Bliuviškių village cemetery, area 0,04 ha. In 2008, on the initiative of the Bliuviškių Community Centre, a cross was erected to commemorate the cemetery site. Bliuviškiai is the oldest village of Griškabūdis eldership, mentioned in writings in 1683, at that time it belonged to the Kudirka Naumiescis branch.

In 1935, a cross was erected, called the Damelis Cross. It was restored in 2002 by folk artist Simonas Kudirka.

Jonas Totoraitis (1872-1941) - priest, historian, public figure, professor at Vytautas Magnus University. It is known that J. Totoraitis distributed banned Lithuanian press, accumulated knowledge of the history of his native land throughout his life, researched it, and in 1938 published the first volume of the History of Suvalkija in Sūduva. No homestead structures have survived in his birthplace, but a bench has been built from the foundation stones found at the memorial stone in memory of Jonas Totoraičius.

In the Sparviniai district house (Bliuviškiai village), in the house rebuilt by the Soviet deportee Venis, Bliuviškiai district was located from 1950 to 1959. The primary school opened in 1962. The teacher was A. Patašienė, who used to teach four classes alone, with about 40 pupils. In 1988, the school underwent a major renovation. From 2003 to 2006, the primary school functioned as a branch of the Griškabūdis secondary school. Since 2005, the Bliuviškių Community Centre has been established.

A memorial stone is erected in front of the building in memory of Apolinaras Juozas Povilaičius, a defender of Lithuanian freedom, who died on 13 January 1991. Authors A. Bilinskas and V. Paukštys.

Apolinaras Juozas Povilaitis (1937 - 1991) - Lithuanian freedom fighter, victim of January 13th. Since 1980 he has worked at the Institute of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, at the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. Since 1988 he has been actively involved in Sąjūdis events. In the beginning of January 1991 he was on guard at the Lithuanian Radio and Television building, and on 12-13 days - at the Vilnius Television Tower, where he was shot dead by USSR paratroopers. Posthumous awards: the Grand Cross of the Order of the Vytis Cross (1991), the January 13th Commemorative Medal (1992).

People used to say that horses would start to "clip" their ears as they passed this place, and run faster without being urged. Locals used to avoid going or riding past this place.

Žalgirio Rinktinė - a Lithuanian partisan detachment, operating in the north-west of Suvalkija: parts of Šakiai, Vilkaviskis, Marijampolė and Kaunas counties, belonged to Tauras District, this army has had 4 companies. Established in May 1945 (until February 1946 it was called the Stirna detachment). In 1945-52 it fought against the Soviet occupation regime. Since December 1948, the renewed newspaper of the Tauras District Headquarters, Laisvės žvalgas (Freedom scout), was published in the territory of the district (August 1945 - February 1951).

The monument was erected by Vidas Cikana, 2007.

Structure of the radial plan with main A. Skelčio, Rygiškės, Rygiškės, Sodybų, J. Jablonskio, Ryto Streets, with an irregular rectangular plan. Market Square in the central part. The square probably dates back to the first part of the XIX century, it was mentioned that it was disorganised, untidy, unrestored, without pavements and greenery. According to the layout and development plan drawn up in 1962, a passenger pavilion was built in the southern part of the square and part of it was turned into a square.

Jonas Jablonskis (1860-1930) - a great Lithuanian linguist, pedagogue, and language standardiser. He often wrote under the pseudonym Rygiškių Jonas (Jonas from Rygiškės) after the name of his home village. J. Jablonskis' works and activities are particularly significant for the transition of Lithuanian literature from dialects to the use of the common language. Highlights of J. Jablonskis' scientific works include Grammar of the Lithuanian Language (1922), Textbook of the Lithuanian Language (1925), Linksniai ir prielinksniai (Cases and Prepositions, 1928). The linguist edited the works of writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as periodicals.

The monument was created by sculptor Romualdas Kvintas in 2012.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Lithuanian state, commemorative plaques dedicated to the Griškabūdis region volunteers and the Knights of the Cross of Vytis of the 1919-1920 independence struggle were unveiled in 2018. During the years of 1919 - 1920, the path of the Griškabūdis volunteers started in the centre of the town, in the square next to the Church of the Transfiguration of Christ. More than 70 men went to fight for their country.

