Perloja offers several distinct points of interest for a trip focused on culture and history. The History Museum explores various periods and developments in the settlement; wall paintings, heraldic motifs and the monument to Grand Duke Vytautas add specific artistic and commemorative landmarks to this perspective. You can also learn craft techniques at the museum by prior arrangement. Lake Paperlojo is nearby, adding a connection to the surrounding landscape.

History at the History Museum

The Perloja History Museum is a department of the Merkinė Regional Museum. It was founded in 1998 on the initiative of Antanas Volungėnas. Its themes include the development of the settlement during the era of the Grand Dukes and under tsarist rule, the Republic of Perloja and life in independent Lithuania. The Second World War and the post-war period are also covered, as are the establishment of the collective farm and the experimental farm. This breadth offers a look at different political and social contexts in the history of the locality. If you want to learn about more than just one period, the museum offers several points of historical interest.

Art and crafts

The museum also houses works by sculptor Vytautas Baublys. By prior arrangement, you can learn to weave towels and bedspreads, decorate Easter eggs with wax, and crochet there. These activities differ in their materials and methods: textile weaving, decorating with wax and crochet. Contact the museum in advance to arrange the activity you would like to try. For those who would rather make something themselves, these activities offer a different way to spend time than viewing Baublys’s works.

Church and monument

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Francis of Assisi in Perloja offers another connection to art. It is decorated with wall paintings. The upper sections of the supporting arches feature Lithuanian heraldic motifs: the Columns of the Gediminids, the Jagiellonian Cross and the Vytis. This draws attention both to the wall paintings and to specific, named heraldic symbols. The 8.3-metre-high monument to Grand Duke Vytautas is another historical landmark. The church and the monument create different visual impressions: wall paintings and heraldic motifs in one place, a monumental memorial in the other.

Memorial sites and an excursion

The graves of Lithuanian partisans offer another perspective on history. During a visit to Perloja, you can see the graves and learn their stories. This draws attention not only to political periods, but also to the people whose stories are connected with these graves. The Merkinė Regional Museum also offers the excursion “Perlojos paslaptys: išgirsti, pamatyti” (“The Secrets of Perloja: Hear and See”) in the historic area of the Republic of Perloja. If you would like to include this excursion in your plans, contact the museum to arrange it.

Lake Paperlojo in the surrounding area

Lake Paperlojo is near Perloja and complements the cultural points of interest with a view of the surrounding area. When planning your trip, you can distinguish between the cultural and historical sites located in Perloja and the nearby lake as a landscape feature.

Discover more destinations: Stračiūnai, Vilkanastrai, Atesninkai I, Grūtas, Latežeris, Ricieliai, Žalioji, Daugų Seniūnija.

For the broader travel overview: Alytus District.