Bijutiškis brings together the manor history of the Giedraičiai family, the architectural history of a wooden church, and archaeological work on family burials. These topics span from the first half of the 19th century to a cemetery excavation in 2021. For culturally curious travellers, they offer a concrete way to explore the town’s history over time, with different perspectives on land ownership, sacred architecture and burial practices.

Location and orientation

Bijutiškis is located next to the Vilnius–Utena road and near Lake Stirna. The Kreiviškiai Devil’s Stone provides another reference point: it lies about 900 metres east of the Utena–Vilnius road, in the direction of Bijutiškis. The town and the stone are therefore located in different ways: Bijutiškis is identified by the road and lake, while the stone is identified by its approximate position relative to the road and the direction of the town.

Manor and church

In the first half of the 19th century, the manor in Bijutiškis belonged to the noble Giedraičiai family. Today’s wooden Catholic Church of St. Anne replaced a stone Orthodox church, which was demolished in 1926–1927. The present building was consecrated on 26 July 1931. The change involved both the material and the denomination: the stone Orthodox place of worship was succeeded by a wooden Catholic church. The town’s history here follows two distinct strands—the ownership of a manor by a noble family and the transformation of the church building in the 20th century. Several years passed between the demolition of the predecessor church in 1926–1927 and the consecration of the new building in 1931.

The cemetery excavation

Archaeological work took place in the cemetery of St. Anne’s Church in 2021 to locate and transfer the burials of the Steblin-Kamenskij family. The excavation covered 28 square metres; four crypts containing seven members of the family were identified. Crypts are burial chambers; four of them contained seven family members. The excavation thus adds the burial history of this family to the architectural history of the church.

History in three periods

Three clearly distinct milestones provide a timeline: the manor’s ownership in the first half of the 19th century, the succession of churches from 1926 to 1931, and the archaeological work of 2021. Together, they show how the history of land ownership, sacred architecture and burial practices describe Bijutiškis from different perspectives.

Landscape setting

The wider natural setting can be understood through the Dubingiai administrative area. Most of this area lies within Asveja Regional Park, which protects the landscape of the Asveja lake system. The interpretive trail along the Jurkiškis Stream is also in the park. Trail conditions may change; check them before setting out. Lake Stirna locates Bijutiškis, while Asveja and the Jurkiškis trail belong to the wider regional park context. Keeping these distinctions in mind helps you consider the town’s location and the broader landscape separately when planning your trip.

Discover more places to visit: Kačiūniškiai, Balninkų seniūnija, Alantos seniūnija, Inturkė.

View the wider travel guide: Molėtų rajono savivaldybė.