Bus 68 – Vilnius via Trakai District and back to the city

Welcome, history buffs and city enthusiasts! This meeting is a wonderful fusion of history, public transport, and audio storytelling. Today, we’re taking you on a journey through the south-western outskirts of Vilnius, from the legendary Lazdynai to the distant Grigiskės.

Don’t be surprised to see a crossed-out VILNIUS sign. We’ll definitely be leaving the capital for a while and entering Trakai District, but eventually, we’ll return to the city. I’d even say a city within a city. But more on that later. This confusing geography aids in embracing the tourist-like spirit and will hopefully fill your gaze with curiosity. We recommend that you sit facing forwards in the same direction the bus is travelling, as from time to time you will be prompted to look to the right or left. Ready? Let’s go!

The expedition starts in Lazdynai. At first glance, one of the many grey Soviet districts… But hang on… maybe it’s not so dull!

Did you know that, just like in the Old Town now, tourists once used to wander around Lazdynai as if it were on a must-see list? If you had picked up an advertisement from the Vilnius Tourist Office in the 1980s, you could have chosen from a long list of tours of the capital – of course, there would have been the more traditional and expected ones about architecture and history, but also… one of them was called ‘The New Construction District of Lazdynai’.

So what on earth could you have seen here? Tourist guides would show tourists large flat houses of unprecedented configurations, preserved natural forest halls, one of the first night clubs in the Soviet Union, ‘Erfurtas’, wide pedestrian alleys, an original secondary school building, a cinema, arched doorways and gates inspired by the old town of Vilnius, the circular Architektų Street – you could go on and on. Ladzynai was the showcase of a truly socialist Vilnius. It is said that residents were even required to maintain visual aesthetics on the tourist walk, so that when an important delegation arrived, people were not allowed to hang out their colourful clothes to dry on their balconies.

Lazdynai was indeed widely written about in the press of the time. Famous photographers such as Antanas Sutkus and Liudas Verbliugevičius published photo albums dedicated to the district. Moreover, famous musicians, such as Virgilijus Noreika, also used Lazdynai as the place to photograph their album covers. So this is a really richly celebrated district, surpassing any other district built during the Soviet years. If it’s hard to imagine why tourists would walk around the new buildings, let’s compare it a modern example – people flock to see the rejuvenated district of Paupys; after all, it is not only popular among locals but foreigners are also keen to take a lot at the new developments.

By the way, Lazdynai, although it has long outlived its glory days, is not completely forgotten. Vytautas Edmundas Čekanauskas, the founder of the district, used to say “Lazdynai has everything but a church” – it was during the independence period, when he was already of age, that the architect had the opportunity to make this dream come true. And the last attraction that makes all Vilnius residents happy is the new swimming pool that has recently opened its doors.

If you still have the energy today, I invite you to take a leisurely walk around the district after your trip and walk in the shoes of tourists from our parents’ and grandparents’ generation.

After passing the large transport hub on the outskirts of Lazdynai, you will soon cross the Neris River over Gariūnai Bridge, completed in 1986. Actually, there’s not just one bridge, but two in one – if you are ever down by the waterfront, you’ll notice the two bridges, like twin brothers, packed together. Interestingly, this was the first time that a bridge had been built in a new way, using a new type of cable-stayed construction, i.e. instead of using scaffolding, the metal bridge decks are rope-stayed onto the river, like a blanket. The structure now looks quite fresh, having been renovated a decade ago.

Large commercial and engineering buildings line our road, and cars zip by at high speed. But in this relentless traffic, several old villages, or rather fragments of them, still linger as if they were sanctuaries of peace. 

Visiting them, you will be surprised to see one hut or another that would fit perfectly in ethnographic Rumšiškės, and the older folk you meet will tell you fantastic stories about the villages’ past.

Indeed, until the 1980s, when there was no power station, no market, no bridge, this place seemed far from civilisation. But when the big construction began, the villages seemed to hide behind hills, motorways, and buildings. So even today, those tiny houses are just around the corner, but you can barely see them from the road.

