Elektrėnai () is a city of about 11,000 inhabitants in Vilnius County, Lithuania; since 2000 it has been the capital of the Elektrėnai Municipality. It is situated between the two largest cities in Lithuania – Vilnius and Kaunas.
Elektrėnai | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Elektrėnai panorama | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Elektrėnai Location of Elektrėnai | |
| Coordinates: 54°47′16″N 24°40′16″E / 54.78778°N 24.67111°E | |
| Country | Lithuania |
| Ethnographic region | Dzūkija |
| County |  Vilnius County |
| Municipality | Elektrėnai Municipality |
| Eldership | Elektrėnai Eldership |
| Capital of | Elektrėnai Municipality Elektrėnai Eldership |
| Established | 1961 |
| Granted city rights | 1962 |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 11,009 |
| • Density | 524/km2 (1,360/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| Website | elektrenai |
History
editHistorically, two villages were located in the area; one of those was Perkūnkiemis (Lithuanian: Thunder's yard). Elektrėnai is one of the newest towns of Lithuania, having been established during the Soviet occupation in the early 1960s as the living space for workers of the nearby power plant. It was expanded in the 1980s and early 1990s as a residence for builders and workers at the nearby Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant. The name of the new town was derived from word elektra (English: electricity) – a borrowing to Lithuanian language from Greek. Gintarėnai (gintaras – Lithuanian word for amber) was another name considered, but was rejected before the start of the construction. Most of the buildings in Elektrėnai are large block housing projects built during the Soviet period, with no historical buildings. The town, however, is close to Elektrėnai Reservoir, an artificial lake that was created to cool the Elektrėnai Power Plant. The water is several degrees warmer than water at the other nearby lakes.
Retail
editThere are several supermarkets (Norfa XXL, Maxima XX, Iki, Lidl, as well as a discounter (IKI Cento) in Elektrėnai.[1]
Ice hockey
editElektrėnai is well known for its ice hockey tradition.[2] For a rather long period of time Elektrėnai was the only city in Lithuania with a well-equipped skating rink. Two National Hockey League players: Darius Kasparaitis and Dainius Zubrus were born in Elektrėnai.[2] Its local ice hockey team is Energija. Inhabitants of Elektrėnai make up a considerable part of the national ice hockey team.
Gallery
edit-
Entrance to Elektrėnai from the motorway -
Elektrėnai Pier Bridge -
Swimming pool -
Church of St. Virgin Mary, Queen of Martyrs in Elektrėnai -
Elektrėnai Power Plant in 2023 -
Elektrėnai Reservoir and the Power Plant -
Elektrėnai Pier Bridge at night -
Windsurfing in Elektrėnai Reservoir
References
edit- ^ "Retai.net: Rimi Baltic opened its 100th discounter". Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
- ^ a b "Elektrėnų vizitinė kortelė – unikalus statinys bei ledo ritulio fenomenas abejingų nepalieka ir už Lietuvos ribų". LRT (in Lithuanian). 5 September 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
External links
edit- City of Elektrėnai – History Archived 4 October 2022 at the Wayback Machine
- Virtual Tour of Elektrėnai
