Jews settled in Kėdainiai in the first half of the 17th century. They were proud of the fact that they were protected by the owners of the town, and were not subject to the jurisdiction of the town. In the 18th century, the Jewish Kahal was one of the greatest and most influential in Žemaitija. The future Gaon of Vilnius Elijahu studied Talmud in Kėdainiai. During the interwar period, Jews were the owners of 150 small companies and stores, they managed a bank, had schools, homes for the elder and orphanages, as well as volunteer firefighter and football teams. At the end of the 19th century, Jews comprised more than 60 percent of the entre population. Three former Jewish synagogues, tent festival Sukot house, and buildings that belonged to other Jews remain here. We remember, cherish, promote and talk about the Jewish community legacy. Duration 2 hours. After the tour, we propose Jewish dish degustation in the restaurant “Smilga”.
Kėdainiai Old Town is a State protected urban monument, one of the seven remaining Old Towns in Lithuania. The town was planned rationally since the end of the 16th century by noblemen Kiškos and Radvilas. Here you will find the old road network and a variety of architectural forms: buildings with Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Classicism features. During the tour, you will learn about the most valuable and interesting object of Old Town. Duration 1–1.5 hours.
