Heraldry. The coat of arms of Vyžuonos features a green grass-snake with a golden ear and a black tongue in a silver background. The grass-snake is curled like two S shapes one on another. The idea to put a grass-snake, referred to as vyžas since the old days, in the coat of arms was suggested by the residents of the town. The design was created by the artist Arvydas Každailis. The coat of arms was approved by the decree No. 485 of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, signed on 29 December 2005.
History. Vyžuonos elderate is situated 12 km north-west of Utena city. Area: 73 km². Vyžuonos town is the centre of the elderate. In 1958 the area was researched by employees of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences and Utena Ethnographic Museum, who found an almost 1 m cultural layer, featuring pieces of even and brushed pottery, flint ware, iron sickles, etc. This shows that this region was inhabited by people already before the Common Era.
Vyžuonos town and manor have been mentioned in historical resources back in the 15th c. Other evidence of ancient people living in Vyžuonos region include Vyžuonos and Sprakšiai barrows. The church, built in 1406 (the oldest building not only in the town, but in the entire region), features a remnant of the sun-grass-snake cult — a stone, referred to as the head of Vyžas. According to a legend, the name of the town originated from Vyžas, a crowned grass-snake, worshipped by the pagans. Vyžuonos church is an architectural monument of national importance and has a number of valuable paintings, old sculptures, copes and other valuables. The famous bells of Vyžuonos church are also included into the list of protected cultural monuments.
Vyžuonos has been the centre of the volost since the 16th c. In 16th-18th c. Vyžuonos was ruled by the noble Radziwiłł family, later — Tiškevičiai and Puslovskiai. During the Great Northern War (1700–1721) almost the entire town was burned down. There were fires later as well, but people kept rebuilding it. The town hosted markets and fairs. In the 18th c. the it had a parish school. In 1770 it was attended by 20 children of local peasants and citizens, as well as 3 coming from noble families. A state school was opened in 1864. After World War I Vyžuonos was inhabited by almost 1400 people.
The town was touched by the rebellions of 1831 and 1863, while the national movement of 1905–1906 made the authorities of the Tsarist government make certain concessions. During the prohibition of Lithuanian press before the World War I Vyžuonos region had about 20 teachers, teaching at secret schools, such as Jonas Daugilis, Veronika Dičiūtė, Mikalojus Januškevičius, Kazys Juška and others. The first teachers to start teaching in Lithuanian at schools were Ona Zaštautaitė and Vytautas Žakavičius. V. Žakavičius also initiated the construction of a brick building for Vyžuonos school.
On 1 June 1919 Vyžuonos region also witnessed encounters between the Lithuanian armed forces and the Bolsheviks. Quite a lot of the local men joined the Lithuanian armed forces and participated in those battles. During the years of Independence the town gradually improved, introducing stone-paved streets, paved sidewalks and electricity. There were various active organisations, such as the Riflemen’s Union, the Young Farmers, Pavasaris Lithuanian Catholic Youth Union and Young Lithuania.
When Vyžuonos town built a monument for the 10th anniversary of the Lithuanian Independence, three teenagers — S. Gučius, K. Saladžius and P. Zabulionis — decided to build a monument for the 500th death anniversary of Vytautas the Great on Kartuvės Hill. The idea was successfully implemented.
June 1940 marked the beginning of arrests and exile. In 1945 Vyžuonos opened a dispensary and a library, 1951 marks the establishment of the Culture House and 1970 — the construction of a new school. Currently Tauragnai elderate has about 2000 inhabitants. There is Vyžuonos Lower Secondary School, Vyžuonos Library, which is a department of Utena A. and M. Miškiniai Public Library, as well as Vyžuonos Culture Centre.
Origins of the name of Kartuvės Hill
In the ancient times Vyžuonos was surrounded by dense forests. However, one hill used to be completely bare at all times. In case of an enemy attack that hill would serve as a fortress. The locals used to stock there lots of thick pine logs and roll them on the enemy attempting to climb the hill from Lake Dusynas side.
Sometimes the enemy hit by these logs used to fall and hang on the trees growing at the foot of the hill, thus giving the hill the name of Kartuvės (Eng. Gallows).
Mink į Vyžuonas Festival
In May the already traditional Mink į Vyžuonas (Eng. Bike to Vyžuonos) festival and bicycle tour attracts about half a hundred of participants, ready to test their strength biking from Naujasodis village to Vyžuonos. After a start in Naujasodis, the participants of the tour take some rest in Kaliekiai and finish at the stadium of Vyžuonos Lower Secondary School in Vyžuonos wood, followed by fun festivities.
The festival’s colourful programme leave great impressions every time. Participants compete at a complex bicycle relay, full of ardour and competitive spirit. Everyone can also try their hand at playing darts or throwing horseshoes. Of course, the festival cannot do without a 3 x 3 basketball tournament and penalty shootouts.
The smallest participants of the festival are invited to play with Amsis, the police buddy, while braver ones can enjoy themselves riding a pony or a horse.
At the end of the festival organisers award relay and competition participants with valuable prizes. The toughest participants can also enjoy the tasty porridge, prepared by the Riflemen’s Union.
The organisers hope that such events promote active lifestyle and safe traffic, as well as create opportunities for everyone to try this out themselves.
