Plungė Then and Now
Plungė city is established on both sides of Babrungas, the influx of Minija River, on the western edge of the Samogitian Upland in the western part of Lithuania. Currently Plungė district belongs to Telšiai County, which includes the major part of the Samogitian ethnographic region. It takes up the area of 111 000 ha, while the area of Plungė city is 11.78 km².
Begin your route at the fountain in the Old Town Square. That is a spacious, recently renovated square, attracting citizens and city guests since the old days. This square is the centre of the city and you can take any of the streets going in five directions. Taking S. Dariaus ir S. Girėno Street, near the bridge over Babrungas River you will find a house, built after the war by Pranas Genys — a poet, museologist and a person of incredibly strong will and great erudition.
Now take the path towards the park. Go across the city valley and stop in front of the monument for Freedom. Near the monument you will see the park gate, behind which there is the former building of Plungė Forest Directorate. Now it has become Plungė Children’s Library. If you look intently to the right, you will see the former house of the tailor of Ogiński manor. These buildings are located on Laisvės avenue — one of the oldest streets in Plungė. Get to know the history of Laisvės avenue and then the history of the house of the tailor of Ogiński manor, the monument for Freedom and the building of the Forest Directorate. Walk down Laisvės avenue passing old houses shaded by linden trees until you reach the monument for Saint Florian, the patron protecting the city from fires. Not very far, on Vytauto Street near Plungė District Municipality there is the building of SEB bank. On the corner of the building there is a memorial plate in memory of Dr. Borisas Efrosas, the famous Jewish surgeon, who was born and spent his childhood here. He was the first to perform a heart surgery in Lithuania.
Then come closer to the red-brick two-tower church of Plungė, built in neo-romantic style. Take a walk in the churchyard, where you will find the altar of the former old church and several other monuments. Then come inside the church.
Taking this route you will walk 1 km and take about 1 h.