Kaunas District Municipality
Aukštaitija
memorial park dedicated to the 1410 Battle of Žalgiris
Cinkiškiai, Babtai eldership, Kaunas District, by the A1 road
55.13624, 23.73197
30-60 minutes
spring to autumn; July 15 for the battle anniversary
Žalgiris Park, Cinkiškiai Žalgiris Park
A Living Monument to Victory
The Battle of Grunwald Memorial Park lies in Cinkiškiai, Kaunas District, right by the Kaunas-Klaipėda motorway. It is an unusual monument: not a single stone or sculpture, but a living park made of trees, dedicated to one of the most important victories in Lithuanian history.
The park was created in 1990 to mark the 580th anniversary of the 1410 Battle of Žalgiris. It covers about 10 ha, and its idea is to express historical memory through nature, so every element has symbolic meaning.
Oaks, Stogastulpiai, and a Word from the Sky
The park's main feature is 580 red oaks, symbolising the 580 years from the battle to the park's creation, along with more than a thousand other trees. Among them stand stogastulpiai and a koplytstulpis dedicated to famous battle heroes, including Vytautas the Great and King Jogaila.
Perhaps the most striking idea is the planting of pines so that from an aircraft one could read the word Žalgiris and see rays of the rising sun; the inscription stretches for about 400 m. Stylised Columns of Gediminas are also integrated into the centre. The park therefore speaks both from the ground and from the air.
The 1410 Battle of Žalgiris
The park cannot be separated from the event itself. On July 15, 1410, the joint army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland defeated the Teutonic Order; the order's grand master was killed in the battle. VLE notes that this victory began the decline of Teutonic power and raised Lithuania and Poland among the major European states.
Žalgiris became a lasting symbol of Lithuanian victory and unity, so the park is both a historical place and a national memory site. The battle anniversary is marked here every year.
How to Visit
The park is an open space that can be visited freely and without charge at any time. Paths wind among the oaks and stogastulpiai, so a quiet walk usually takes 30-60 minutes. The Žalgiris inscription is best appreciated from the air, but the symbolism is readable from the ground too.
The park is convenient when travelling in the Kaunas-Klaipėda direction because it stands right by the motorway, near Babtai. It can be combined with sites around Kaunas and Kaunas Reservoir.
