Saldutiškis, Utena District Municipality
Utena District
Classical manor estate with protected park
Saldutiškis town, Saldutiškis Eldership, Utena District
55.34980, 25.81130
30-60 minutes with the park and linden alley
late spring to autumn, when the park is green and old trees are visible
Saldutiškis Manor Estate
Saldutiškis Manor and the Jałowieckis
Saldutiškis Manor stands in Saldutiškis town, Utena District. It is a Classical manor estate long associated with the Jałowiecki family. Local sources say the palace was built around 1830 and acquired its present appearance after reconstruction in the second half of the nineteenth century.
The manor is surrounded by a protected park with an old linden alley and rare trees. Nature and Jałowiecki activity are the main values today: architecture, dendrological heritage, and railway history meet here.
Jałowiecki family and narrow-gauge railway
The most prominent owner was Boleslovas Jałowieckis (1846-1917), a military engineer and Russian army general. He built Classical manor buildings, created a large park with flowerbeds, planted lindens and poplars in the town, and planted several forest blocks with larches.
In 1899 the Švenčionėliai-Panevėžys narrow-gauge line was built through Saldutiškis, and Jałowieckis led its construction. The town then began to grow near the railway station. His son Mečislovas Jałowieckis later created an album of several hundred watercolours showing Lithuanian manors.
Protected park and trees
Saldutiškis Manor Park is a state-protected natural heritage object and was declared a natural monument in 1958. Do not overstate its size: the park itself covers about 2.1 ha; the larger, about 11.9 ha, area is the whole manor estate.
About 22 rare tree and shrub species grow in the park. The most impressive accent is an approximately 150 m long small-leaved linden alley along the estate boundary; elms, firs, grey walnut, and Jałowiecki-planted larches also grow here. Several alternating ponds complete the manor landscape.
The manor in the twentieth century
In the twentieth century the buildings changed function several times. In 1923 the palace passed to the parish and became a rectory; in 1938 Saldutiškis parish was offered to the Salesians, who worked here for a time. During the Soviet period a hospital and later a school operated in the building.
The neighbouring Church of St Francis of Assisi, built in 1928, used the walls of the old manor granary. After independence, the manor buildings were privatised; cultural and educational events take place there, but current visiting arrangements should be checked locally.
How to visit
Saldutiškis Manor combines well with Utena-region routes: Lake Tauragnas, other manors, and Labanoras Forest are nearby. For the surroundings, park, and linden alley, 30-60 minutes is usually enough.
The manor is private and hosts events, so no permanent visiting schedule or ticket prices are officially published. Before travelling, arrange in advance if needed, or at least view the freely accessible park and linden alley.