A unique example of XVIII-century wooden sacral architecture, it is the only surviving relic of a polygonal classical wooden church in Lithuania.

In 1792-1796, according to the project of the Carmelite architect Juozas Vasiliauskas and under the supervision of the priest Jeronimas Šateika, he built the present wooden church and the belfry. The church was consecrated in 1800. Under the title of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

During the First World War, the bell tower and the parsonage were burnt down and the Germans took 2 bells. In 1929, the parish priest Juozas Vaičaitis renovated the church, and later in 1932-1934 he built a reinforced concrete bell tower according to the project of the engineer Antanas Bistrickas.

The church consists of a spacious octagonal volume with rectangular porch-portico, presbytery-sacristy additions and small projections for the altars. The church thus forms a cross when viewed from above. The interior of this unique building has a flat ceiling supported by four masonry Ionic columns. The octagonal part is surrounded by a gallery. The ceilings, walls and columns are decorated with a 19th-century ceiling. The paintings of the XVII century are decorative ornamentation, emblematic compositions in harmony with the architecture and iconography of the altars.

The list of cultural heritage sites includes 18 objects of value in the church. The most important of these are:

1. Late Baroque and Rococo organ, designed in 1804 by the famous East Prussian master Georg Adam Neppert especially for the church in Griskabudis.

2. The Holy Trinity by the 18th-century Italian school painter Simon Sori.

3. Scapular painting of the St. Virgin Mary, painted in 1873 by A. Murzhinovsky.

A unique example of XVIII-century wooden sacral architecture, it is the only surviving relic of a polygonal classical wooden church in Lithuania.

In 1792-1796, according to the project of the Carmelite architect Juozas Vasiliauskas and under the supervision of the priest Jeronimas Šateika, he built the present wooden church and the belfry. The church was consecrated in 1800. Under the title of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

During the First World War, the bell tower and the parsonage were burnt down and the Germans took 2 bells. In 1929, the parish priest Juozas Vaičaitis renovated the church, and later in 1932-1934 he built a reinforced concrete bell tower according to the project of the engineer Antanas Bistrickas.

The church consists of a spacious octagonal volume with rectangular porch-portico, presbytery-sacristy additions and small projections for the altars. The church thus forms a cross when viewed from above. The interior of this unique building has a flat ceiling supported by four masonry Ionic columns. The octagonal part is surrounded by a gallery. The ceilings, walls and columns are decorated with a 19th-century ceiling. The paintings of the XVII century are decorative ornamentation, emblematic compositions in harmony with the architecture and iconography of the altars.

The list of cultural heritage sites includes 18 objects of value in the church. The most important of these are:

1. Late Baroque and Rococo organ, designed in 1804 by the famous East Prussian master Georg Adam Neppert especially for the church in Griskabudis.

2. The Holy Trinity by the 18th-century Italian school painter Simon Sori.

3. Scapular painting of the St. Virgin Mary, painted in 1873 by A. Murzhinovsky.

Since 1922, Juozas Vaičaitis (brother of the poet Pranas Vaičaitis (1881 - 1961)), was a parish priest in Griškabudis, he founded branches of Catholic organisations and collaborated in periodicals. In 1932 - 1934 he built a reinforced concrete bell tower according to the project of engineer Antanas Bistriškas. J. Vaičaitis, who pastored Griškabudis for 42 years, is buried there.

Baltramėjus Bataitis (1866 - 1894) came from a peasant family. He completed 4 grades at Marijampolė Grammar School. He entered the Seinai Seminary in 1884. He was ordained a priest on 15 June 1889, and in 1891 he was appointed vicar of Griškabūdis branch.

Juozapas (Juozas) Marma (1837 - 1913) - peasant of origin. He entered the Seinai Seminary in 1855. He was ordained a priest on 8 September 1860.In 1878, he was appointed rector of the parish of Griskabūdis, a position he held until his death. He was engaged in social activities in Griskabudis: when the branch of the "Žiburys" Society was established here in 1906, he was elected its chairman, and in 1909 he established a library - a reading room and a tea room. He was later canonized for his active pastoral work.

