Kurkliai

• The banks and meadows of the Virinta have been protected for almost three decades.
• A path leads from the Kurklių Synagogue through the meadows to the river.
• Canoeing on the fast-flowing and unpredictable Virinta is one of the activities in Kurkliai.
• The park with 28 Sakura trees was established starting in 2022.
• Kurklių Šv. Jurgio bažnyčia is a wooden church; its churchyard contains a large wooden bell tower built in 1874, with three bells.
• The preserved wooden Kurklių Synagogue is a regionally significant object in the Register of Cultural Property.

In Kurkliai, the Virinta is both a landscape and a setting for water-based activities. Its banks and meadows have been protected as a landscape for almost three decades. A path leads from the Kurklių Synagogue through the meadows to the river. The path thus connects a cultural heritage site with the meadow landscape and the river, although walking the path and taking part in a water activity are not the same experience.

Canoeing on the fast-flowing and unpredictable Virinta is also one of the activities in Kurkliai. This distinction can help you choose a destination: the path runs through the meadows to the river, while canoeing takes place directly on the water. If canoeing is important to your plans, check in advance whether this activity is currently available.

The park with 28 Sakura trees was established starting in 2022. This year marks the beginning of the park’s development and can be compared with the bell tower’s construction date, 1874. Thus, a more recent park project and a much older wooden building represent different points of reference in Kurkliai’s history. The number of trees also gives the park a distinctive profile among the town’s features.

Kurklių Šv. Jurgio bažnyčia is a wooden church featuring folk architecture and Neoclassicism. Folk architecture refers to traditional building forms; Neoclassicism draws on classical forms. These two influences make the church an example of different architectural traditions in a single building.

There is also a large wooden bell tower in the churchyard. It was built in 1874 and contains three bells. This makes it possible to distinguish the bell tower as a separate building from the church. The preserved wooden Kurklių Synagogue adds another example of wooden architecture: it is a regionally significant object in the Register of Cultural Property and is valued for its architectural details. The church, bell tower, and synagogue differ in function and design, even though they are all wooden buildings.

For a broader comparison of destinations, you can also compare Kurkliai with Andrioniškis, Rubikiai, Svėdasai, and Skiemonys.

When did work on the park with Sakura trees begin?

The park with 28 Sakura trees was established starting in 2022.

What distinguishes the bell tower from the church?

The bell tower stands in the churchyard, was built in 1874, and contains three bells. Kurklių Šv. Jurgio bažnyčia is a separate wooden church featuring folk architecture and Neoclassicism.

What should you keep in mind when canoeing on the Virinta?

The Virinta is fast-flowing and unpredictable. Canoeing is one of the activities in Kurkliai; check in advance whether this activity is currently available.

For the broader travel overview: Anykščiai District Municipality.