišioniškiai&quot; or &quot;būrai.&quot;</div><div><br /></div><div>The historical center of Lithuania Minor is Tilžė, which is now located in the Russian Federation. During the interwar period, Klaipėda, as the administrative center, gained importance. Today, Šilutė is most commonly referred to as the capital of Mažoji Lietuva.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most famous place in the region is the attractive Curonian Spit with its sand dunes, pine forests, coastal beaches, and old villages on the lagoon side. The Nemunas Delta is known for its annual floods, fish-filled river branches, the marshes of the delta, and the Curonian Lagoon, as well as the picturesque town of Rusnė and its neighboring villages. From Ventė Cape towards Klaipėda stretches a drier landscape with pine forests, including the interesting Dreverna estuary. From Klaipėda to Nemirseta, the Baltic coast extends, with scenic Olando Kepurė sand dunes and remnants of the Karklė fishing village. In the eastern part of the region, large forests of Smalininkai and Viešvilė spread, with traces of ancient life and traditional shipbuilding (Smalininkai winter port, water level gauges, riverbanks regulated for boating). Vilkyškiai Ridge crosses the Nemunas Valley, separating it from the sea, with the legendary Rambynas sacred hill. From these hills, you can enjoy beautiful views of the Nemunas and the Baltic valleys, the historical centers of Mažoji Lietuva - Ragainė and Tilžė, which are located on the other side of the river. Below Rambynas, the flood meadows of the Nemunas begin, with lush grasslands and a wealth of birds and other animals. In the vicinity of Šilutė, large Aukštumala and Rupkalviai swamps stretch, areas once inhabited by peat diggers.</div>

Lithuania Minor

<div>The name &quot;Dzūkija&quot; started to be used only in the 19th century. It originated from the linguistic peculiarity of the Dzūkija' people, who pronounced &quot;c&quot; and &quot;dz&quot; instead of &quot;t&quot; and &quot;d.&quot; However, Dzūkija also has another name for its land – &quot;Dainava,&quot; which is associated with the Jotvingian tribe known as the Dainaviai, who lived on the right bank of the Nemunas River and in the Merkys Basin in the late Iron Age. &quot;Terra Deynowe&quot; (Land of Dainava) was first mentioned in 1253 in King Mindaugas&quot; donation deed to the Livonian Order. The name &quot;Dainava&quot; was popularized in the 20th century, particularly by Vincas Mickevičius-Krėvė.</div><div><br /></div><div>The current capital of Dzūkija is referred to as Alytus. However, since ancient times, the important economic, cultural, administrative, and organizing center for the region was Merkinė. The flags of Alytus and Merkinė belonged to the Trakai Voivodeship, and they were used to distinguish the nobles of these regions in times of war. Alytus gained significance with the establishment of the Alytus economy in the 16th century, and in 1775, the county courts were transferred from Trakai and Merkinė to Alytus. From the 19th century onwards, Alytus began to dominate politically, economically, administratively, and culturally, while smaller centers in Dzūkija, such as Varėna and Lazdijai, also developed.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Ice Age left behind the famous Dzūkija sand dunes and glacial lakes, a series of which stretches from Lazdijai and Veisiejai (through the large Dusia and Meteliai lakes, past Daugai Lake) to Trakai. South of the well-known Dzūkai River, in the sandy plain of the Merkys, lie the vast forests of Greater Dzūkija, extending from Kapčiamiestis through Druskininkai and Marcinkonys, Varėna and Rūdninkai, all the way to Vilnius, with Nemenčinė and Pabradė forests beyond it. The picturesque pine forests and charming swamps between the Ūla and Katra rivers surround the famous Čepkeliai Swamp, a realm of untouched nature. The earliest inhabitants of Lithuania settled in the sand dunes, and later, hillforts were built in the uplands. From Liškava and Merkinė to Punia, a series of castles lined up along the high Nemunas banks. The region includes Trakai and Vilnius, which marked the origins of the Lithuanian state and where the first important brick castles in Lithuania were built. The highest peaks in Lithuania, Aukštojas and Juozapinė, rise in the Medininkai Highlands.</div>

Dzūkija

<div>The name &quot;Aukštaitija&quot; (Highlands) was first mentioned in the Prussian Land Chronicle of Peter of Dusburg around 1294. It appears several times in 14th-century sources. For example, in 1323, the Grand Duke Gediminas' chancellery mentioned Aukštaitija as one of the two main parts of Lithuania (alongside Samogitia). In 1420, the term Aukštaitija was used in a letter by Vytautas, where its meaning was explained as the land that is higher than Samogitia.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two cities, Utena and Panevėžys, have long competed for the title of the center of Aukštaitija. Utena was first mentioned in historical sources in 1261 and has been the administrative center since the 14th century. This city is known for its strong Aukštaitian identity. Panevėžys, on the other hand, was first mentioned almost 250 years later (in 1503) and became an administrative center in the 16th century. Situated in a convenient geographical location, Panevėžys is one of the largest cities in Northern Lithuania, playing a significant role as a regional center in terms of economy, culture, and education.</div><div><br /></div><div>The eastern part of the region is renowned for its picturesque landscapes, featuring a large lake district stretching from Zarasai through Ignalina and Molėtai to Dubingiai. The legacy of the Ice Age includes the Aukštaitian Upland with impressive hills, ancient hillforts, and sacred sites, the legendary Labanoras Forest, and other woods, as well as the oldest oak tree in Lithuania, Stelmužė Oak. The western Aukštaitian plateau is intersected by the scenic Šventoji River, flowing through the Anykščiai Pine Forest, Puntukas Rock, and Andrioniškis Forest. From Kaunas to Panevėžys, there are vast plains of the Nevėžis River, which transition in the north into the Mūša-Nemunėlis Plain and further into the Žemgale Plain, which, due to its fertile lands, can be called Lithuania's granary. In the northern border of the region, in the Palatvė area, dolomite formations are exposed, and water dissolving gypsum creates new karst formations in the Pasvalys-Biržai region. The landscape of Western Aukštaitija (located in Central Lithuania) is enriched by the Žalioji and Biržai Forests, among other woods and groves.</div>

