Visaginas
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{{Infobox settlement
| name = Visaginas
| nickname =
| settlement_type= City
| coordinates = {{coord|55.598|N|26.438|E|region:LT_type:city(30000)|display=inline,title}}
|
| pushpin_map =Lithuania#Europe
|pushpin_relief=1
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_caption =Location of Visaginas
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Visaginas, August 2021.jpg
| photo2a = Visagino Šv. Panteleimono cerkvė 2.JPG
| photo2b = Visagino katalikų bažnyčia.JPG
| photo3a = Visaginas, Lithuania - panoramio (156).jpg
| photo3b = Visaginas, Lithuania - panoramio (70).jpg
| spacing = 2
| color_border = white
| color = white
| size = 275
}}
| image_map = {{Maplink|frame=yes|plain=y|frame-width=275|frame-height=275|zoom=11|frame-lat=55.6|frame-long=26.45|type=shape-inverse|id=Q203892|title=Visaginas}}
| map_caption = Map of Visaginas Municipality
| image_flag = Flag of Visaginas.svg
| image_shield = Visaginas COA.svg
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{LTU}}
| subdivision_type1 = Ethnographic region|
| subdivision_name1 = Aukštaitija
| subdivision_type2 = County|
| subdivision_name2 = 23px Utena County
| subdivision_type3 = Municipality|
| subdivision_name3 = Visaginas municipality
| subdivision_name4 =
| subdivision_type6 = Capital of
| subdivision_name6 = Visaginas municipality
| established_date = 1975
| established_title = Established
| established_date2 = 1995
| established_title2= Granted city rights
| population_total = 18024
| population_as_of = 2020-01-21
| population_density_km2 = auto
| area_total_km2 = 13.8
| elevation_m = 164
| population_demonym ={{lang|en|Visaginian/Visaginians}} (English)
{{lang|lt|visaginietis/visaginiečiai}} (Lithuanian)
| timezone=EET
| utc_offset=+2
| timezone_DST=EEST
| utc_offset_DST=+3
| website= {{URL|https://visaginas.lt/en|visaginas.lt}}
}}
Visaginas ({{pronunciation|Visaginas.ogg}}) is a city in northeastern Lithuania. It is the centre of Lithuania's youngest municipality, located on the north-eastern edge of the country. It was built as a town for workers engaged in the construction of the now decommissioned Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant. Visaginas is the only city in Lithuania where the majority of the population speaks Russian as their first language.{{cite web|title=Visagino elektrinė: atominis miestas remia, bet netiki|url=https://www.15min.lt/verslas/naujiena/finansai/visagino-elektrine-atominis-miestas-remia-bet-netiki-662-224771|language=lt|date=12 June 2012|access-date=18 November 2021|website=15min.lt}} Originally the aerial view of Visaginas was designed to resemble a butterfly. However, after work on the nuclear power plant was cancelled, so was further construction of the town. Currently Visaginas consists of three residential regions that locals refer to as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Microdistricts. Visaginas has 14 streets. The city grew up in a pine forest by Lake Visaginas. Tourism is currently an area of great potential, as is the possibility of a new nuclear power plant.
The administrative centre of Visaginas municipality is situated near the country's biggest lake, Drūkšiai. Its administrative boundaries are in the process of being defined. The Vilnius–Daugavpils (Latvia) railway runs alongside the city, providing convenient communication with those cities.
History
Before World War II, from 1922 to 1939, the area of modern Visaginas lay within the boundaries of the {{ill|Gmina Smołwy|pl|Smołwy (gmina)}} in the {{ill|Brasław County|pl|Powiat brasławski (II Rzeczpospolita)}} of the Wilno Voivodeship in Poland.
In 1975 on the shores of Lake Visaginas a satellite settlement was founded for workers of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, in place of four villages that were demolished, the largest of which was named Visaginas. The new settlement was named Sniečkus after Antanas Sniečkus, a former first secretary of the Lithuanian Communist Party. In 1977 it was granted the status of urban-type settlement. Following the restoration of independence, the settlement was renamed to Visaginas in 1992 and received municipal rights in 1995.{{in lang|lt}} [https://www.visaginas.lt/savivaldybe/istorija/21 Brief history of the Visaginas municipality] visaginas.lt{{in lang|lt}} [https://www.lrvalstybe.lt/savivaldybes/visagino-savivaldybe Visaginas municipality] lrvalstybe.lt It is governed by a city council, which elects the mayor. In 1996, the city's coat of arms was confirmed by a decree of the President of Lithuania.
