Independence Square in Dusetos
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. In 1910, Dusetos already had a small square in the centre of the town, at the crossroads between three streets. In the interwar period this had become the town’s main square. It was popular as a meeting place for organisations which were active in Dusetos, including the atheists, riflemen, the Scouts, and the Pavasarininkai (members of a Lithuanian Catholic youth organisation), as well as a place in which national holidays could be celebrated, such as that of 16 February. In the interwar period the square was paved with stones. In 1930-1932, a monument which was dedicated to the independence of Lithuania was erected in the centre of the square, designed by the engineer, K Kriščiukaitis. The concrete monument consisted of two pieces: a stepped base and a statue of an ancient warrior holding a flag (designed by V Čižauskas, the monument’s total height was 7.7m). In 1952, when the Soviets were in power, the monument was demolished, the statue was thrown into Lake Sartai, and the base was broken up and buried in its place. In 1989, with the beginning of the National Revival period, the people of Dusetos expressed their desire to restore the old independence monument. In 1990, the monument’s base was unearthed, placed back into its original position, to be restored by the sculptor, Elena Kirmonienė. The composition of the current monument on Independence Square is characterised by its architectural forms. It stands on a flat platform, with the central part of the monument framed between rectangular concrete columns at the four corners. The eastern and western parts of the base bear the sign of the Vytis, while the northern part has a shield with a Gediminas column and an inscription: ‘Unity is the strength of the nation’. On the southern side of the monument is an authentic black marble plaque with the inscription: ‘Dedicated to Lithuanian Independence 1918-1928’. It is adorned with the sign of the Vytis, the ‘Columns of Gediminas’, and floral patterns. On the base is a replica of a sculpture of an ancient knight (designed and realised by Vytautas Užpalis), as the original sculpture has never been found. The knight is holding a flag in his left hand and a sword in his right. In 2000, a cultural heritage survey of Dusetos concluded that the old part of the town, together with the square, is a valuable urban heritage site.

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GPS Coordinates: 55.746693, 25.840834
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