About Varena and district
| Ethnographic region | Dzūkija |
| Population of Varėna disctrict | 29.402 (2007) |
| Population of Varėna town | 10,555 in (2005) |
| Area | 2,218 km² |
Varėna is a city in Dzūkija, Lithuania. It was founded in 1862 near the railway Warsaw-Saint Petersburg. At that time it was a small settlement, but developed little by little and eventually became the center of the district in 1950. After the 1970s the town grew rapidly following industrialization. Varėna district is the largest and most forested region in Lithuania. (according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varena).
There are 160 lakes, many streams and rivers in Varena district. The bigger part of Varena district is covered by forests. They occupy about 65,7 percent of area. The third part of the area of the Varėna district is covered by Dzukija National Park and Cepkeliai State Reserve. The biggest swamp complex of Lithuania and the woods surrounding it are reserved in the Cepkeliai State Reserve. There are many cranberries in Cepkeliai. There are 72 protected landscape objects and 12 landscape reserves in the Varėna district.
Climate is more continental than in other parts of Lithuania. Max temperature in January is - 400C, max temperature in July is +370C. There are early and late frosts here.
District borders on Belarus. There is a very explicated road net, and there is a railway in Varena district.
Nationalities:
Lithuanians,
Polish,
Russians,
Belorussians,
Ukrainians,
And other nationalities.
Territory. Area of the district is 2 218 square meters (2 218 thousands ha). 65,7 % of territory is covered by forests, 22,6 % - agricultural areas, 2,4 %. - industrial plants and roads, 2,2 %. - water, 1,2 % - urban territories, 5,9 % - other areas. It‘s the biggest and the most covered by forests district in Lithuania. The district is divided into 8 areas: Jakenai, Kaniava, Marcinkonys, Matuizos, Merkine, Valkininkai, Varėna, Vydeniai.
The Varėna town was founded in 1862 by the railway Warsav - Peterburg. At that time it was a small settlement, which developed little by little and it became center of district in 1950. Town was rapidly growing and a lot of villagers moved into Varėna. Presently there are 12 thousand people living here. The place where Varėna residents like to spend their leisure time - artificial reservoirs.
Varėna district is the largest and the most covered with forests in Lithuania. The largest forest is Dainavos forest, it is also known as Druskininkai - Varėna woods. Every traveler is charmed by unique and non-devastated nature of this full of pine forests land. there are Dzūkija National Park and Čepkeliai State reserve stretched there. There are small villages and individual farms scattered between pine groves. Each of them is distinctive by its people and traditions. Dzūkians are the ones who till today preserved the old Lithuanian customs and traditions, handicrafts and original way of life.
Senoji Varėna (Old Varėna) is situated at the point where the river Varėne inter flows with the river Merkys. Two important roads are passing through it: the ways Vilnius - Druskininkai and Varėna - Alytus. The first time this place was mentioned in historic sources in 1413. In 1875 the famous Lithuanian artist and composer M. K. Ciurlionis was born in Senoji Varėna, and oak pillars by the road Varėna - Druskininkai are erected for the memory of him.
Perloja is situated 19 km West of Varėna, by the river Merkys and by the Vilnius - Merkine road. Perloja village is know since 1387. The castle, which was here at those times, beat off many attacks of crusaders. In 1792 Perloja was granted with rights of the Magdeburg. The Respublic of Perloja was existing here during the period of 1918 to 1923. Perloja is famous with its monument to Grand Lithuanian Duke Vytautas, which was built in 1930 and preserved till now. Recently the mini art gallery of artist Juzefa Bagdoniene was opened in Perloja.
Merkinė is one of the oldest Lithuanian settlements. It was mentioned for the first time in 1359. In XIV-XV centuries by the rivers Nemunas and Merkys the castle was built. In 1569 the Magdeburg rights were confirmed for the Merkine settlement. The history of Merkine is related to names of Grand Lithuanian Duke Vytautas, Jogaila, the king of Poland Vladislav Vaza, who died here, and czar of Russia Piotr I, who was here too. It is the town with the famous and glorious past.
Not far from Merkine, in small Maksimonys village, the family of artist Elvyra Petraitiene is living. In their home yard a visitors eye is attracted by the modern forms of wooden sculptures, and in the nice arbor - by the works of ceramic. The most valuables are works made with black ceramic technique from local dzukian clay.
A village Liškiava was formed in XV century. On the mound not far off Liskiava there are still ruins of the old castle, which was just started and not finished in the end of XIV or beginning of XV century. A mountain, which is called „Church Mountain", is near the village. The Liškiava church and Dominicans abbey are the monuments in the late baroque style.
Dubiciai castle and even Dubiciai town were mentioned in the „Description of Crusaders Ways" in the end of XIV century. Former mound was called the 7th castle of queen Bona (Zamkovo mountain). There is a monument ad a nicely arranged small park of wooden sculptures for the memory of participants of revolt in 1863.
Zervynos ethnographic village is situated by the railway Vilnius - Gardinas. A beautiful river Ula flows through it ipontaneous villages development plan was set in the middle of XVIII century. All its buildings are made of wood and they have typical southeast Lithuanian architecture. There are hollow pines and a hundred years old oak grows here too.
Margionys village, with cold water river Skroblus flowing through it, is famous with its barn theater. The beginning of Margionys barn theater is considered the year 1929, when its director was self-taught villager Juozas Gaidys from Margionys.
Marcinkonys - it is one of the Largest Lithuanian villages. It is mentioned in historical sources since 1637. With intentions to preserve traditions of Dzukian culture, originality of nature, ecological balance and to propagate traditional occupations and agriculture methods and to create conditions for the educational tourism there were founded Cepkeliai State Reserve (in 1975) and Dzukia National Park (in 1991).
The Valkininkai town is situated not far from the Vilnius - Druskininkai road. The Valkininkai area was mentioned already in the end of XIV century in the „Description of Crusaders Ways". The first time the town rights for the Valkininkai were granted by Žygimantas Augustas in 1571. Today town has typical infrastructure, including shops, drug store, ambulatory, coffee bar ad school.
While driving on the road Vilnius-Druskininkai we can see a grate monument „Mother of Pirciupiai", which is made by the sculptor G.Jakubonis. It reminds us, that in 1944 fascists burned up the whole village and 119 of its residents.