After the third partition of Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth in 1795, Trans-Neman area belonged to Prussia, and during the inter-war period there were many German Lutherans living in these lands. When they lived here, they not only had their own religion, but also a cemetery. The cemetery is currently inactive, covering an area of 0.16 ha.

From 1804 to 1811, Griškabudis had a Carmelite hospital, which was later replaced by a fraternity, which supported the poor with the alms of parishioners. There were no hospitals until the end of the XIX century, so treatment, care and nursing were carried out in such rural houses.

During the Soviet era, the hospital belonged to the school, where classes were held, and after the restoration of independence it was returned to the church.

From 1819 there was a parish school with 40 pupils, which burned down in 1842 and was rebuilt in 1860. After 1863, a government primary school was established, and in 1923 the construction of Griškabūdis Primary School began. In 1930-1931, 161 pupils studied in three sets, in 1947 a pro-gymnasium was opened with 170 pupils, and from that year onwards a comprehensive school chronicle was written, and from 1948 onwards the Griškabūdis Secondary School was opened. In 1969-1970, the school had 413 pupils and 24 teachers. In 1975, the school was housed in a newly built brick building.

In 1945-1950, there was a sub-division of the NKVD-MVD-MGB* Griškabūdis Valsčius and a headquarters of the Stribs (the locals called the building Baltmūris), where partisans of the Tauras District and other detainees were interrogated and detained.

The prison was housed in a wooden building in the centre of the town and in a barn nearby. For interrogation, they were brought from prison to the NKVD-MVD-MGB subdivision building. Most of the time, this happened at night. After the interrogation, the detainees were taken to Kaunas, Marijampolė, Vilnius. In the area behind the building, the remains of martyred detainees were buried or thrown into a public latrine.

*NKVD, People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs
MVD Ministry of the Interior of the Soviet Union
Operational units of the MGB's frontier army, active from October 1949 to March 1953.

After the Second World War, Lithuanian partisans of the Žalgiris Brigade were active in the vicinity of Griskabūdis. In the area behind the NKVD-MVD-MGB* sub-district building, the remains of partisans who died in Griskabūdis parish and those of detainees who were martyred in the building were buried or thrown into a public latrine. Historical and archival research of the site revealed that 29-30 bodies of partisans were buried in this area of the town.

In 1991, the burial site - the territory of the cemetery - was cleaned up and a memorial ensemble designed by Arvydas Didžiapetris was installed. In 1992, a chapel column made by Albinas Staugaitis (Kundrotas) was erected nearby.

*NKVD, People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs
MVD Ministry of the Interior of the Soviet Union
Operational units of the MGB's frontier army, active from October 1949 to March 1953.

482 members of the Soviet Rifle Corps who died in World War II are buried here. In 2012, the territory was used for an additional reburry with the remains of 15 soldiers found in the village of Kuodžiai, Šakiai municipality. The heroes of the Soviet Union Ponomarev Pavel Ivanovich (1903-1944), Shapalov Ivan Egerovich (1913-1944) are buried there.

Pranas Pùskunigis (1860 - 1946) - pedagogue, one of the most prominent promoters of traditional chordophone named kaklės and playing music with it. He was born in the village of Katiliu, in the family of Vaitiekas, also known as Puskunigiai. At the age of nine, he received kanklės from his uncle Simon Katilius and never parted with the chordophone again. He founded kanklės ensembles, and in 1925-40 participated in the activities of the Lithuanian Kanklės Society. In 1930 he opened a school of kanklės music, where he himself taught. He collected folk songs and music, and wrote three manuals on playing kanklės. He has composed and arranged works for cancellos and cancan ensembles. P. Puskunigis is buried in the Skriaudžiai cemetery, and at his request, one of the canisters was placed in the coffin.

Monumental stone erected during the Young Kanklės-players' Camp, by. A. Bilinskas.

Juozas Bacevičius (1918 - 1995) was born in Karčrūdė, Jankai district, Šakiai County, later lived in Margauskai village. In Griškabūdis district in 1979, J. Bacevičius, together with the printer Vytautas Andzulis, came up with the idea to establish an illegal underground printing house "ab" and to use the printed word to oppose the Sovietisation and atheisation of the people of occupied Lithuania.

No structures survived the fire.

