Welcome to Vilkaviškis:

 

As you walk these streets today, you are walking through centuries of vibrant Jewish history. This guide connects the physical spaces beneath your feet to the stories, faces, and memories of the community that once built this town. Follow the route below to step back in time.

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📍 Stop 1  The Site of the   Old   Jewish Cemetery   

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What to Look for on the Street:

 

Look across the river toward the area opposite the historic Jewish Old Age Home.

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The Story to Read While Standing Here:

 

"You are standing near the oldest sacred ground in Vilkaviškis. Although nothing remains of this original cemetery today, it serves as a powerful reminder of how deep the community's roots sink into this soil.

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This cemetery was the final resting place for the town's earliest Jewish generations, remaining in active use until 1875. That year, severe flooding from the river forced the community to make a historic shift, moving their burial grounds to the new, current site on Kapu Street—Kapų simply meaning 'cemetery' in Lithuanian. Right across the water, the proximity to the old Jewish Old Age Home reminds us of how closely the community cared for its people from generation to generation."