This article needs additional citations for
verification. (December 2009) |
Šalčininkai | |
---|---|
City | |
Coordinates: 54°19′0″N 25°23′0″E / 54.31667°N 25.38333°E | |
Country | Lithuania |
Ethnographic region | Dzūkija |
County | Vilnius County |
Municipality | Šalčininkai district municipality |
Eldership | Šalčininkai eldership |
Capital of |
Šalčininkai district municipality Šalčininkai eldership |
First mentioned | 1311 |
Granted town rights | 1956 |
Area | |
• Total | 3 km2 (1 sq mi) |
Population (2021
[1]) | |
• Total | 6,857 |
Time zone | UTC+2 ( EET) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC+3 ( EEST) |
Šalčininkai (ⓘ ; Polish: Soleczniki; German: Sassenicken; Yiddish: סאָלעטשניק Solechnik; Belarusian: Салечнікі) is a city in Vilnius County, Lithuania, situated south-east of Vilnius, near the border with Belarus.
The name of the town derives from Šalčia river, šalta meaning cold in Lithuanian. [2]
In the medieval period the region around Šalčininkai was dominated by Lithuanians and it was the birthplace of many authors of the earliest Lithuanian-language texts (including Stanislovas Rapalionis, Jurgis Zablockis and Aleksandras Rodūnonis , to name a few). At the late 19 century most of the local inhabitants were assimilated with the neighboring Belarusians and called themselves Tutejszy (the locals), while staying Catholics, that meant Polish self-identification of many.
The region is known for its uncodified Belarusian [3] vernacular (also known as ' po prostu', meaning 'simply' or 'plainly') [4] and the city itself is considered the provincial centre of Polish culture in Lithuania (the urban centre being Vilnius).
Šalčininkai attained the town status in 1956 and is now a capital of the Šalčininkai district municipality. According to the latest census of 2021, Šalčininkai had 6857 inhabitants and features a multi-ethnic population of 4930 Poles (71.9%), 920 Lithuanians (15.7%), 438 Russians (6.4%), 286 Belarusians (4.2%), 61 Ukrainians (0,9%) and 222 people of other background (3.2%). 12.2% of all inhabitants in Šalčininkai district municipality, according to the 2021 census were born abroad, while 87.8% were born in Lithuania. This was a decrease from 14.3%, recorded by the previous – 2011 census. Out of 34.5 thousand inhabitants in 2011, 3711 or 10.7% of all the inhabitants were born in Belarus, 728 or 2.1% in Russia. [5]
Šalčininkai contains the highest percentage number of self-identified Poles of any town in Lithuania. The town's coat of arms, designed by Arvydas Každailis, shows three hazelnuts symbolizing solidarity.
Šalčininkai is twinned with: [6]
This article needs additional citations for
verification. (December 2009) |
Šalčininkai | |
---|---|
City | |
Coordinates: 54°19′0″N 25°23′0″E / 54.31667°N 25.38333°E | |
Country | Lithuania |
Ethnographic region | Dzūkija |
County | Vilnius County |
Municipality | Šalčininkai district municipality |
Eldership | Šalčininkai eldership |
Capital of |
Šalčininkai district municipality Šalčininkai eldership |
First mentioned | 1311 |
Granted town rights | 1956 |
Area | |
• Total | 3 km2 (1 sq mi) |
Population (2021
[1]) | |
• Total | 6,857 |
Time zone | UTC+2 ( EET) |
• Summer ( DST) | UTC+3 ( EEST) |
Šalčininkai (ⓘ ; Polish: Soleczniki; German: Sassenicken; Yiddish: סאָלעטשניק Solechnik; Belarusian: Салечнікі) is a city in Vilnius County, Lithuania, situated south-east of Vilnius, near the border with Belarus.
The name of the town derives from Šalčia river, šalta meaning cold in Lithuanian. [2]
In the medieval period the region around Šalčininkai was dominated by Lithuanians and it was the birthplace of many authors of the earliest Lithuanian-language texts (including Stanislovas Rapalionis, Jurgis Zablockis and Aleksandras Rodūnonis , to name a few). At the late 19 century most of the local inhabitants were assimilated with the neighboring Belarusians and called themselves Tutejszy (the locals), while staying Catholics, that meant Polish self-identification of many.
The region is known for its uncodified Belarusian [3] vernacular (also known as ' po prostu', meaning 'simply' or 'plainly') [4] and the city itself is considered the provincial centre of Polish culture in Lithuania (the urban centre being Vilnius).
Šalčininkai attained the town status in 1956 and is now a capital of the Šalčininkai district municipality. According to the latest census of 2021, Šalčininkai had 6857 inhabitants and features a multi-ethnic population of 4930 Poles (71.9%), 920 Lithuanians (15.7%), 438 Russians (6.4%), 286 Belarusians (4.2%), 61 Ukrainians (0,9%) and 222 people of other background (3.2%). 12.2% of all inhabitants in Šalčininkai district municipality, according to the 2021 census were born abroad, while 87.8% were born in Lithuania. This was a decrease from 14.3%, recorded by the previous – 2011 census. Out of 34.5 thousand inhabitants in 2011, 3711 or 10.7% of all the inhabitants were born in Belarus, 728 or 2.1% in Russia. [5]
Šalčininkai contains the highest percentage number of self-identified Poles of any town in Lithuania. The town's coat of arms, designed by Arvydas Každailis, shows three hazelnuts symbolizing solidarity.
Šalčininkai is twinned with: [6]