Thanks to the care of priest Vincas Vizgirda and his funds earned in USA, during the period of 1915-196 the present wooden church of St. Guardian Angels has been built. Pranas Račiūnas, who pastored the church from 1970 to 1989 (he was imprisoned for 16 years), painted the church, renovated the parsonage, and installed a small ethnographic museum in the barn.

The church is of vernacular architectural form, rectangular in plan, single-aisled, with side extensions. In the churchyard there is a two-tiered wooden bell tower with the height of the church. The old parsonage buildings with an architecturally valuable barn have been preserved next to the church. Cultural treasures in the church: paintings "St. Barbara" and "John Nepomucene", the sculpture "Crucified", and the arnot.

Thanks to the care of priest Vincas Vizgirda and his funds earned in USA, during the period of 1915-196 the present wooden church of St. Guardian Angels has been built. Pranas Račiūnas, who pastored the church from 1970 to 1989 (he was imprisoned for 16 years), painted the church, renovated the parsonage, and installed a small ethnographic museum in the barn.

The church is of vernacular architectural form, rectangular in plan, single-aisled, with side extensions. In the churchyard there is a two-tiered wooden bell tower with the height of the church. The old parsonage buildings with an architecturally valuable barn have been preserved next to the church. Cultural treasures in the church: paintings "St. Barbara" and "John Nepomucene", the sculpture "Crucified", and the arnot.

During the years of 1979 – 1989 pranas Račiūnas renovated the rectory. The renovated premises are now a Parish House, with a burial hall.

The Paluobiai parsonage barn is a symbol of the resurrection of our nation, it was built by the future Bishop of Vilkaviskis and the first pastor of the Paluobiai parish, Vincentas Vizgirda, and the 41st issue of "Ausra" (dawn) was prepared by the other Zanavikos bright person - Rev. Pranas Račiūnas.

In 2009, a cross was erected in the churchyard of the church in memory of the exiles, designed by V. Eimanavičius.

Jonas Oleka-Smauglys (b. 1924) Pašilupių village. Jankai district, 1946-06-14 was killed near Novaraitis, together with A. Šileika while. breaking out of the encirclement at Kuro village.

Antanas Mockevičius-Skydas (born 1923) partisan since 1945. 36th Company of Žalgiris National Unit. Died 949-03-14 near Viliušiai village. Jankų district.

Brother Juozas Mockevičius - Voverė, Drugys, Vytenis (born 1920) Paluobiai village, Griškabūdis district. Partisan since autumn 1944. Commander of the 36th Company of Žalgiris National Unit.

Gražina Matusevičiūtė (Matūnaitė) - Snaigė (b. 1925) Eiciūnai village. Paežerėliai district. Partisan since 1944. Teacher from Lekėčiai. Died on 1948-02-19 in a hiding place in the forest between Agurkiskė and Kleviniai villages of Lukšiai district, together with her brother Algimantas and J. Mockevičius-Vovere.

Juozas Bacevičius (1918 - 1995) - Lithuanian resistance activist against the Soviet occupation regime. During the period of 1954 - 1988 - Chairman of the parish committee of Paluobiai (Šakiai district). With priests J. Račiūnas, S. Tamkevičius, J. Zdebskis produced and distributed anti-Soviet self-published press. during 1980-1990 with V. Andziulis - worked in the secret "ab" printing house - a publishing house in Sali near Kaunas.

According to historical sources, the Paluobiai Primary School was founded in 1919, and since 1951 it has been a seven-year school, then an eight-year school and a nine-year school. Since 1993, it is the Paluobiai Primary School. Later it was renamed Paluobiai School - multifunctional centre, which in 2018 became a department of Griškabūdis Gymnasium.

Algimantas Maksvytis' cap windmill burnt down in 1936, and when the master found out about it, he came and built a new one in 1938. Electricity was introduced in 1961. The mill is located on the western edge of the settlement. It is an octagonal regular truncated pyramid with a complex cap which is inverted to the direction of the wind. The mill is 3.5 storeys high, with a total height of 14.37 m (without wings).

On the initiative of Pranas Černiauskas, a new chapel was erected in 1989 on the site of the old one, which was restored in 2020 by his son-in-law Vytautas Kaunas, and Jonas Kaminskas and his children renovated the fence around the former one.

