MUSEUM OF THE DIOCESE OF SAMOGITIA

Museum of the dioceses of Samogitia is a branch of the Samogitian Museum “Alka”, established in the historic buildings of the Samogitian Priest Seminary in Varniai.

It is a museum space that brings together sacred treasures from Samogitian churches spanning several centuries, masterpieces of art, as well as historical and archaeological artefacts dating back to the 15th–16th centuries. Through a multi-voiced and layered narrative, the museum invites visitors to explore the history of the Samogitian Bishopric, experience the Baroque spirit of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, admire the panorama of Varniai from the tower, and discover the authentic spaces of the former seminary.

An important part of the museum experience is the bell tower. It houses the largest sounding bells in Lithuania, decorated with reliefs featuring iconographic and historical motifs. Climbing the tower reveals a panoramic view of Varniai and the surrounding landscape. The bells can be heard on the last Sunday of each month at 12:00, or by booking a bell-ringing service in advance.

More about the museum:

It is believed that the first cathedral of the Samogitian Bishopric stood on the site where, around 1740, the construction of a masonry bell tower was initiated by Bishop Antanas Domininkas Tiškevičius. Several decades later, the construction was completed and the Samogitian Priest Seminary was built beside it by Bishop Jonas Dominykas Lopacinskis. The building, which served as a seminary for a century and was designed by one of the most prominent architects of the time, Johann Christoph Glaubitz, was closed by the Russian Tsarist authorities after the uprising of 1864.

After another difficult century in Lithuania’s history, which significantly altered the architectural heritage of the seminary, the Museum of the Diocese of Samogitia was established in these premises. Today, the newly opened spaces of the building invite visitors to walk through corridors and halls once frequented by the last Bishop of Samogitia who resided in Varniai – Motiejus Valančius.

Without the continuous cooperation of the Church, the contributions of numerous specialists researching the religious life of Samogitia, heritage professionals and enthusiasts, art collectors, Vaidotas Žukas and his family, and Antanas Ivinskis, it would be difficult to imagine the Museum of the Diocese of Samogitia. For a long time, religious life in Lithuania was suppressed by repression and persecution, and eventually by the nationalisation of churches and religious buildings. Sacred spaces were turned into warehouses, and religious artworks were not only looted but also deliberately destroyed.

This dramatic and complex history meant that only a small part of Lithuania’s sacred heritage has survived. Nevertheless, once hidden, forgotten, or undervalued, the sacred heritage of Lithuanian churches is today increasingly being revealed to the public across the country. Thanks to the efforts of many individuals, the Museum of the Diocese of Samogitia now brings together sacred treasures, works of art, and historical, cultural, and archaeological artefacts from Samogitia spanning several centuries.

The museum’s multi-layered narrative invites visitors to discover the history of the Samogitian Bishopric. Through exceptional artworks, folk creations, liturgical objects, and historical artefacts, visitors can explore both the religious life and everyday experiences of Samogitia. Walking through the museum, one can sense the spirit of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which left deep traces of devotion in the region. Visitors are also invited to journey back to a time before the seminary and the first cathedral were built, when the earliest inhabitants of Varniai were laid to rest on this very hill.

Updated: 2026-03-23