If we were at the end of Titnago Street, right by the Gariūnai Bridge, we would find the village of Buchta. Interestingly, there were many Buchtas – cunningly named the first Buchta, the second, Buchta III, and so on. However, they were all located where they are today – the name is not a coincidence – in Bukčiai, i.e., on the right bank of the Neris. However, there was one Buchta on the other side of the Neris, on Titnago (Flint) Street.

To the left, on a hill, is the village of Gariūnai, which has a magnificent view of the city, and once even had ski slopes down its steep hills.

To the right of the road were two more villages – Neskučiai (in Lithuanian) or Nieskuczna (in Polish).  Those who know Slavic languages will agree that this sounds something like ‘Neliūdna’ in Lithuanian, meaning ‘not sad’. Apparently for good reason – old-timers in the area said that in the past, the village was home to some exceptionally sad citizens, whose celebrations sometimes lasted up to a week. Neskučiai Street still exists today. Next to Neskučiai, the more observant will also discover the former Jaczany or Jočionis, where a group of houses has also survived.

The landscape of Gariūnai is dominated by two objects – the market and the power station. 

Frequently, visitors who are unfamiliar with Vilnius, ask if the rather imposing towers looming in the distance are not nuclear power plants. The only connection with a nuclear power plant is that several scenes from the famous ‘Chernobyl’ series were filmed here several years ago – the wooden-tiled shelter of the power plant is easily recognisable on the cinema screen.

In fact, these inverted bucket-like structures are the cooling towers of a cogeneration power plant, which used to be the source of spectacular plumes of windblown steam. The third Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in Gariūnai, or the TEC-3 (from Termofikacinė Elektrinė Centralė) as it is called by its workers, was seven times more powerful than the second one in Savanorių Avenue and significantly increased the heating capacity of Vilnius residents. As a result, the function of the Gariūnai Bridge was also twofold – for the heating lines extending into the city as well as for transport purposes. If you get a chance to get close to the structures, you will be even more amazed – it really does feel like you are not in Lithuania, but in an exotic industrial city. By the way, the red and white chimney of the power plant in the distance is the tallest in Vilnius, rising to 250 metres.

The power plant was fuelled by fuel oil and ceased operations in 2015 due to pollution. Of course, Vilnius residents were not left without heat, as cleaner heating producers took over the niche. However, the energy industry is not abandoning the area, with a new cogeneration plant currently going up next door.

The market in Gariūnai opened in 1989 and is perhaps the most striking relic of the dawn of capitalism in Lithuania. It is hard to find a Vilnius resident who has not bought or sold something here, either personally or through relatives. From Japanese tape recorders to discarded goods from bankrupt factories, from video games to Turkish jeans measured on a piece of cardboard, the whole world used to fit here. The special spirit is aptly captured in Algirdas Tarvydas’s 1995 documentary film ‘Men of Gariūnai’, which tells the story of the risky everyday life of second-hand car dealers and scrappers, occasionally redeemed by their rich earnings. After all, it was not uncommon to see a white-brick mansion from the 90s funded from the dosh earned in Gariūnai. The film is easily available online so there is no excuse for not watching it! 

Now you’re probably driving along the busy A19 motorway, flanked on both sides by pine forests. This is not a historic road, but a former straight-as-a-die forest clearing, a block line that was only later decided to be used for a new highway. Interestingly, where you pass the complex spaghetti junction in the shape of a clover leaf behind Gariūnai, a forester’s wooden house was standing in the pre-war period.

Located near to the ‘Regitra’ stop, Kulokiškės took its name from the village of Kulakowszczyzna (in Polish), but it should be clarified that this settlement is not located precisely here, but a little further away, behind the bridge over the Vokė.

We are now driving along one of the most important old roads, connecting not only Vilnius and Lentvaris, but more importantly, Trakai. Try to imagine Duke Kęstutis or Vytautas riding along it, pilgrims marching, or merchants arriving from far away. As the current A16 motorway to Trakai is relatively new, all the historical events actually took place precisely here on this old road.

