Ukmergė

Ukmergė is a town in Aukštaitija, the northern region of Lithuania. It has light industry and in 2023 had a population of 21,000.

Understand

Ukmergė was first mentioned in 1225 as "Vilkmergė". This might mean "farm girl" or "she-wolf" - the eponymous brewery and football team somehow prefer the latter explanation. It had a dozen different spellings and the present "Ukmergė" was adopted at Lithuanian independence in 1918. It stands in slightly rolling farmland with no natural boundaries - its river is small - and for centuries has suffered the standard Lithuanian toll of warfare, plague, massacres and deportations. Its traditional wooden buildings burned again and again; with the benefit of hindsight it was probably a mistake to establish a match factory.

Local industries today are reinforced concrete, metal-working, timber, furniture and textiles. Although the population is stable, Ukmergė town council are anxious about sustaining it, and would like to attract workers and settlers who promise to be fertile.

Get in

Ukmergė is 73 km north of Vilnius on Highway E272, and 68 km northeast of Kaunas on A6 / E262. Either will take an hour to drive.

Buses from Vilnius run roughly hourly, taking 65 min. They continue north to Panevėžys then fan out to Šiauliai, Mažeikiai or Biržai.

Buses from Kaunas run every hour or two, taking 90 min and mostly continuing east to Visaginas or Rokiškis.

The main bus lines are Toks and Kautra. For timetables and fares see Autobusubilieta.

1 Autobusų stotis is the bus station, 2 km east of the centre. It's reasonably clean with a supermarket next door but no cafes.

Get around

The town's limited sights are within walking distance, but you need wheels to explore further out.

See

• 1 Church of the Holy Trinity was built in 1860 in Byzantine style. It's open Tu-F 16:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-11:00, Su 07:00-11:30.
• 2 Piliakalnis is a green mound by the riverside, all that remains of Vilkmergė Castle. It was only ever an earthwork topped by a wooden stockade, much battered in the 14th century.
• Ukmergė Regional Museum (Ukmergės kraštotyros muziejus), Kęstučio a 9 (foot of Piliakalnis), ☏ +370 340 63957. W-Sa 10:00-18:00, Su 10:00-17:00. Exposition of local history. Adult €2, conc or child €1. (updated Aug 2024)
• 3 Church of Peter and Paul on Bažnyčios g was built in 1818 but rebuilt and re-oriented in 1931. It's open evenings, 17:00-19:30.
• Church of the Lady Intercessor (Švč Panelės Užtarėjos cerkvė) on Paupio g by the riverside is Orthodox. It's closed in 2024.
• 4 Resurrection Church is a cute little wooden Orthodox church, well camouflaged in the trees along Kareivinių g.
• Vepriai village 18 km southwest has another museum and castle mound. Somewhere beneath it are the traces of an 8-km-diameter crater, formed 150-160 million years ago by the impact of a 300-m asteroid.
• Siesikai 22 km west has the Church of St Bartholomew, built in 1537. The castle 1 km east of town is 16th century but was rebuilt as a neoclassical mansion from 1820; its been closed for restoration for decades.
• Berzgainiai 27 km east of Ukmergė has another castle earthwork.

Do

Piliakalnis the castle mound

• Tolerance Centre is a cultural centre, in a former Jewish boys school at Vasario 16-osios g 11.
• Šventoji the river through town is a linear park with grassy play areas.
• Fitness: Iron Gym is at Kauno g 16 in town centre.
• Ukmergės baseinas the swimming pool is temporarily closed in 2024.
• Football: FKS Ukmergė play soccer in LFF II lyga, the third tier, at the central stadium east edge of town. Head to Vilnius or Kaunas for a top-tier game. The playing season is April-October.

Buy

Lots of stores along the principal roads. Lidl next to the bus station is open daily 07:00-22:00.

Eat

Central along the main street are Vilkmergė, Apetito Pizza, Big Stone restorans (see Sleep), Food Truck Diode, Fresh Taste Bistro and Greita.

Drink

• Pubs in town centre are Aš būsiu čia and Piliakalnio baras.
• Brewery: Vilkmerges alus is 5 km south of town. No tours.

Sleep

Resurrection Church

• Big Stone Hotel, Kauno g 5 (next to Holy Trinity Church), ☏ +370 677 73284. Clean, comfy and central. B&B double €80. (updated Aug 2024)
• Laurentroom are inexpensive self-catering apartments at Kauno g 30 and at Deltuvos g 10.
• 1 Kurėnų Užeiga, Ežero g 5, Kurėnai, ☏ +370 681 28733. 9 km north of town, it's more like a highway service area but with rooms and a lakeside restaurant. B&B double €50. (updated Aug 2024)

Connect

As of August 2024, Ukmergė and its approach roads have 4G from Bite and Telia, and 5G from Tele2.

Go next

• Panevėžys is industrial but has several museums, an art gallery and a cathedral.
• Kaunas is mostly modern, but with an old centre and wartime fortifications.
• Vilnius has a charming city centre in Baroque style.