Druskininkai
3 km
15 min
9 min
9 min
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Druskininkai was first mentioned in historical sources in 1596. It’s written that the village of Druskininkai was handed over to the lord of Pervalkas Manor, Mr. Voropay. Already in those days, the inhabitants of the village had noticed the healing powers of its salty springs and thus healed their wounded legs. There’s even information about a dynasty of folk doctors named Sūručiai (Sūrmiesčiai, Suraučiai). Even the word druskininkas means a person engaged in the production and sale of salt.
In 1794, Druskininkai was named a healing location after the King of Poland, Stanislavas Augustas Poniatovskis (Stanisław August Poniatowski), visited and declared its status in a decree. In 1837, Tsar Nikolajus I (Nicholas I) granted a permit for the development of a resort that was already famous for its mud and mineral baths, and by the end of the 19th century the town was known even outside the Russian Empire. During the First World War the resort was severely damaged and was restored in 1930. During the interwar period, the number of people who were treated here grew rapidly. Many new villas were built, and those built previously were repaired.
There are several different versions relating the birthday of this villa, which is one of the most architecturally valuable buildings in Druskininkai. Some researchers date it back to the 1920s, whilst others claim that it originated at the end of the 19th century or the period just before the First World War. It’s not entirely clear exactly who has built the villa Radium, although documents and other sources mention the surname Grudzinskai. It’s possible that Antanas Grudzinskas, the Burgomaster of Druskininkai and a nobleman of the Grodno Governorate, lived in a stone house (of which the resort had only a few until the Soviet occupation) near the villa Radium, which was built slightly later.
The origins of the name of the villa is also a mystery. It’s said the name was borrowed from a chemical element, as in 1909 the press announced that radium was found in the town’s waters. Does that sound romantic to you? It’s worth recalling that at the time it has only been a decade since the discovery of the element, which in turn is named after the French word meaning radius.
This villa is the size of a small manor, has a gabled roof, is made of logs and is covered with panelling. The volume of the complex is facilitated by playful towers, and the eye is immediately drawn to its ornaments.
Like many other charming romantic villas in Druskininkai, this one too was significantly damaged during the years of Soviet occupation when it lost its original function, and the exquisite details of its interior disappeared. There was a laboratory belonging to a healing site at the former villa. In 2009, holidaymakers entered the building once again.
Druskininkai was first mentioned in historical sources in 1596. It’s written that the village of Druskininkai was handed over to the lord of Pervalkas Manor, Mr. Voropay. Already in those days, the inhabitants of the village had noticed the healing powers of its salty springs and thus healed their wounded legs. There’s even information about a dynasty of folk doctors named Sūručiai (Sūrmiesčiai, Suraučiai). Even the word druskininkas means a person engaged in the production and sale of salt.
In 1794, Druskininkai was named a healing location after the King of Poland, Stanislavas Augustas Poniatovskis (Stanisław August Poniatowski), visited and declared its status in a decree. In 1837, Tsar Nikolajus I (Nicholas I) granted a permit for the development of a resort that was already famous for its mud and mineral baths, and by the end of the 19th century the town was known even outside the Russian Empire. During the First World War the resort was severely damaged and was restored in 1930. During the interwar period, the number of people who were treated here grew rapidly. Many new villas were built, and those built previously were repaired.
There are several different versions relating the birthday of this villa, which is one of the most architecturally valuable buildings in Druskininkai. Some researchers date it back to the 1920s, whilst others claim that it originated at the end of the 19th century or the period just before the First World War. It’s not entirely clear exactly who has built the villa Radium, although documents and other sources mention the surname Grudzinskai. It’s possible that Antanas Grudzinskas, the Burgomaster of Druskininkai and a nobleman of the Grodno Governorate, lived in a stone house (of which the resort had only a few until the Soviet occupation) near the villa Radium, which was built slightly later.
The origins of the name of the villa is also a mystery. It’s said the name was borrowed from a chemical element, as in 1909 the press announced that radium was found in the town’s waters. Does that sound romantic to you? It’s worth recalling that at the time it has only been a decade since the discovery of the element, which in turn is named after the French word meaning radius.
This villa is the size of a small manor, has a gabled roof, is made of logs and is covered with panelling. The volume of the complex is facilitated by playful towers, and the eye is immediately drawn to its ornaments.
Like many other charming romantic villas in Druskininkai, this one too was significantly damaged during the years of Soviet occupation when it lost its original function, and the exquisite details of its interior disappeared. There was a laboratory belonging to a healing site at the former villa. In 2009, holidaymakers entered the building once again.
