The exceptional value of Anykščiai Regional Park

Anykščiai Regional Park is unimaginable without the Anykščiai grove with the Puntukas stone, sung by the poet Antanas Baranauskas. It is an eternal monument to the heroes, the winners of the Atlantic, Steponas Darius and Stasis Girėnas. The park is home to the writer Jonas Biliūnas' "Light of Happiness", inviting everyone who desires even a little bit of happiness to climb it.

The landscape diversity is created by the valley of the Šventoji River with its ancient ravines, the Kurkliai erosional cirque, and the ancient valleys of Anykšta and Virinta. The great diversity of the landscape creates conditions for the most diverse plants and animals to thrive. The regional park is famous for its broad-leaved and mixed forests. An extremely rare species in Lithuania, the forest bald eagle, has found refuge in the Anykščiai thicket. Its population is perhaps the most numerous and vibrant in the country.

The most picturesque lake in the park is Lake Rubikiai, connected by channels to Lakes Dusynas, Liminas and Mūšėjas. The lake’s greatest decoration is its 16 islands. On the right bank of Lake Šventoji, near Lake Ilgis, there is a spring-fed Queen’s Swamp with an area of 0.7 ha. Only here in Lithuania can you see the quartz sand typical of the Anykščiai region in the outcrops of river and stream valleys. Anykščiai is famous for the only Horse Museum in Lithuania located in the village of Niūroniai, where the traditional “Run, run, steed” festival is held annually. Nearby is the Šeimyniškėliai (Voruta) hillfort, where King Mindaugas’ castle is said to have once been. One of the cultural heritage attractions is a trip on a century-old narrow-gauge railway, tasting Anykščiai wine.