The centre of the sub district is Babtai borough. There live about 1800 people. There are 40 villages in it. The population is 4981. The area is 14314 ha, 73%; from it covers farms, 5.7%; - forests, 2.4%; - water, 18.9%;- is used for other purposes. In their reports on Lithuanian roads crusaders’ reconnoiters mentioned Babtai in 1386. Babtai rose into active commercial borough in 16-18 centuries. In 1672 the church was built. In 1777 was opened the parish school. In 1792 Babtai was granted the Magdeburg Rights and a coat of arms. A number of local people took part and were killed in the uprising against the tsarist autocracy in 1863.Some of them were exiled. During the ban of the Lithuanian publications the book-hawkers were very active. Before WW II Babtai was the centre of a rural district.
Now there are the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture (LIH), secondary and primary schools, a kindergarten, club houses, clinic, a chemist’s shop, a post office, police-office, a museum, a library.
Panevėžiukas (745-residents) – it is second by the size settlement. From 1896 till 1990 there was a brickyard, now there is a primary school, medical service, post office, a library. Panevėžiukas church is one of two triangle form churches in Lithuania.
Pagynė (593-residents) – earlier it was manor, later it was poultry farming centre. Now there is a primary school, children’s wardship house, medical service, a library, club houses. Sport club “Eskadronas” fosters nice sport traditions.
Muniškiai (290-residents) – earlier it was a manor. In 1848 the first church was built. Now there is Plant Variety Investigation Station, wardship house for old people. There can find help people from other villages too.
Sitkūnai (213-residents) – there is a broadcasting station since 1951. 13th of January, 1991 it was defended from the aggression of the Soviet Army. There are a library, medical service and a primary school too.
Occupation: The only in Baltic States LIH is the biggest establishment in the sub district, which has got big influence on residents’ occupation. A lot of residents grow vegetables and seedlings. There more than 10 farmers who has got more than 200 ha lands. Good results show farmers: Juozas Staliūnas (he was the best cultivator in 1998), Leonas Rudinskas (he established a farm of seeds growing and decorated with a medal, Audrius Vaškas (all his production remakes in his mill), Valentinas Gabinaitis (all the harvest from his fields he utilizes in his farm). Famous farmers in our subdistrict are Romas Majauskas, Eugenijus Ščiukauskas,Vytautas Žmuidzinavičius too.
Co-operative company “Babtų daržovės“grows vegetables and their seeds, farmer L. Jonaitis grows greenhouse’s flowers. In Panevėžiukas successfully works co-operative company „Ebonitas“, which makes the material for inside decoration. Co-operation „Tauriga“in Pakapių village makes car‘s trailers, not only for Lithuanians but for foreigners too. Near Sitkūnai the co-operative company “C. Olsen Baltic” trades “John Deere”, “Kemper”, “Kuhn” and other agricultural techniques. Now creates more and more companies.
Culture: A museum of local lore is very famous. His manager till 2002 was Marija Markauskenė. There are more than 6500 exhibitions. Since 1970 the Kaniūkai orchestra of wide instruments has been playing. In 1986 women’s vocal and folk (in 1987) ensembles were created and now are known not only in Kaunas district. Dancer’s studio by A. Sasnauskas works actively in Babtai too. There are a lot of art shows in Babtai culture club usually. Now the manor of Žemaitkiemis becomes the new cultural centre. It became private in 1999. New master M. Šventoraitis restores buildings and gathers the collection of old technical, organizes art’s shows. On the Stabaunyčia hill is the monument to immortalize the memory of the famous aviators S. Darius and S. Girėnas. It was built in 1933 10 01 and rebuilt in 1989 07 16. Now there is a beautiful monument in Babtai centre, which was created for the 600 anniversary by folk artist A. Sakalauskas. His sculpture decorates the yard of the church. In Babtai centre there is a monument for book hawkers “Knygnešys“. There is a monument in Panevėžiukas cemeteries by the grave of the writer K. Puida created by V. Žilinskas. In Babtai forest near the St. Jonas spring there is a cross and a monument for killed soldiers. In Karalgiris village there is a monument for the insurgents of 1863 years. Near the highway Kaunas-Klaipėda the group of the initiative people create the Memorial Žalgiris Battle Park.
Contact
Address: Nevezio str. 3, Babtai, Kaunas zone, LT-54331
Fax: (+370 37) 555216
Tel.: (+370 37) 555 223
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