Žagarė, Joniškis District Municipality
Joniškis District
historic manor estate, park, and regional park visitor centre
Malūno g. 1, Žagarė, Joniškis District
56.36204, 23.26527
1-2.5 hours; longer with park, visitor centre, and Žagarė route
spring to autumn, when the park and manor-estate buildings are most legible
Žagarė Manor Ensemble, New Žagarė Manor Estate
The centre of New Žagarė Manor
Žagarė Manor Estate is one of the most important cultural-heritage sites in Žagarė Regional Park. It stands in the New Žagarė part of town, by the old park, where the palace, farm buildings, stud-farm memory, and alleys form a single ensemble.
Saugoma.lt calls it the Žagarė manor ensemble. Visitors should therefore not stop at the palace facade only: the value lies in the whole estate, including the park, windmill, stud-farm buildings, and the work of the regional park visitor centre.
Gruževskis and Naryshkins
The history of Žagarė Manor reaches the early development of estates in the sixteenth century, but the present form was shaped most strongly in the nineteenth century under the Naryshkin family. Research data state that in 1858 the palace was rebuilt as an English-type residence.
The earlier ownership line is linked with the Gruževskis family, while the later Naryshkin period left the representative palace-and-park appearance. These names help visitors see Žagarė not only as a border town but also as the centre of a large manor economy.
Park and Kuphaldt's redesign
Žagarė Manor park covers more than 70 ha. In the late nineteenth century it was redesigned according to the principles of the notable landscape architect Georg Friedrich Ferdinand Kuphaldt, giving the park significance beyond local manor history.
When visiting, look not only for beautiful trees but for spatial logic: alleys, open lawns, old tree groups, water, and route relationships. The manor park reveals itself best through slow walking, not merely by driving past the palace.
Stud farm, windmill, and visitor centre
Žagarė Manor was also known for its stud-farm tradition. Research data mention the stud farm from 1899, and an old windmill dated to the late eighteenth century survives in the estate surroundings. These objects show that the manor was not only a representative residence but an economic system.
Today the Žagarė Regional Park visitor centre and nature school operate in the palace surroundings. The manor is therefore a practical starting point for a route through Žagarė Regional Park.
Opening hours and visiting
At research time, the visitor-centre page listed seasonal hours: April 1-September 30, Tuesday-Friday 9:00-18:00 and Saturday 10:00-15:00; October 1-March 31, Tuesday-Friday 8:00-17:00 and Saturday 10:00-15:00; closed Monday, Sunday, and holidays.
The park and exterior spaces can be seen differently from exhibitions, but events, holidays, and season may change visiting rules. Check official Žagarė Regional Park information before travelling.
