Liubavas manor will be transformed into museum

The Public Institution Europos Parkas is executing the Restoration of Liubavas Manor mill, its Adaptation to Cultural and Public Needs, and is half-completed. The project is supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism and co-financed by the Republic of Lithuania.

The project is dedicated to preservation of valuable cultural heritage object in the district of Vilnius. The main goal of the project is to restore the mill for cultural purposes and to create a museum inside for the public. The museum will demonstrate the usage of mill equipment, and will share the history of Liubavas Manor. Much of the restoration has been completed, furniture is being constructed, the exposition and a web-site are being created.

Liubavas Manor is one of the oldest in Lithuania. The reconstruction of the pond at Liubavas Manor is mentioned back in 1546, in the treasury books of the first Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Žygimantas Augustas (Sigismund Augustus). At that time, the manor served an especially valued fish on the ruler‘s table and the estate‘s territory reached near the lakes Siesartis, Kirneilis and others not far from Molėtai.

Gintaras Karosas, the initiator of Liubavas Manor Museum, says "We want to return a forgotten page in history to Lithuania, collecting and analyzing one grain at a time, so that we could relay the history of Liubavas Manor to society. We also would like to restore the mill fully-equipped and to recreate lost components. Part of the importance of our mission is to maintain authenticity. The mill is an entire "world" in itself, with interesting systems. One of the fascinating pieces of equipment is the water turbine, which is currently being restored.

Of the most important discoveries we should mention are the paintings found from Liubavas Manor. Most of the pieces are from the Slizienis family, who held high governmental, judicial, and military posts in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, since the time of Vytautas the Great. The paintings, which were nationalized in 1940, have been protected and their reproductions will be presented at the Liubavas Museum."

Liubavas Manor Mill Museum will open its doors to visitors in 2011. 

Contact person: Gintaras Karosas
Europos Parkas tel.: +370 5 2377 077, +370 698 30925
hq@europosparkas.lt , gk@europosparkas.lt