Plateliai

Address: Didžioji g. 24, Plateliai, Plungės r.
Phone: +370 686 09 874, +370 448 49 231
Fax: +370 448 49 337
E-mail: info @zemaitijosnp.lt
Web: www.zemaitijosnp.lt

Exposition of the Žemaitija National Park. The exposition is located in the former threshing barn of the Manor. Expositions of Plateliai Manor History, ethnography of this Žemaitija region, a newly installed modern exposition of nature’s objects, and also a hall for constantly changing exhibitions.

Plateliai Manor Homestead. Until the end of the 18th century, Plateliai Manor was a property of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, while later, up to 1940, it used to belong to the family of Choiseul-Gouffier, French counts. In the 19th century, Sofija Tyzenhauzaitė de Choiseul-Gouffier used to live and create here, who was the first woman-author in historic Lithuania who wrote in French. Under Choiseul rule, Plateliai Manor used to be an important centre of Žemaitija’s culture, politics and economy.
Plateliai Manor Homestead of 19th century – the beginning of 20th century, being an object of architectural and landscaping value, together with the survived buildings (a threshing barn, servant’s quarters, stables, a granary and a cellar) and the park is a state-protected cultural valuable. Wooden buildings of the Manor were burnt during the World War II (in 1943). Part of these buildings are under restoration and will be adapted to meet public needs. In the building of former stables, a display of Shrovetide masks is offered, in the granary of the Manor – exposition of the Žemaitija National Park and an exhibition hall are located, in the cellar – Centre for Crafts, while in the threshing barn – the House of Culture.

Address: Šilinės g. 4, Plokščių k., Plungės r.
Web: www.zemaitijosnp.lt

Cold War Museum is located in the former Soviet Union`s complex of ballistic missile silo launch. These missiles, together with the nearby terrestrial platforms of analogue missile launching, had created a common Soviet nuclear armament group in Lithuania, which was able to destroy all the Europe.
Today, this secret object is open to the visitors. Former missile and the internal apparatus control facility are equipped with a historical exposition telling about the five decades of the Cold War – one of the most famous and most dangerous military conflicts in human history.

The Platform is built on the western shore of the Lake. It overlooks one of the most beautiful panoramas of Lake Plateliai and its surroundings: you can enjoy Pilies, Veršių, Pliksalė islands, the Šventorkalnis peninsula and the eastern shore of the Lake.

Plateliai is one of the most beautiful Žemaitija’s towns with the most famous past. It is situated on the western shore of Lake Plateliai, in the Žemaitija National Park. In historical sources this town started to be mentioned from the 15th century. At that time, Plateliai Manor, the settlement and the church stood on the Šventorkalnis peninsula, while at the end of 17th century they moved to the current location. In 1792, Plateliai was granted the Magdeburg rights and obtained a coat of arms.
Plateliai is an interesting town because of its planned structure with a central square, characteristic of Žemaitija towns, St Peter and Paul church and the Manor.
About 1000 of residents live here. Another objects are: the Žemaitija National Park Administration, the Visitor Centre, the elderate, a post office, an ambulatory, a drugstore, a petrol station, several stores and cafes, several rural tourism farmsteads and a yacht club.

In the centre of the town, a shrine with a sculpture of St Florian stands, as well as the monuments in memory of the First Decade of Lithuanian Independence (1918-1928), Lithuanian Freedom Army (1941-1944-1953) and Balys Korza, a martyr of Rainiai tragedy.

It is one of the oldest Lithuania’s shrines – a wooden church of squared timber built in 1744. Next to it, a wooden bell tower has been standing since the 19th century. Many old paintings, liturgical garments and accessories have survived and are stored here. Part of them have been recognized as monuments of art. In the churchyard, Marie Choiseul-Gouffier, one of the latest owners of Plateliai Manor, and her brother Gabriel Choiseul-Gouffier are buried.

This Lake is the largest and deepest Žemaitija’s lake famous for its natural, cultural and landscape value. Even depths of this Lake are special: unique geological formations have been discovered here, changing understanding about formation of the entire Žemaitija Upland. The name of this Lake was mentioned first in the Lithuanian Metrics in 15th century. Its area is 1205 ha, average depth 10.5 m, the deepest point – about 50 m. 17 rivulets are tributaries to the Lake, while the Babrungas river rises here.
There are 7 islands on the Lake: Pilies, Veršių, Pliksalė, Briedsalė, Ubagsalė, Gaidsalė and the smallest among them Šončelis island. All islands of the Lake and Kreiviškiai and Auksalė peninsulas are state-protected monuments of nature or objects of natural heritage.
Lake Plateliai stands out by a unique cultural heritage as well. A castle that used to belong to Lithuanian Dukes, stood even in 15th century already. It was connected with the Šventorkalnis peninsula via a wooden bridge. The bridge poles, Pilies island and Šventorkalnis peninsula (Plateliai Manor location) have been granted the status of cultural valuables.
Here, beside abundant usual fishes, salmon family fishes are breeding as well – vendace and lake whitefish that lived here even in the post-glacial period.