The crosswas erected in 2007 on the initiative of young kanklės-players and local residents. Author A. Kaukas and G. Jėčys.

Antanas Tatarė (1805 - 1889) Lithuanian prose writer, pedagogue, priest, the first Lithuanian children's prose book author. He published a collection of tales and short stories, "Sermons of Wisdom and Truth" (1851). He founded schools in Lukšiai and Sintautai. When nobody in Sūdava wrote in Lithuanian language, he wrote religious and secular books in Lithuanian. During the uprising of 1830-31 he went to Prussia, on his return he changed his surname to Tatarės (his father was Totoraitis). During the 1863 Uprising he was exiled to the Penza Governorate without the right to return to Lithuania. He died in Lomza (Poland) in 1889, his grave has not survived. In 1979-1995 a museum was opened in his native homestead, the exhibits of which were later moved to Sintautas. No structures of the homestead have survived, only the well remains.

The Jablonskis family moved from the village of Kubilėliai (near Kudirkos Naumiestis) to the village of Rygiškės in 1877, when Jonas was 17 years old. Here, as a gymnast, a student and a teacher, he was always returning for holidays: reading, writing, playing the violin, helping his parents with farm work.

A preserved dwelling house, built according to the features of a farmer's hut typical of the Zanavik ethnic region in the late XIX - early XX century. A memorial museum at one end of the house houses scientific works and photographs of the linguist's family and relatives. A barn still remains standing. There is an oak tree in the courtyard, known as the Rygiškiai Jonas oak. J. Jablonskis homestead and all its buildings are a state-protected object of cultural heritage.

The Jablonskis family moved from the village of Kubilėliai (near Kudirkos Naumiestis) to the village of Rygiškės in 1877, when Jonas was 17 years old. Here, as a gymnast, a student and a teacher, he was always returning for holidays: reading, writing, playing the violin, helping his parents with farm work.

A preserved dwelling house, built according to the features of a farmer's hut typical of the Zanavik ethnic region in the late XIX - early XX century. A memorial museum at one end of the house houses scientific works and photographs of the linguist's family and relatives. A barn still remains standing. There is an oak tree in the courtyard, known as the Rygiškiai Jonas oak. J. Jablonskis homestead and all its buildings are a state-protected object of cultural heritage.

The Rygiškės village cemetery covers an area of 0.05 hectares on the bank of the Nava River, in the field of farmer Rimošaitis. Soldiers who died in the First World War and the inhabitants of Rygiškės village were buried there. Last person to be burried in the cemetary was burried in 1939. A memorial is erected to commemorate the people buried there in 1990.

The cross was erected on the initiative of the partisans' sister Bronė and her children and grandchildren. Volunteer soldier Petras Grikietis (1895 - 1918), partisan soldier Feliksas Mačiulaitis - Vyturys (1924 - 1946) fought for independence, and after his death his sister and brother, partisan soldier, prisoner of the Gulag, Petras Mačiulaitis - Vytautas, Perlas (1923 - 1993), joined the ranks. The mother of the Partisans - Lithuanian exile Petronėlė Mačiulaitienė (1888-1961).

The first mention of Šedvygai village was in 1697-1706, in the Sintautai parish acts. In 1923, Šedvygai had 32 farms and 221 inhabitants. As the village was the largest in the area at the time of its settlement, it had its own cemetery. According to the old inhabitants of Šedvygai village, the cemetery was not only a burial place for local people, but it is also known to have been the burial place for the soldiers of the retreating Napoleon army who died of disease and exhaustion in 1812-1813. The cemetery was used for burials until the 1960s.

Bronius Balsevičius - Gauras, Gaurė (born 1926) Šedvygai village. Griškabūdis district. Partisan since 1944. Žalgiris National Unit, Vytis company.

Bronius Vaičaitis - Pipiras (born 1927) Valiai village. Jankų district. Partisan since autumn 1944.

