Babtynas Manor

The Beginning

Babtynas Manor was founded in 16th century by Šiukštos and is located on the right bank of Nevėžis river, about 2 km southwest from Babtai town. Later the manor belonged to Andrius Vilimavičius and Jokūbas Sauginavičius.

Since 1697 for a century the estate was ruled by the Prozoras family. Before them the manor house and other buildings were wooden. Only under the rule of Prozorai, around 1730 brick buildings began.  

Babtynas became a representative estate. The manor house was grand, with a two-story pediment, balconies on the second floor, 28 rooms, and a defensive tower. At the same time the treasury building was built. 

In 1797, Babtynas together with the village of Sitkūnai was sold to Burhard von Korf. Soon after that, the estate was purchased by the Dukes of Giedraičiai, who ruled it until 1830.

Tiškevičiai Family

Then the manor was bought by Counts Benediktas Emanuelis and Vanda Tiškevičiai, who got married in 1820. The new owner was the marshal of the nobility of the province (1846 - 1849). After the defeated uprising of 1863, the Count retreated to Paris and died there in 1866, leaving no male heir.

One of his daughters, Marija Tiškevičiūtė in 1852 married Mykolas Tiškevičius and had a son Benediktas Henrikas.

In the third quarter of the century Tiškeviciai built an eclectic manor. In the second half of 19th century, there were 16 buildings in the estate. The Tiškevičiai family ruled here until the First World War. 

The Last Masters

The last owner of the manor was General Vladas Nagevičius. He lived here since 1922 and had ownership until 1944. Under his care the manor was famous for its spacious stables and breeding horses.

Vladas wife Veronika was responsible for managing the entire farm. She tried to revive old traditions, adapting them to the rhythm of that time. The manor was also famous for Joninės celebrations (St. John's Day) when the intelligentsia of Kaunas and even the heads of state gathered. Often Babtynas held banquets in honor of state officials and foreign guests.

The manor's golden days ended with the outbreak of World War II. After the war, an office of the collective farm and apartment buildings were established there.

Revival of the Manor

Since 1999 a new phase for the Babtynas (Žemaitkiemis) manor began. Only 4 of the 20 buildings survived. The new owner Mindaugas Šventoraitis, tidied up the manor little by little. After reconstruction the manor house has been adapted again for living, with 15 rooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, banquet hall - concert hall, picture gallery, game room - chess room, library. All the rooms have names, some are baptized for historical reasons, others named after friends or owners' children.

Many cultural and artistic events take place in the manor, such as concerts, performances, various creative evenings, holidays, artists' plein airs. 

Famous Lithuanian film director Algimantas Puipa staged his artistic film "Fortress of Sleeping Butterflies" at the manor. Also since 2003 concerts of the Pažaislis Music Festival have been held here. 

The owner, restores the buildings and surrounding area according to the surviving iconographic material. Not only the buildings are being restored, but also the gardens, flower beds, avenue of trees, chapel pillars.