Vistytis Regional Park

Vistytis Regional Park was established in 1992. This regional park was established to, first and foremost protect the Suvalkai hills landscape from potential damage. The regional park also serves cultural heritage which covers about 10,100 ha.

Vištytis Regional Park is located in southwestern Lithuania, close to Lithuania’s borders with three neighboring states – Kaliningrad, Russia to the west and Poland to the south. Other places of interest are located just across the border in Poland: the Suvalkai Lakes Basin, Suvalkai Landscape Park and Rominta Forest.

The regional park boasts many valuable natural landscape complexes and other natural objects. The moraine formations of the Suvalkai hills from the highest range in Lithuania, and has some of the highest points above sea level, such as Dunojus Hill, (>285 m), Janauka Hill (282.9 m), Pavistytis Hill(282.4 m), Staugunas Hill (281.8 m) and Stankunai Hill (285.5 m), which is near the Polish border.

Sakiai Lake, also in Vistytis Regional Park, is 155.3 m deep and marks the lowest point within the park’s territory. The landscape altitude varies over a range of 130 m., which is considered very rare.

The watershed separating the Nemunas Basin from the Prieglius Basin is another important feature of Vistytis Regional Park. The southwestern part of the park’s territory (including Vistytis Lake and its feeder streams) lies in the Prieglius Basin, while the northeastern section (including the Sirvinta River and its streams) belongs to the Nemunas Basin.

There are 15 lakes in this regional park, with most over 0.5 ha in size. Vistytis Lake is the largest in this regional park and covers more than 1820 ha. It is 8.5 km long reaches 4.2 km at is widest point with the larger part lying within Russian territory. The lake is fed predominantly by Vyzaina River, which flows in from the direction of Poland.

While are two strict nature reserves, Drausgiris and Grybingiris, and seven reserves Vistytis Regional Park: the Kylininkai landscape reserve, Pasirvintis teleological reserve, Stirniskės geomorphologic reserve, Tadarinė botanical-zoological reserve and the Vistytgiris botanical-zoological reserve.

Forests cover more than half of the territory of the Vistytis Regional Park, where large fields combine with oak forests interspersed with hornbeams, lindens and firs.

The biotic communities in the forests of the Drausgiris and Vistytgiris strict nature reserves are especially valuable as they contain many old trees. Some oak forests are approximately tree hundred years old, while the fir and pine forests are no younger than two hundred years old.

Approximately 33 species of plants listed in Lithuania’s Red Data Book found in Vistytis Regional Park. The Kylininkai and Drausgiris forests are widely known for the wide variety of mammals, reptiles and amphibians shelter. All species of birds and animals that live in the Baltic region can be found in this regional park as well. For instance, there is a large population of Bombina bombina that nest here. In addition to the many otters living near the numerous rivulets, the many weirs are evidence of the large beaver population also found here. In total, 123 species of birds can be found in this regional park, of which 14 are listed in Lithuania’s Red Data Book.

Vistytis Boulder is the third largest boulder in Lithuania and lies just near the highway that stretches from Kybartai ti Vistytis. According to historians, this huge boulder can be dated back to the Ice Age. It is 7.2 m long, 3.7 high and 5.7 m wide and its appearance often surprises people. Some liken the boulder to a huge beast with a curved back and a terrible head, while it reminds others of a turtle. Yet others claim to see clear imprints of the devil’s feet left on the boulder’s surface, or believe in the healing powers of the mysterious substance called ’’the devil’s tears’’.

Just near the lakeshore and the small pine forest there is a holy rivulet where people come to collect fresh water. According to one legend, in ancient times water coming from this rivulet was believed to have mysterious healing powers. The blind could regain their sight having washed their eyes with the water, and wounds would heal more rapidly. The biggest settlement located in the regional park, also called Vistytis, is named after the lake and was first mentioned in written records dating to 1384-1402.

The town centre boasts a magnificent architectural ensemble that consists of a red-brick church fortified with stones, a belfry and a stone with decorative plants. The church was built in 1829. At the other end of the town there is a Lutheran church.

In order to commemorate the year of the establishment of the settlement (1570) the townspeople built a monument to Vistytis.

A monument dedicated to the independence of Lithuania stands in the central town square. Oak sculptures are a symbolic reminder of the history of Vistytis region and remind people of the miraculous appearance of Vistytis Lake as well as the legend about a huge boulder also called Vistytis. The locals are also proud of two rare and unique buildings that adorn their town: a small oil enterprise (built in 1925) and a windmill.

Numerous castle mounds located in Pavistytis, Vistytis and Dabravole also serve as monuments to the history of the Vistytis region. There is a multi-trucked linden growing at the foot of Dabravole castle mound with a total of 31 trunks. The main objective of Vistytis Regional Park is not merely to preserve elements of the cultural and natural heritage but to create favorable conditions allowing tourism to develop as well as various recreational activities. To facilitate this objective, there is a range of walking paths leading visitors through piney forests, a track for downhill skiing, special fields and rest areas in Vistytis Regional Park.

Board of Directors of Vistytis Regional Park 8 Vytauto bstr. LT-70346 Vistytis, Vilkaviskis district; E-mail info@vistytis.lt, www.vistytis.lt, Phone/Fax (+370 342) 63532

Tourist Informatikon:
Motel ‘‘Viktorija‘‘, Phone (+370 342) 47521
Holidy camp ‘‘Puselė‘‘, Phone (+370 342) 47555, 47509
The countryside tourism homestead, Phone (+370 686) 79344