In today's video, we'll be introducing you to 10 surprising things Lithuania is famous for.
Welcome back to FTD Facts I'm Sarah Carvalho, and if you've watched any of my videos before
you've probably heard me mention my intense love for traveling the world, and experiencing new
cultures. Well, today I'm excited to share some of what I've learned as I researched this hidden gem.
We know that every country is unique and has something special to offer, so our focus today
will help introduce you to the wonderful country of Lithuania, while exploring 10 surprising things
the country is most known for. Alright, the first thing that Lithuania is most known for is Medieval
Vilnius. The old town of Vilnius is a picturesque UNESCO world heritage site, that is also one of the
largest surviving medieval towns in northern Europe. The city features terracotta-roofed
houses, pastel facades, church and castle spires, and meandering cobblestone streets, which make
it wonderful to explore on foot. Visitors can enter the city through the "Gate of Dawn,"
(a city gateway that was built in the 1500s as part of the capital's fortifications), before moving on to
the Cathedral Square, the Palace of the Grand Dukes, the National Museum, and the Red Tower in the upper
castle, which offers excellent city views. The next thing Lithuania is most known for is having an
ancient language. You might be surprised to learn that the Lithuanian language is one of the oldest
in the world, predating many Latin based languages that are used across the continent.
In fact, Lithuanian has many links to Sanskrit - an ancient Indo-European language, with many of the
words in Lithuanian dating back to at least 3,500 BC. Lithuanian has remained relatively
unchanged over the past millennia, and citizens are thought to be very proud of their language.
Now, fun fact: The longest word in the Lithuanian dictionary is... to be honest, I have no idea how
to pronounce it while also doing the language justice. But, we'll pop it onto the screen for
you to check out. I mean look at it, it has a whopping 37 letters! Alright, moving on to
our fact number 8. We're looking at Lithuania as being referred to as the "Land of Nature." Now,
this is thanks to its vast array of stunning natural landscapes which include lakes, forests, and
national parks to name a few. Now, around one-third of the whole country is covered in rich forests,
many of which are protected. And, there are over 6,000 different lakes to explore. And all of this to
say that nature lovers could spend weeks or even months discovering the country's landscapes and
wildlife, including the "Stelmuze Oak." Now, if you want to know more about why this tree is so famous,
check out my other video "10 Surprising Facts about Lithuania". And to help you out, I'll link it below
in the description section for you to watch after this video. Some other common sights to see also
include; the Curonian lagoons, Aukštojas Hill, and Trakai Historical National Park - the
only historical national park in Europe. The five national parks throughout Lithuania are also home
to wildlife such as foxes, wolves, elk, deer, wild boar, and numerous bird species, including the stork,
which is the national bird of Lithuania. Moving on to the Curonian Spit. The Curonian Spit is
a distinctive Lithuanian landmark that is a UNESCO site of outstanding universal value. And which is
loved by both locals and tourists alike. This sand dune peninsula is a 98 kilometer stretch of land
that dates back to prehistoric times, and is rich in natural and cultural features.
The sliver of land is often battered by the winds and waves of the Baltic Sea. So, local inhabitants
work hard to protect the sand dunes, forests, and lagoons, that make this region so unique.
Alright next, Lithuania is also famously known for the legendary "Hill of Crosses," which is one
of Lithuania's most intriguing sites, and is a real must-see. This mound has been a pilgrimage
destination for hundreds of years, with pilgrims coming to the site to leave crosses of all shapes
and sizes, as well as statues, carvings, effigies, and rosaries. Today, there are thought to be over
100,000 offerings left by people from all over the world. The Hill of Crosses is
located on the outskirts of the city of Šiauliai, in northern Lithuania, and can be reached by
car, bus, or bike, from Šiauliai, depending on the time you have available. Travelers can also take
a full-day tour from Vilnius. Alright, bringing us into the halfway point of our video, we have
the Pažaislis Monastery in Kaunas, Lithuania, which is both an active monastery and tourist
attraction, and is the largest monastery complex in the country. The site features a museum, the
monastery itself, and the Church of the Visitation. The church is an example of stunning Italian
Baroque architecture, and has elaborate murals and detailing inside, which are well worth seeing.
