Žemasis Pavilnys, Railway settlement district in Vilnius County, Lithuania
Žemasis Pavilnys is a residential district in Vilnius County that extends along both sides of a railway line near the Vilnia River. It contains scattered private houses and is home to the Young Naturalists Center, which runs educational programs in biochemistry, ornithology, horticulture, ecology, and environmental management.
The area was part of the Pacas family estate until the early 20th century, when railway workers began settling here to live near their workplace. This shift from noble property to a working-class neighborhood changed the character of the land completely.
The wooden Church of Christ the King and Saint Child Jesus Teresa, completed in the 1930s, remains the only wooden Catholic church in Vilnius and anchors the community's spiritual identity. Its simple timber construction and rural setting reflect the settlement's origins as a working-class neighborhood.
Walking is the best way to explore this area, as it spreads along the railway with small paths to discover. The Young Naturalists Center offers programs throughout the year, with outdoor activities that vary by season.
The Tuputiškės road features a remarkable serpentine stone-paved pattern and has been recognized as a cultural heritage site since 1997, connecting the lower and upper sections of the neighborhood. This distinctive hand-laid pavement is one of the few surviving examples of traditional construction methods in the area.
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