To our left, there is a straight street, a kilometre and a half long, lined on both sides by houses making up the village of Liudvinavas. There you can see authentic huts and fragments of the original cobblestones. In the Polish-speaking world, Liudvinavas is famous for the name of Stanislaw Grusciński, a famous opera soloist of the first half of the 20th century. The tenor performed on stage not only in Warsaw, but also in Lisbon, Hamburg, and at ‘La Scala’ in Milan.

And soon, we will see in front of us the settlement of Mūrinė Vokė, famous for its brick paper factory by the dam. Look out for the river, the dam, and the former industrial buildings just beyond the Logistics Centre of the ‘Iki’ supermarket chain.

Officials in the 19th century claimed that a water mill had stood here “since time immemorial”, and based on this knowledge they allowed Count Jan Tyszkiewicz to reconstruct the ancient mill into a modern pulp mill in 1887. The Tyszkiewicz family were probably the most prominent landlords in the area, so the presence of their surname here is not surprising.

A few decades later, in 1912 to be precise, the industrial complex was once again transformed into a modern cardboard factory, this time by the engineer Grzegorz Kurec. Kurec’s name is worth remembering, as we will come across it again in Grigiškės.

In 1912, a 6-metre-high stone and concrete dam with additional facilities was built during the reconstruction. Over the years, the complex has not slowed down; conversely, more powerful turbines were bought and installed, the size of the pond was increased and the buildings renovated. After surviving the Second World War, the factory remained open until 1964. Although the area seems to have fallen into disrepair, the rushing water of the river in Mūrinė Vokė still generates power, with a small hydroelectric plant. And, every once in a while, to the right of the road near the dam, the more observant will notice the remains of an old red brick and stone wall.

While we are trundling along this historical road and our landscape is dominated by the construction of new houses – after all, it is no secret that Vilnius is expanding – we would like to share a few interesting facts about the Vokė River.

Everyone knows the Neris or the Vilnelė, but the capital’s third river is far more mysterious.

The name is old and enigmatic. It was first mentioned in 1375, when the Crusaders marched through here. The name is thought to derive from the words voktis, vokti, meaning “to clean, to harvest, to fix up”. There is also a legend that men were lured here and deceived in the thickets of the woods by the fairy-like beautiful sisters, named Vokė. And there are those who believe that the word ‘voka’ meant water in Tatar. Logical.

Whatever the truth, the Tartar footprint in the vicinity of Vokė is clear – the names of settlements such as Kazbėjai, Afindevičiai, and Keturiasdešimt Totorių (Forty Tartars) are clear evidence of this. Most likely, representatives of this people arrived here thanks to Vytautas as early as the end of the 14th century, and although things changed drastically many times later, we can still find Tatars living along the Vokė.

By the way, although the Vokė is not a long river in Lithuania, there are several settlements with its name: Juodoji Vokė, Mūrinė Vokė, Kauno Vokė, Trakų Vokė, and even two Baltosios Vokės (White Vokės), which are located 20 kilometres apart.

And did you know the lengths of the three largest rivers in Vilnius? The Neris is 510 kilometres long, the Vilnia flows for 80 kilometres, while the Vokė is 36 kilometres. The Vokė flows out of Lake Papis in the Šalčininkai district, and joins the Neris at Grigiškės. On Bus 68, we cross the river once and meet it again at the end of the route. By the way, this river is not only fun to watch, but also to kayak on – in many parts, you will feel like you are sailing far away from civilisation and not in a European capital.

Take a deep breath – 200 metres away, Vilnius City officially ends and Trakai District Municipality begins. But don’t worry, we’ll be back in Vilnius later on. 

Strangely enough, the largest town in Trakai District Municipality is not Trakai, but Lentvaris, which has twice as many inhabitants – about 10,000.