The church and monastery are a site of Catholic pilgrimage, as well as being the location for the
much-loved Pažaislis Music Festival. Alright, let's talk a little bit about sports. Lithuania is
famous for basketball. That's right, basketball is the number one sport in Lithuania. And, if you speak
to any locals about it, they'll probably admit that it's much more than just a game for them. The sport
was brought to Lithuania by American-Lithuanian coaches during the late 1920s. And the national
team went on to win European championships. Just a few years later, there was however, a huge blow
to Lithuanian basketball during and after world war ii, as the sport was stopped during the war.
And from 1940 - 1990, all Lithuanian players had to compete for the Soviet Union instead of their
home nation. Since the country's independence in 1990 though, Lithuania has competed in every
Summer Olympics, and they have a strong system of basketball schools and teams across the country,
which help to promote the sport. I got another fun fact for you that they even have a few national
players who compete on teams in the NBA. Now, for more information on that, remember to check out the
video I mentioned earlier, and I've got it linked for you in the description section. Okay, moving
on to Lithuania's famous traditional dishes, Who doesn't love amazing food? While the world might
not know the names of many traditional Lithuanian dishes, the locals are certainly proud of their
cuisine, and they'll do their best to make sure you know them well before you leave. Arguably the most
famous Lithuanian dish is "Cepelinai," (named after zeppelin airships due to their shape), which are
potato dumplings stuffed with pork and bacon bits, and covered in sour cream. I don't know about you,
but that sounds amazing. Other favorites include: beetroot soup, either warm, called "Birukėlių Sriubita,"
or cold, called "Borscht" or "Saltibarsciai." There are also things called "Balandėliai" which is
Lithuanian stuffed cabbage, "Ragoulis," a celebration cake, and "Grybukai" - little mushroom-shaped cookies.
I don't know about you, but I'm feeling hungry. Bring in the Cepelinaise!! Just kidding, we still
have a few more facts to get through, and I would never just leave you hanging. Alright, and we can't
forget to mention how famous Lithuania is for its beer. Now, of course, any good meal also comes with
a quality beverage, and thankfully for us, Lithuania produces some delicious beers that pair perfectly
with their tasty delicacies. Beer has been brewed for Baltic rituals and festivals for centuries,
and in Lithuanian folklore, they even have "Ragutis," a God for brewing beer and mead. The country is
proud to have produced World Beer Championship-winning brews, with some of their most well-known
brands being "Ekstra, Baltijos, Švyturys, and Utenos." I bet some of you are fancying a beer
sampling right now, huh? Alright, we've made it all the way down to number 1. The last thing today
that Lithuania is most known for is its amber. It is well known that the best amber in the world
comes from the Baltic Sea region, and as such, Lithuania and its neighboring countries Latvia and
Poland are some of the best destinations in which to pick up pieces of amber jewelry or handicrafts.
It is even possible to find small pieces of amber washed up on the beach in Lithuania. Although, it
is quite rare, but it's worth keeping your eye out for these glistening pieces of fossilized
tree resin if you're ever out exploring the Lithuanian coastline. Alright friends, that brings
us to the end of today's video, introducing you to 10 Surprising Things Lithuania is Most Famous for.
I hope you enjoyed this video as much as I did. It's always so much fun getting to learn about
and explore new countries and cultures. And for me, making these videos for you is the next best thing
to actually being able to travel there. As always, we want to know what you think. Leave your comments
down below. Have you ever been to Lithuania? Or, maybe you've been lucky enough to try some of the
country's delicious cuisine? Leave your comments down below for us. You know we love to hear from
you. And, as I've mentioned earlier, if you enjoyed this video or simply want to know even more about
Lithuania, I have some other similar videos that you have to check out, and you can find them in
the video description section. So, click on those links! Okay, that's all for today. Thanks for tuning
in to FTD Facts for this video, and check back daily for new content created just for you. Bye!
you