Užutrakis manor near Trakai

The very impressive XIX century manor overlooking the Galve lake in Trakai is a must-see when you are visiting Lithuania. Luckily, it is located just around 40 km from the capital Vilnius, which gives you no excuses to skip this route. On the other shore of the Galve lake there is the famous Trakai castle, the previous capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania before at the times of the Great Duke Gediminas moved the metropolis to Vilnius. 

The park was created by the famous architect Édouard François André

Historicism with elements of neorenaissance and neoclassicism. Built according to the project of the Polish architect Józef Huss, interiors were decorated in the style of the early French clacissism of Louis the XVI. The palace was surrounded by an exquisite water park - which included over 20 decorative ponds. It was created by the landscape architect Édouard François André who has made three more parks in Lithuania and was a famous architect and horticulturalist in the West. His works include Parc des Buttes Chaumont and the Tuileries Garden. The manor can be reached by land, however, this road was used only for agrarian purposes. That road was even called ´´The Potatoe way``. Count Tyszkiewitcz family was using only the water way to reach the manor and the rest of the town.

There are 7! types of bats living in the park who spend the summer in special housing created for them, just like birds. The territory is bustling with animals such as deers, frogs, birds, foxes and otters.

                                                                        The Manor under snow

During the Soviet occupation, the manor was nationalized, during war it belonged to German occupational government. After the II World War the palace was turned into a sanatorium for high profile KGB officials, later into a pioneer camp. That was the most devastating times for the manor as it got severely damaged. The original planning was ruined, the park got abandoned. Nowadays, it is being restored, park is getting back new sculptures or the old restored ones.

                                                                               

                                                                                 The Trakai Castle


Tip for visitors: don´t miss the chance to enjoy the view of the manor from the boat.






Photo credits:
Wikipedia
Laimonas Ciūnys
We love Lithuania Facebook page
References:
https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/U%C5%BEutrakio_dvaras
http://www.seniejitrakai.lt/uzutrakio-dvaro-sodyba-2/
http://www.perpasauli.lt/lietuva/labiausiai-intriguojancios-uzutrakio-dvaro-sodybos-paslaptys.d?id=64434688
http://www.seniejitrakai.lt/assets/PDF/12.pdf
http://www.seniejitrakai.lt/u-utrakio-grafai-ti-kevi-iai/
http://www.turistopasaulis.lt/uzutrakio-dvaras/#.VaIxS_mqpBc
Rytu Lietuva (monography)
http://www.trakai-visit.lt/lt/pazintis-su-uzutrakiu
http://manogardenstories.blogspot.com/2012/10/uzutrakio-dvaro-parkas.html