The royal city, located on the confluence of three rivers: the Imsra, the Mituva and the Nemunas. The beauty of Jurbarkas was sure to delight queens and dukes! Jurbarkas was ruled by the most famous rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania: Bona Sforca, Ona Habsburgaitė, Cecilia Renata and Ludwika Maria. Later, the family of Dukes Vasilichikovs built their summer residence here.

Having received the rights to rule Jurbarkas on a Majorate basis from the Tzar, in 1846 Duke IIarion Vasiljevich Vasilchikov built a luxurious palace of neoclassical style in the wonderful Jurbarkas park on the promenade of the Mituva River, surrounded it with a red brick masonry fence, and installed a small but ornate orthodox church nearby. A rich family of the Russian nobles lived here up to the First World War.

The life story of the family initiator Ilarion Vasilchikov reminds of a film plot. Having started his military service as a regular soldier, he earned a General’s rank, subsequently he was granted an Earl’s title, and eventually a Duke’s title. The family did not forget their roots and did not act as careless nobles. They especially took care with the Region of Jurbarkas. Owing to Sergei Ilarion Vasilchikov and his wife Mary, the town began to expand, thus increasing the number of vacancies: the first electric power station was built and Textile Weaving School was established here. Jurbarkas was also visited by representatives of the nobility. The Vasilchikovs enjoyed holding balls in the Manor and invited their close friends and relatives. The family even looked positively at the National Revival and allowed to secretly hold the comedy premiere "America in the Bathhouse" by Keturakis in her garden. When the First World War started and the Germans occupied Jurbarkas, the Duke and his family had to leave their home. In 1915, having found out found out the name of the owner of the Palace, Germans burnt it. The family faced the destiny of refugees. While hiding from Germans, they were seeking asylum in Constantinople, Malta, Paris, Berlin, and London. When the war ended, Jurbarkas that used to be their home, did not wait for them. The family estate was nationalised.

In 1991 the Guest House of the Vasilchikov Manor became the Region Museum of Jurbarkas, which preserves the history of the last owners, the Manor itself and the town, while the old orthodox church of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ of Jurbarkas is adapted for cultural activities. This is a place where art exhibitions and classical music concerts are held. Although the Duke’s retinue no longer walk across the streets of the town, there is a beautiful young generation is growing up to whom their parents and teachers transfer the history of their town and the love to their native land.