Siauliai

Šiauliai is referred to by various names in different languages: Samogitian Šiaulē; Latvian Saule (historic) and Šauļi (modern); Polish Szawle [ˈʂavlɛ]; German Schaulen pronounced [ˈʃaʊ̯lən] ; Belarusian Шаўляй [ʂau̯ˈlʲaj]; Russian Шавли Shavli [ˈʂavlʲɪ] (historic) and Шяуляй Shyaulyay [ʂɐʊˈlʲaj] (modern); Yiddish: שאַװל, romanized: Shavl.

The city was first mentioned in written sources as Soule in chronicles of the Livonian Order describing the Battle of Saule. Thus, the city's founding date is now considered to be 22 September 1236, the same date when the battle took place near Šiauliai. At first, Šiauliai was developed as a defence post against raids by the Teutonic and Livonian Orders. After the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, the raids stopped and Šiauliai developed as an agricultural settlement. In 1445, a wooden church was built. It was replaced in 1625 with the brick church that can be seen in the city center today. Šiauliai was granted Magdeburg city rights in the 16th century when it also became an administrative centre of the area. However, in the 16th to 18th centuries, the city was devastated by the Deluge and epidemics of the Bubonic plague. …

Šiauliai is located in the eastern part of the northern plateau, near the Mūša, Dubysa, and Venta rivers. There is a distance of 210 kilometres (130 miles) to get to Vilnius, 142 km (88 mi) to Kaunas, 161 km (100 mi) to Klaipėda, 128 km (80 mi) to Riga, and 250 km (155 mi) to Kaliningrad. The total city area is 81.13 square kilometres (31.32 sq mi), with the green areas making up 18.87 square kilometres (7.29 sq mi) and water covering 12.78 square kilometres (4.93 sq mi). Urban land outside the perimeter of the administrative 70,317 kilometres (43,693 miles). Altitude: Lake Rėkyvos water level – 129.8 m (425.85 ft) above sea level, Talsos lake level – 103.0 m (337.93 ft) in the city center – 128.4 m (421.26 ft), Salduvės Hill – 149.7 m (491.14 ft) above sea level. The total water area – 1,280 ha, 15.7% in urban areas. Šiauliai Lakes Lake Rėkyva, 1,179 ha Lake Talkša, 56. …

Šiauliai is one of the starting towns of Lithuania in the turn-based strategy game Medieval II: Total War: Kingdoms. The Pietinis residential district is the setting of the 2016 novel Pietinia Kronikas by Rimantas Kmita. The novel has been adapted into a 2024 coming-of-age drama film The Southern Chronicles by Ignas Miškinis. The film has become one of the highest-grossing Lithuanian productions.

Beginning in the 19th century, Šiauliai became an industrial centre. During the Russian Empire period, the city had the largest leather factory in the whole empire, owned by Chaim Frenkel. Šiauliai contributed to around 85% of all leather production in Lithuania, 60% of the footwear industry, 75% of the flax fibre industry, and 35% of the candy industry. During the Soviet years, the city produced electronics (Nuklonas), mechanical engineering, wood processing, construction industry. Most of the industrial enterprises were concentrated in urban areas. According to 2005 data, the city has: Manufacturing and service companies – 3195 Commercial enterprises – 781 Shopping centres – 30, including Akropolis, opened March 2009 Saulės Miestas, opened March 2007 Bruklinas, opened November 2007 Tilžė, opened February 2008 Arena, opened November 2007. …

The following highways pass through Šiauliai: A9 / E272 Šiauliai – Panevėžys (79 km) A11 / E272 Šiauliai – Palanga (147 km) A12 / E77 Riga – Šiauliai – Sovetsk (186 km). The city's western bypass, A18. In 2006, Šiauliai had 297 km (185 mi) of roads, of which 32% had a gravel surface. The longest streets are Tilžės street, which is 9.72 km (6.04 mi) long, and Vilnius street, which is 5.67 km (3.52 mi) long, of which 1.28 km (0.80 mi) is a pedestrian boulevard. The Tilžė–Riga and Šiauliai–Klaipėda railways were completed in 1916 and 1931, respectively. The city has a railway station. As of 2026, the services calling at Šiauliai Railway Station are the following: Vilnius–Klaipėda Vilnius–Ryga Šiauliai–Panevėžys Kaunas–Šiauliai Radviliškis–Klaipėda Šiauliai–Mažeikiai In 1930, an air strip was developed. …