Jonas Kaminskas - Ūkininkas (born 1896) Šedvygi village Griškabūdis district. Two partisan hiding places were set up in Kaminski's house. On 22 September 1946, while fighting with the soldiers of the 298th regiment of the MVD internal army, who surrounded them, and with the Chekists and the Stribs of the Šakiai district division of the MVD, the partisans were killed in the house of Jonas Kaminskis. J. Kaminskas was taken to the Griškabūdis NKVD headquarters, where he died. He was recognised as a volunteer soldier on 24 June 1999.

The chapel was built and consecrated in 1938 - 1939, incluing the St. John Bosko painting. The area was fenced and planted with birch trees. The chapel was visited by the faithful from the villages of Šukėtai, Vinkšnupiai and Patamošupiai and their surroundings. The chapel was not damaged during the war. At the beginning of the turbulent post-war period, the chapel was destroyed by the inhabitants of the surrounding area and burnt down.

The partisans are buried in the Šukėtų village cemetery.

Jonas Žalnieraitis - Strausas (born 1917) Barzdai district. Partisan since 1944. Žalgiris National Unit, Vytis company, Meška detachment. He died after falling ill in Šukėtai on 1947-05-23.

Pranas Valaitis - Nevėžis (born 1924) Šunkariai village., Lukšių district., partisan since 1944, died on 1946-11-28 in Ožkiniai village. Lukšių vlsč.

Brother Vitas Valaitis - Nemunėlis, Vyturys, Petras (born 1930), partisan since 1947, killed near Naidynė village. Lekėčiai district.

Patašinė Primary School used to be called Šukėtai Primary School. It was founded in October 1916, after the Germans gave orders to punish parents who did not allow their children to attend school. In 1952-1953 there are 2 sets of pupils in the school, one of them in Vidgiriai village and the second one in Šukėtai.

Šukėtai Primary School was located in the house of Jonas Maciukevičius. In the post-war years, the school was moved to Br. Didžbalis' farm in Šukėtai village, near the Nova creek and a large birch grove. In 1970, they moved to a new brick (standard) school building in the village of Patašinė (the school was built by the collective farm). The old school buildings have not survived.

Antanas Švedas (1858 - 1930) was a book carrier. After finishing primary school, A.Švedas, like his brother Juozas, learned to play the organ. In 1874 he became the organist of the parish of Višakio Ruda. After receiving Lithuanian books from Jonas Kudirka, a farmer in the village of Nemiriai, he began to distribute them. In 1879 he moved to Griškabūdis to work as an organist. He was friends with Jonas Jablonskis, and received "Aušra" newspapers from him, which he distributed among trusted people. He often went to Naumiestis, where he brought Lithuanian books. Books and newspapers were hidden in the organ and bell tower. On the initiative of the kanklės players, a memorial cross was erected in his birthplace to commemorate him and all the book bearers, sculptor A. Bieliukas and A. Kaukas.

*A man who transported Lithuanian books from the West during the ban on the Lithuanian press.

The cross in Zygmantas village was erected in 1988 on the initiative of local residents. The priest Vincentas Vizgirda, whose initiative and funds helped to build the Paluobiai church, came from this village.

Every year Griškabūdis attracts more and more tourists, not only from Lithuania, but also from foreign countries. The town's historic Church of the Transfiguration of Christ and the birthplace of Jonas Jablonskis attract tourists to Griškabūdis.

The virtual tour is designed to present the attractions located in the territory of Griškabūdis municipality - it is a realistic model of the selected attractions. This tour presents 44 of the municipality's attractions to the virtual user. Virtual tourists will be able to visit not only the well-known places, but also the less popular ones. We want to provide tourists with as much information as possible about the surroundings of Griškabūdis Elderly Municipality and its attractions.

The visitor will feel as if they are travelling and naturally visiting the site: they will be able to observe the surroundings from the ground in all directions, go inside the building and read about the site. The virtual tour is made up of high-resolution, high-quality photos. Information about the sites is available in Lithuanian, English and Russian languages.

Name of the project: Virtual tour of Zanavikia

Project number: ŠAKI-LEADER-6B-KV-11-3-2021

Project implemented by - Griškabūdis Community Centre
The project was financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the State Budget of the Republic of Lithuania, the Šakiai District Municipality, the Griškabūdis Community Centre's own contribution
Project contractor - UAB Inverse ir Guide360

Subject partners of the project

Folklore ensemble "Nova" of Griškabūdis Culture Centre