By Foot
[[#ex]]
"Sightseeing tour around the Old Town: the town of six nations and six confessions"
Kėdainiai Old Town is the national urban monument protected by the State. It is one of the seven remaining Old Towns in Lithuania. For 300 years the town belonged to the powerful noble family of Radvilas. Aiming to turn Kėdainiai into a thriving town, the centre of commerce and education, dukes Radvilas invited merchants and craftsmen to settle in there. Thom the first half of the XVIIth century, in Kėdainiai there lived Poles, Jews, Ruthenians and Scots along with Lithuanians. You will see the archaic street layout, ancient market squares, three former Jewish synagogues, a booth used for the festival of "Sukot", a monument to the Righteous among the Nations, Jewish residential houses, Scottish merchant houses, a town hall, Evangelical Reformed Church (XVIIth century) with the Mausoleum of Dukes Radvilas, the Centre of the Lithuanian Crafts, monument to Dukes Radvilas, Gymnasium Illustre (XVIIth century), a gothic St George's Church (XVth century), a wooden St Joseph's Church (1766), Big Summer Synagogue (currently an Art School), the Small Winter Synagogue, a synagogue in Smilgos Street (currently an Art School) . During the tour, you will learn about the most heritage objects of the Old Town and the history of Kėdainiai. Duration 1–1.5 hours. It is possible to include a visit to the Museum of Wooden Scolptures of Vytautas Ulevičius, the Museum of Kėdainiai Region and the Multicultural Centre (display to the Jewish history).
"Ich - keidaner. Jewish cultural heritage in Kėdainiai“
Jews settled in Kėdainiai in the first half of the 17th century. They were proud of the fact that they were protected by the owners of the town, and were not subject to the jurisdiction of the town. In the 18th century, the Jewish Kahal was one of the greatest and most influential in Žemaitija. The future Gaon of Vilnius Elijahu studied Talmud in Kėdainiai. During the interwar period, Jews were the owners of 150 small companies and stores, they managed a bank, had schools, homes for the elder and orphanages, as well as volunteer firefighter and football teams. At the end of the 19th century, Jews comprised more than 60 percent of the entire population. Three former Jewish synagogues, a house of the festival Sukot, and buildings that belonged to the Jewish community remain here. We remember and cherish the Jewish community legacy. Duration 2 hours. After the tour, we propose the degustation of the Jewish meals in the restaurant "Smilga".
"The Town of Dukes Radvilas"
Kėdainiai belonged to the famous family of Lithuanian Dukes Radvilas for around 290 years. During the rule of Radvilas, Kėdainiai was a cultural and religious centre (there were several churches, a gymnasium and a printing house). The Evangelical Reformed Church is the necropolis of Dukes Radvilas. Members of the Radvila family are buried in its crypt, in the ornate Renaissance and Baroque sarcophagi. During the tour, you will learn about the historical signs of the noble family, which are scattered across the cosy Kėdainiai Old Town. In the restaurant "Grėjaus namas", we recommend ordering "Radvilas stew" made according to a recipe from the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (recommended by a historian, dr. Rimvydas Laužikas, author of the book "Historical Lithuanian cuisine. Food and drinks in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania"). Duration 1.5 hours
"Kėdainiai – the little Scotland"
We do not have castles, mountains and fjords typical for Scotland, however, since the 17th century until the second half of the 18th century, one of the largest Scottish communities in the Baltic region established itself in Kėdainiai. During the tour, you will learn how the Scots found their Promised Land in Kėdainiai and what Scottish buildings and symbols still remain in the Old Town. We recommend ordering a Scottish dish – haggis in the restaurant "Grėjaus namas"! Duration 1–1.5 hours.
"Visiting merchant Keidangen"
As the legend goes, the town was named after a rich merchant Keidangenas who arrived there and established a small village of fishermen and farmers. A tour for the small visitors of our Old Town. What do the Protestants protest against? ! Duration 1 hour.
[[#ex]]