This town has been inhabited since ancient times, but before the Second World War, it was called Landwarów. The origin of the name can be traced back to the term ‘Landware’, which was mentioned during the Crusades. Presumably, in old German, it meant ‘to stand guard’, meaning that Lentvaris had always been located more or less on the edge of the border between the Vilnius and Trakai provinces, and was protected under guard by sentinels. However, Lentvaris should not be seen only as a fill-in between Vilnius and Trakai. Although it may not be stereotyped as a prestigious town, there is certainly plenty to see, and its history is truly impressive.

The railway has given a huge boost to the growth of Lentvaris. It will soon be on your left. When the first Lithuanian railway, the Petersburg-Warsaw railway, was built in 1862, not only were the rails laid and a station built at Lentvaris but a strategic branch line to Prussia was also built. Thanks to the branching of the tracks, Lentvaris immediately became an important regional railway junction with a wagon shed hangar and a depot for steam locomotives, a water tower, warehouses, and a number of other important structures that many other stations could not boast. Travellers who changed trains became tourists to the town, and their abundance gave rise to hotels, restaurants, and cafés.

The station is now somewhat rundown, but the railway still plays an important role in the life of the town. Incidentally, the building of the Lentvaris passenger station is strikingly similar to that of Švenčionėliai, as both were built to the same architectural design.

The railway still divides the town into two parts. The southern part on the other side of the tracks, which we will not be going to, is ethnically more Slavic. In the past, many of its inhabitants worked on the railway or in the ‘Kaitra’ metalwork factory whose most famous product was enamelled cast-iron baths – many dwellers of Vilnius might come across one in their flats. A little further afield, this part of the town is surrounded by a church that may not be surprising on the outside, but the interior is, dare we say, one of the most ornate in Lithuania. Be sure to visit.

We’ll talk about the northern part of the town in a moment – we’ll be driving through a good part of it. Listen to the next part of the audio guide at the stop at the pedestrian underpass under the railway.

Northern Lentvaris is ethnically more Lithuanian, geographically more extended, and historically more closely linked to two important sites – the manor house and the ‘kilim’ rug or carpet factory.

We are about to drive along the long and straight Klevų Avenue, which is lined with maple trees – a direct legacy of the Tyszkiewicz family. We have already met these influential nobles in Mūrinė Vokė, and the most beautiful mansions in the area – Užutrakis, Trakų Vokė and, of course, Lentvaris – also belonged to this family. Although the bus doesn’t enter the estate grounds, try to imagine the impressive red-brick neo-Gothic manor, with its exquisite spire reaching upwards. The palace and other buildings were surrounded by a park designed by the brilliant French landscape architect Eduard André, which had different parts – ‘Switzerland’, imitating the mountain landscape with its grottoes, hills and viewpoints while the ‘Riviera’ area was designed to resemble the French resorts of the Mediterranean. Lentvaris was really popular with the people of the area before the Second World War. To meet their recreational needs, Władysław Tyszkiewicz opened a café called the ‘Riviera’, which also had a cinema, music provided by a Neapolitan ensemble, and delicious dishes to delight the palate. Lentvaris was a frequent venue for wedding ceremonies.

Despite all the hardships of the 20th century, many of the elements of the Lentvaris Manor have survived to the present day. Some are in better condition, others in worse, but all in all it is an extremely charming ensemble, so it is a shame that many people in Vilnius have never heard about it. Be sure to visit.

The neighbourhood of flats on both sides of the street is often referred to by locals as ‘Kilimai’, after the legendary rug and carpet factory and the workers who worked there. The Lentvaris Rug and Carpet Factory started its yearbook in 1957. Its first steps were simply in the Tyszkiewicz’s Manor House, which was nationalised by the Soviets and turned into an industrial facility. Soon enough, the factory expanded and became the largest carpet manufacturing company in the Baltic Republics. If there’s a Soviet rug or carpet in your flat, whether on the wall, on the floor or dusty in the storeroom, check it out – could it have been made in Lentvaris?

