About the Church
The church of St John the Baptist at Pakruojis is an impressive shrine in the Historicism style, whose principal features reflect elements of Romanesque Revival architecture. Standing on the right bank of the Kruoja, this church has long been an important part of the small town of Pakruojis.
The first church here was built as early as the 17th century, though the exact year is unclear – some sources mention 1613, others 1630. It is known, however, that in 1750 a new wooden church marked the present site, built by Jonas Zabiela, owner of the Pakruojis manor, after the previous building had burnt down. This church had a cruciform plan with two chapels and as many as six altars. J. Zabiela, generous to his parish, granted the church 3,000 Polish gulden from his own estate.
In the 19th century a school operated in the parish, and local residents sought permission to build a new church for a long time, receiving it only in 1885. On the initiative of parish priest St. Tomkevičius, the present masonry church rose in 1887, its building materials supplied by the Ropas, owners of the manor. The church was consecrated in 1890 by Bishop Mečislovas Paliulionis.
The interior of the church is three-aisled, decorated with three Neo-Baroque altars. Particular attention is deserved by the organ, built in the early 20th century by the renowned Kaunas organ maker Jonas Garalevičius. This organ has 14 stops and a Romanesque Revival case. Atop a tall panelled plinth stand three towerlets of almost equal size, the middle one adorned with a triangular pediment. Semicircular arched windows and decorative niches give this structure its distinctiveness.
The facade of the church is likewise impressive: twin-towered, with a triangular pediment and a round window. A fence of masonry pillars and iron railings encircles the churchyard, where several notable figures are buried, among them the writer and long-serving parish priest Mikalojus Šeižys-Dagilėlis.
The church of St John the Baptist at Pakruojis is not only a spiritual centre but also a significant cultural asset, preserving historical, architectural and spiritual treasures. Its history bears witness to the strength and faith of the local community, enduring through the centuries despite various challenges.
The first church here was built as early as the 17th century, though the exact year is unclear – some sources mention 1613, others 1630. It is known, however, that in 1750 a new wooden church marked the present site, built by Jonas Zabiela, owner of the Pakruojis manor, after the previous building had burnt down. This church had a cruciform plan with two chapels and as many as six altars. J. Zabiela, generous to his parish, granted the church 3,000 Polish gulden from his own estate.
In the 19th century a school operated in the parish, and local residents sought permission to build a new church for a long time, receiving it only in 1885. On the initiative of parish priest St. Tomkevičius, the present masonry church rose in 1887, its building materials supplied by the Ropas, owners of the manor. The church was consecrated in 1890 by Bishop Mečislovas Paliulionis.
The interior of the church is three-aisled, decorated with three Neo-Baroque altars. Particular attention is deserved by the organ, built in the early 20th century by the renowned Kaunas organ maker Jonas Garalevičius. This organ has 14 stops and a Romanesque Revival case. Atop a tall panelled plinth stand three towerlets of almost equal size, the middle one adorned with a triangular pediment. Semicircular arched windows and decorative niches give this structure its distinctiveness.
The facade of the church is likewise impressive: twin-towered, with a triangular pediment and a round window. A fence of masonry pillars and iron railings encircles the churchyard, where several notable figures are buried, among them the writer and long-serving parish priest Mikalojus Šeižys-Dagilėlis.
The church of St John the Baptist at Pakruojis is not only a spiritual centre but also a significant cultural asset, preserving historical, architectural and spiritual treasures. Its history bears witness to the strength and faith of the local community, enduring through the centuries despite various challenges.
Gallery and Resources
Archive captions are shown in Lithuanian.
Negatyve įamžintas Pakruojo Šv. Jono Krikštytojo bažnyčia.
Negatyve įamžintas Pakruojo Šv. Jono Krikštytojo bažnyčia.
Pakruojo Šv. Jono Krikštytojo bažnyčios centrinio altoriaus paveikslas.