Varniai

File:2015-09 Varniai 26 Varnelė.jpg

Medininkai or Medenike was first mentioned in 1320. This town existed until the end of the 16th century, when the town of Varniai was founded in the 15th century north of Medininkai, on the left bank of the Varnelė river. The latter name is derived from the Varnelė River, which flows through the town. As early as 1904, Vaižgantas mentions its name as Varnė.{{cite book |last1=Vanagas |first1=Aleksandras |title=„Lietuvos miestų vardai“ |date=2004 |publisher=Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos institutas |location=Vilnius |isbn=5420013541 |pages=244–245 |edition=2nd}} In other languages the town is known by: {{langx|de|Medeniken}}, {{langx|pl|Wornie}}.

In 1491, the Kulm law was granted to Medininkai, and in 1635, the Magdeburg rights were granted to the renamed Varniai. Eventually, the name of Medininkai disappeared from common usage altogether. {{cite book |last1=Jankevičiūtė |first1=Giedrė |title=Lietuva. Vadovas |date=2008 |publisher=R. Paknio leidykla |location=Vilnius |isbn=9789986830979}}

File:1539-Samogethia-and-Lituania.jpg, 1539{{cite book |last1=Ahlenius |first1=Karl |title=Olaus Magnus och hans framställning af Nordens geografi; studier i geografiens historia |date=1895 |publisher=Almqvist & Wiksell |location=Uppsala |page=416 |url=https://archive.org/details/olausmagnusochh00ahlegoog/page/n437/mode/2up?q=varna |language=sv}}]]

Town established in the 14th century, on the bank of the Varnelė River, near an important Samogitian castle. It was the center of the Samogitian Catholic church: after the baptism of Samogitia, the Samogitian Bishop resided in the town. In 1320, it was the site of the Battle of Medininkai, in which the Samogitians defeated the invading Teutonic Knights.{{cite book|author= |title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XIII|year=1893|language=pl|location=Warszawa|page=941}} Afterwards, it was invaded by the Teutonic Knights in 1329, and by the Livonian Order in 1377. In 1413, the Supreme Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło) and Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas the Great ordered the demolition of the pagan temple and Christianized the population. Around 1414–1416 the first church was built, and c. 1464 the first cathedral. In 1425, a third of the population died due to an epidemic. It was granted Chełmno municipal rights in 1491.{{cite book|author= |title=Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XIII|year=1893|language=pl|location=Warszawa|page=942}} During the Swedish invasion, the town was plundered by the Swedes in 1655 and 1656. Five diocesan synods were held in the town between 1656 and 1752.

Varniai was the center of the Diocese of Samogitia until the middle of the 19th century when after the January Uprising in 1863 the Tsarist authorities of the Russian Empire moved it to Kaunas.{{cite web |title=Žemaičių vyskupija |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/zemaiciu-vyskupija/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=5 November 2024 |language=lt}}

With support of Merkelis Giedraitis, Mikalojus Daukša translated and made ready for publication Katechizmas, the first Lithuanian language book printed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, then part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.{{cite web |last1=Vanagas |first1=Vytautas |title=Mikalojus Daukša |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/mikalojus-dauksa/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=5 November 2024 |language=lt}}{{cite web |last1=Lukšaitė |first1=Ingė |title=Merkelis Giedraitis |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/merkelis-giedraitis/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=5 November 2024 |language=lt}}

Varniai also was the residence of Samogitian bishop Motiejus Valančius.{{cite web |title=Motiejus Valančius |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/motiejus-valancius/ |website=Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija |access-date=5 November 2024 |language=lt}}

Varniai1.2009-05-21.jpg|View of Varniai from the tower of the Samogitian Diocese Museum

2015-09 Varniai 12.jpg|One of streets in Varniai

Varniukatedra2.JPG|Interior of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul

GiedraitisMerkelis3.JPG|Bishops of Samogitia sarcophagus in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul basement

Varniai, kultūros centras.JPG|Varniai Centre of Culture

GiedraitisMerkelis.JPG|Merkelis Giedraitis Monument

DauksaMikalojus.JPG|Mikalojus Daukša Monument

ValanciusVarniai.JPG|Motiejus Valančius Monument

ValanciusVarniai2.JPG|Former house of Motiejus Valančius

Varniai. Gimnazija.JPG|Varniai Motiejus Valančius Gymnasium

• Boris Schatz
• Merkelis Giedraitis
• Mikalojus Daukša
• Motiejus Valančius

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Varniai}}

• {{in lang|lt}} [http://postilla.mch.mii.lt/Tevuzeme/varniairenes.en.htm Varniai – A Resourceful Renaissance Center of 16th Century Cultural and National Ideology]
• {{in lang|lt}} [http://www.varniuparkas.lt/view.php?id=kultura&sbid=71 Park of Varniai and history of Varniai]
• {{in lang|lt}} [http://www.varniai-museum.lt Museum of Samogitian episcopate]
• {{in lang|lt}} [http://www.varniai.lt Website of Varniai]

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Category:Cities in Telšiai County

Category:Cities in Lithuania

Category:Telšiai District Municipality

Category:Telshevsky Uyezd