Castle

Panemunė Castle is the best-preserved Renaissance residential castle in Lithuania, retaining its almost unchanged authentic form to this day. Visitors are invited on an unforgettable journey through time – from the Renaissance to the Baroque and Classicism periods.  

THE BEGINNING OF PANEMUNĖ MANOR

In the second half of the 15th century, Panemunė was acquired by the renowned Lithuanian noble family, the Bilevičiai, and remained in their possession until 1597. During this period, or perhaps even earlier, the first wooden and brick manor buildings were erected. Fragments of these structures have survived to this day, and archaeological finds reveal hints of the former luxury.

THE CREATION OF THE ARCHITECT OF VILNIUS LOWER CASTLE

In 1597, Panemunė was acquired by a merchant of Hungarian origin, Janusz Eperjesz, who came to Lithuania during the reign of Stephen Báthory. After becoming a Lithuanian citizen and obtaining nobility, he served as an under-sheriff of Samogitia and married noblewoman Uršulė Gecaitė. The old brick castle was demolished, and a new Renaissance castle was built. It is believed that construction began in 1604 based on the designs of Peter Nonhardt, an architect of Dutch origin and one of the most famous architects working in Lithuania at that time. His designs also guided the reconstruction of the Vilnius Lower Castle Palace at the beginning of the 17th century, commissioned by the Grand Dukes.

THE RESIDENCE OF THE RULER OF THE DUCHY OF SAMOGITIA

Although Panemunė was governed by four generations of Eperjesz’s descendants, who renovated the castle multiple times, its plan and architecture remained in the Renaissance style. Major changes were made after Antanas Anupras Gelgaudas acquired Panemunė; he later became the ruler of the Duchy of Samogitia – the Elder of Samogitia. The northern wing was demolished, transforming the closed castle into a French-style cour d’honneur (honor courtyard). In the southern wing, representative apartments were planned following French examples, comprising a dining room, an antechamber, a couple of salons, a ballroom, and a gallery. These spaces were decorated with wall paintings, and the surviving fragments mainly reflect the decoration trends of Classicism, Empire, and Biedermeier styles.

THE DECLINE AND REVIVAL OF THE CASTLE

Antanas Gelgaudas, the owner of Panemunė, was the leader of the 1830–1831 uprising in Lithuania. After the failed uprising, his property was seized by the occupying Russian Empire. Although the manor was leased and economic activities continued, the castle began to deteriorate.

In 1867, Stanislovas Puslovskis, a descendant of the Gelgaudas family, regained Panemunė and initiated its restoration. The work was interrupted by World War I and the land reform carried out by the Republic of Lithuania from 1919 to 1939, which greatly affected large estates, leaving them with only 80 hectares of land each. The state took over Panemunė. Restoration began in 1958 and continues to this day. Two of the four wings have been restored, and after nearly two hundred years, the doors of Panemunė Castle are once again hospitably open.