The settlement was developed in complexes, with construction designed to create an infrastructure for the cultural and everyday life of the residents. Efforts were made to preserve the natural surroundings as much as possible.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/12/soviet-era-nuclear-town-lithuania-isolated-communities |title=In a Soviet-era nuclear town, I brought Lithuania's forgotten side to light |last=Rekasiute |first=Neringa |newspaper=The Guardian |date=12 June 2019 |access-date=12 June 2019}}
Population
In 1996, the population was 33,100, of which 55.68% were Russians, 15.88% Lithuanians, 10.29% Belarusians, 9.13% Poles, 5.69% Ukrainians and 0.95% Tatars. Orthodox Christians made up 40.42% of the total population, Roman Catholics 27.29%, the Non-affiliated 27.29%, Old Believers 2.89% and Muslims 0.46%.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} In 2001, the population was 52.43% Russian, 14.96% Lithuanian and 32.61% other.Rasa Baločkaitė. "[http://www.tlu.ee/stss/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Balo%C4%8Dkait%C4%97.pdf Post-Soviet Transitions of the Planned Socialist Towns: Visaginas, Lithuania]." Studies of Transition States and Societies. Vol. 2/Issue 2 (November 2010). p. 68. In 2011, the population was 22,361. Russians accounted for 52.16% (11,664) of the inhabitants, Lithuanians - 18.27% (4,086), Belarusians - 9.89% (2,211), Poles - 9.32% (2,084), and Ukrainians - 5.16% (1,154).{{cite web|title=Miestų gyventojai pagal tautybę 2011|url=http://osp.stat.gov.lt/2011-m.-surasymas|website=osp.stat.gov.lt|access-date=30 April 2017}} In 2021, the population was 19,633. Russians accounted for 47.36% (9,299) of the inhabitants, Lithuanians - 20.13% (3,953), Belarusians - 9.60% (1,884), Poles - 10.23% (2,009), and Ukrainians - 5.23% (1,027).{{cite web|title=Official Statistics Portal|url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/en/|website=osp.stat.gov.lt|access-date=2 September 2022}}
{{historical populations| width = 10em| cols = 2
|align=center| percentages = pagr
|1931|30
|1979|6212
|1989|32438
|2001|29554
|2011|22361
|2021|19446
| source = [https://kresy.genealodzy.pl/gub_wil_87/kowno_wlasc.html 1902], [http://www.epaveldas.lt/recordDescription/LNB/C1B0002365127 1923], [https://knyga.lietuvai.lt/w/images/7/79/Lietuvos_gyventoj%C5%B3_sura%C5%A1ymas_1959_ir_1970.pdf 1959 & 1970], [https://knyga.lietuvai.lt/wiki/Indeksas:Lietuvos_gyventoj%C5%B3_sura%C5%A1ymas_1979.pdf 1979], [https://knyga.lietuvai.lt/wiki/Indeksas:Lietuvos_gyventoj%C5%B3_sura%C5%A1ymas_1989.pdf 1989], [https://osp.stat.gov.lt/documents/10180/212976/Kauno_apskritis.pdf/8593b78f-5d58-4f1a-aed1-d108f07398ae 2001], [http://statistics.bookdesign.lt/table_125_02.htm?lang=en 2011]}}
Industry
File:Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, Visaginas, Lithuania - 20080730.jpg]]
File:Visaginas, Lithuania - panoramio (29).jpg]]
Power was the main branch of industry: the country's only nuclear power plant, one of the world's most powerful, is situated near Visaginas. It ceased operations in December 2009 over safety concerns and is currently being decommissioned. Over 5,000 people were employed in the plant. There are opportunities to developing the construction industry in order to utilize the existing industrial potential (concrete, ferroconcrete, and wood), and also the electronics industry, polish and paint, and clothing. There are over 1,500 companies in the city active in light industry, trade and services.
Education, culture, and sports
The city has a polytechnic school, six secondary schools, an elementary school, eight nursery schools, music and acrobatics colleges, a sports centre and other institutions engaged in organizing educational and leisure activities, including 11 sports clubs with more than 1,600 members. Professional training is available in soccer, Greco-Roman wrestling, and skiing. An annual country music festival "Visaginas Country" is held
in the city .
Twin city – sister cities
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Lithuania}}
Visaginas is twinned with:{{cite web |title=Tarptautinis bendradarbiavimas|url=https://www.visaginas.lt/index.php/savivaldybe/tarptautinis-bendradarbiavimas/23|publisher=Visagino savivaldybė|language=lt|access-date=2022-03-13}}
- {{flagicon|LVA}} Dagda, Latvia
- {{flagicon|LVA}} Daugavpils, Latvia
- {{flagicon|POL}} Lidzbark Warmiński, Poland
- {{flagicon|UKR}} Slavutych, Ukraine
- {{flagicon|POL}} Zambrów, Poland
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Visaginas}}
- [https://visaginas.lt/en Official website]
- [http://adan-ortega.net/tikejimas Contemporary Photo essay of the city]
- [http://www.visaginietis.lt Visagino dienraštis "Visaginietis"]
- {{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/12/soviet-era-nuclear-town-lithuania-isolated-communities|title=In a Soviet-era nuclear town, I brought Lithuania's forgotten side to light|last=Rekasiute|first=Neringa|date=12 June 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-12|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}
{{Utena County}}
{{Municipalities of Lithuania}}
Category:Visaginas Municipality
Category:Cities in Utena County
Category:Cities and towns built in the Soviet Union
Category:Populated places established in 1975