Highlands

<div>The Samogitians were first mentioned in 1219 in the Hypatian Codex, describing the peace treaty between the Grand Dukes of Galicia-Volhynia and Lithuania, mentioning two Samogitian dukes, Erdvilas (Gerdvilas) and Vykintas. The term &quot;Samogitia&quot; was not widely used until the beginning of the 20th century; this region was referred to as Samogitia. Vytautas the Great explained the term Samogitia as the land geographically lower than Aukštaitija. Some linguists derive the name Samogitia from the word &quot;žemė&quot; (land). From the 15th century, Latin and German written sources called Samogitian land Samogitia (Samogitiae).</div><div><br /></div><div>The current capital of Samogitia is Telšiai. Historical centers of Samogitian land include Medininkai (now Varniai), Kražiai, and Raseiniai.</div><div><br /></div><div>The legendary parts of Samogitia, such as Hilly Samogitia, Old Samogitia, Pakuršė, and Paprūsė, distinctly differ in their nature and landscape features. The most picturesque areas include Hilly Samogitia rising between Telšiai and Šilalė, with lakes like Germantas, Lūkstas, and Biržulis nestled in the hills. In this region, higher hills like Šatrija, Medvėgalis, Girgždūtė, and Padievaitis were anciently considered sacred hills or hillforts. The ancient forests of the region are reminiscent of old times, especially in Baubliai, carefully preserved by Dionizas Poška, where huge oak trunks are scattered around.</div><div><br /></div><div>Old Samogitia (a lower elevation area between Šiauliai and Raseiniai) is crossed by the impressive Dubysa Valley. In the north of Samogitia (Pakuršė), the land descends towards the fertile plains between Gruzdžiai and Skuodas, winding towards Latvia through Venta. In the lowlands near Viekšniai lies the vast Kamanai Marsh. The surroundings of Mosėdis are famous for boulders scattered during the Ice Age, with the most significant being the Barstyčiai Stone, the largest in Lithuania. Stones collected in the estates of V. Intas and V. Orvidas also captivate. In the west, Pakuršė descends towards the coast, reaching Kretinga and the Baltic Sea between Palanga and Šventoji, with the famous Birutė Hill and sand dunes. In the south, from Tauragė to Švėkšna and Gargždai, the Paprūsė River meanders from the Samogitian Upland along abundant rivers (from Mituva to the Jūra, Minija, and Akmena), flowing towards the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea.</div>

Samogita

<div>Regarding the name of this region, active discussions continue to this day. Some inhabitants of the region believe that it should be called Sūduva because historical sources indicate that the Sūduvių tribe (Sūduvians) lived in the current Marijampolė County in the 2nd century (around 150 AD, as mentioned by Claudius Ptolemy). However, another part of the current Suvalkija (Sūduva) residents think that the name Suvalkija should be used, a name established in the works of ethnologists and linguists over the past decades (this name started to be used from 1867 when this territory became part of the Suwałki Governorate of the Russian Empire). The geographical location of the region also leads to the name Užnemunė (Beyond Nemunas). As the discussion about the region's name has not been settled, the current Law on the Protection of Ethnic Culture recognizes a dual name for the region - Suvalkija (Sūduva).</div><div><br /></div><div>The capital of the region is considered to be Marijampolė, which has become the cultural and economic center of this ethnographic region. Archaeological findings dating back almost four millennia have been discovered in the vicinity of Marijampolė. In the surrounding areas of Marijampolė, there is the Kumelioniai Hillfort, where the central castle of the historical Kimenava land was located. Marijampolė gained Magdeburg rights in the 18th century. It is renowned for its hundred-year-old gymnasium where figures of the Lithuanian national revival such as Jonas Basanavičius, Vincas Kudirka, Kazys Grinius, and Jonas Jablonskis studied and contributed to the revival of Lithuanian culture and identity.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most picturesque area of the region is the Vištytis-Gražiškiai Upland in its southwestern corner, from which rivers like Širvinta flow. The great Lake Vištytis is surrounded by high hills. From these elevated plains, one can see vast lowlands, stretching through Vilkaviškis and Marijampolė towards Šakiai and the Nemunas River. In these plains, the famous bird lake Žuvintas is located, surrounded by the wetlands of Paliūnai. The Šešupė River, flowing from the Suwałki region, peacefully meanders through fertile plains up to Kudirkos Naumiestis, where it becomes a border river separating the Kaliningrad region. The wilderness that emerged after battles with the crusaders grew into forests, such as the extensive Kazlų Rūda and Lekėčiai forests. In the north and east, the region is bordered by the Nemunas River, which forms impressive loops near Balbieriškis and Prienai, offering breathtaking views from the high valley slopes. To the northwest, the rapid Jiesia River has carved out an impressive canyon. The ancient hillforts of the Jotvingians, reminiscent of the times of old battles, mostly survive in lowlands and uplands, and some in the plains (where they were buried).</div>

Sudovia