Kauno švietimo ir mokslo ministerija
“Aukuro” vidurinė mokykla
Trakai
Essay
Student: 8 a kl.mok.
Eglė Vidmantaitė
Kaunas
2005 m.
Turinys
I. Introduction 2
II. Town history 2
III. Local karaims 3
IV. Tourism 6
V. Literature 9
Introduction
Territory: 120, 274 ha. Inhabitants: 38.2 thousand people. Administrative centre of the region: Trakai (6,142 inhabitants, territory – 1,152 ha), located 28 km west of Vilnius. There are 200 lakes in the region, of which Galvė covers an area of 388 ha, Vilkokšnio – 337 ha, Skaisčio – 296 ha.
History
The town as well as its surroundings started developing in the XIII century as a state centre. According to annals, Grand Duke Gediminas after a successful hunt found a beautiful place not far from the then capital Kernavė and decided to build a castle here. That is how a new castle was built in Senieji Trakai which at that time was called Trakai. The town of Trakai was first mentioned in German annals in 1337, which is regarded to be the official date of its foundation. When Grand Duke Gediminas finally settled in Vilnius, Senieji Trakai was inherited by his son the Duke Kęstutis. This is the birthplace of the most famous ruler of Lithuania – Vytautas Didysis.
During the reign of Kęstutis Naujieji Trakai was a place of intensive construction: one castle was built in the strait between lakes Galvė and Lukos, another one – on an island in lake Galvė. A village grew around the castle. The approaches of Trakai were protected by Senieji Trakai, Strėva, Bražuolė, Daniliškės and other mounds. When Vytautas became the vassal ruler of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Trakai became a political and an administrative centre. Construction of the castles was finished and a catholic church was built. The distinctive feature of Trakai is that the town was built and preserved by people of different nationalities. Here lived communities of Karaites, Tartars, Lithuanians, Russians and Polish. Both Christian and Karaites communities were granted separate self-government – Magdeburg – rights.
Trakai lost its political significance in the XVI century. It also declined economically. During the war with Russia in the XVII century the town was plundered and burnt, the castles were destroyed. The town of Trakai is widely reflected in post stamps.
The island castle was rebuilt in the second half of the XX century. There has been a history museum in the castle since 1962. In summer different festivals and concerts take place in the island castle.
Trakai is a town built on water. The town is surrounded by Lukos (Bernardinų), Totoriškių, Galvės, Akmenos, Gilušio lakes. There are a number of architectural, cultural and historical monuments in Trakai.
The town of Trakai signed a partnership agreement with the city of Rheine in Germany in 1996. In August of this year a 5-year anniversary of a successful partnership will be celebrated in Rheine. In 1997 a partnership agreement was signed with Malbork city in Poland.
Karaims
Six hundred years two Turkish nations – Tatars and Karaims have been living in Lithuania. From linguistic and ethnogenetic point of view they belong to the oldest Turkish tribes – Kipchaks. This ethnonym (Kipchak) for the first time was mentioned in historical chronicles of Central Asia in the 1 st millennium BC. Anthropologically ancient Kipchaks were very close to Siberia inhabitants Dinlins, who lived on both sides of the Sajan Mountains – in Tuva and northern part of Gob.
The Karaims of Crimea, Galich-Luck area, Lithuania and Poland who have common origin, past, religion, language (with dialects), spiritual and factual culture, make the same nation.
The history of Karaims is connected with Lithuania since 1397-1398. According to the tradition, The Great Duke of Lithuania Vytautas, after one of the marches to the Golden Horde steppes, had to bring from Crimea several hundreds of Karaims and settle them in the Great Duchy of Lithuania. Vytautas could bring Karaims after he had beaten one of the hordes not far from Azov. Transference of several hundreds Karaim families and several thousands of Tatars was not done once. It was connected with the state policy of The Great Duchy – to inhabit the empty areas, to build towns and castles, to develop trade and economic life.
Initially, Karaims were settled in Trakai between two castles of The Great Duke, present Karaim Street. Later they were found living in Biržai, Naujamiestis, Pasvalys, Panevėžys, however, Trakai has always been the community’s administrative and spiritual centre in Lithuania. Karaims themselves began to hold it not only a homeland, but as fatherland, too. Throughout the centuries their ethnic and cultural relations with the Karaims from Crimea and Galich-Luck areas were not interrupted either.The Karaims coming to Trakai – as if 600 years ago,
1997
For a long time Karaim women have been famous as very good housewives and the Karaim kitchen has retaken its traditions up to the present undoubtedly due to their industry. The base of the Karaim kitchen is meat and paste dishes. Lithuanian Karaims have various national dishes. Some of them belong to every day, some of them to the festival occasions; most often they are connected with some religious festival.
The breaking of bride’s cake „Kielinlik“
From every day dishes it should be mentioned long thin noodle
soup with meat called tutmač. The housewives used to make noodles at home: after rolling jajma – a big thin paste circle, they used to dry the paste, then made rolls and cut into thin pieces. One of the most famous non-ritual dishes known not only to Karaims is kybyn (pl. kybynlar). It is a leavened paste cake having the form of half-moon and the lamb or beef filling; it is baked in the oven or on the tin. In addition to kybyn, Karaims also bake cheburek, and often make koldunlar (dishes of meat and paste). Both the dishes are oriental, having come to our country together with the Karaims and Tatars. From among purely meat dishes šišlik (a steak) is the most popular. Most often it used to be made from lamb, but beef and veal are also suitable.