The range of carpets was rich – the factory’s full-time artists tried to combine Lithuanian folk art with oriental carpet weaving traditions; in addition to simply decorative patterns, the factory also produced thematic carpets with designs depicting the Lentvaris Manor, Vilnius churches, or even Karoliniškės apartment blocks. With more than 1,300 employees, the impact of the factory on the city cannot be overestimated. The tradition of carpets in Lentvaris is still partly alive today – although carpets are no longer produced here, the company imports and trades in carpets. The company’s shop is located just outside the Tyszkiewicz Manor.

So, folks, it’s now to be on the look out for the ‘Vilnius’ sign as soon we will leave the Trakai District, so keep your eyes peeled to notice when we return to the administrative boundaries of the capital. On both sides of the road, we will be surrounded by individual houses of Naujų Lentvaris for a while, then we will pass a green nature reserve called Naujasis Lentvaris Botanical Reserve, and finally we will emerge in Grigiškės, which we are in a hurry to tell you about, because we won’t be going for long.

Some people may say that Grigiškės is not Vilnius, but in fact, since 2000, Grigiškės has been part of Vilnius. Of course, the remoteness, the distinct history and the different character remind us that we are more than 15 kilometres from the Old Town. It is not for nothing that we have a unique case where Grigiškės is not only part of the City of Vilnius, but also has the status of a town itself. You will be hard pressed to find such a town anywhere else in Lithuania!

2023 is an anniversary year for Grigiškės. A century earlier, in 1923, the engineer Grzegorz Kurec, whom we have already met in Mūrinė Vokė, established an advanced paper factory in this area. The whole town was soon named Grzegorzewo, or Grigiškės in Lithuanian, after the entrepreneur’s name, Grzegorz (Polish variant) or Grigas (in Lithuanian). This is eloquent testimony to the fact that the company founded by the engineer significantly changed the course of the area’s history. Perhaps the most impressive relic of the inter-war factory is the magnificent concrete aqueduct built in 1930. The 800-metre-long aqueduct carried water from the Vokė River towards the factory site, where powerful electric turbines awaited it. At the time, the hydraulic engineering monument, which stood among the potato fields, looked like a miracle from another planet. Incidentally, in the same year, the Merkiai-Vokė canal was dug on the initiative of Grzegorz Kurec and is still in operation today. So, some of the water in Vokė does come from the upper reaches of the river Merkys.

Although the aqueduct has been dry for many decades, and the lower part of the aqueduct has been used for garages, the factory continues to operate – after going through nationalisation, privatisation, expansion, crises, it is still successfully operating under the name of AB’ Grigeo’. The large site produces toilet paper, disposable tissues, paper towels, packaging, recycled paper, and more.

We would be lying if we said that Grigiškės was built in 1923 on open fields and that there is nothing older. No, before the arrival of the progressive engineer Kurec, there were several villages that have become an integral part of the town today – Afindevičiai, which has a Tatar past, Salonicos or Salos, which was famous for its wonderful salted bacon, Kauno Vokė, which has preserved its original inter-war cobblestones, and more.

The fact that the surrounding area was favoured by the ancient Lithuanians is evidenced by the three mounds surrounding the town; we can find the remains of ancient settlements and burial mounds discovered by archaeologists. So, even though the town is celebrating its 100th anniversary, it can rightfully claim to be much older if necessary.

Dear travellers, the time to say goodbye is fast approaching. When you get off the bus in Grigiškės, don’t hesitate to take another hour to wander around – you might want to admire the meandering Vokė, cross it using the monkey bridge, take a peek at the post-war factory workers’ settlement, or visit the original chapel built during the independence era, the only place of worship in town. And then there’s the aqueduct that begs for a closer look!

But for now, we hope you have had enough excitement. Thank you for travelling with us and for listening carefully. We hope you enjoyed the tour. If you want to go back to Lazdynai, you can also take Bus 59, or Bus 28 or 29 will take you to Vilkpėdė.

Bye!