Churches in Viešvėnai

The present church in Viešvėnai is the second building that has been constructed on this site in 1852. Its architectural forms are typical of Samogitian churches from the mid-nineteenth century: small, single-nave building and a little tower crowing the main facade. In the mid-eighteenth century, Pranciškus Pilsudskis (PI, Frantiszek Pilsudskį), cupbearer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the elderly of Viešvėnai, founded the first church in Viešvėnai. Regrettably, the year of this foundation remains unknown. In 1778, Fraternity of the Name of the Virgin Mary was instituted in this church. Occasional reparations of the building that started at the beginning of the nineteenth century became more intense from the 1840s. It was then, in the first half of the nineteenth century, when the organ functioning in the church until today has been made. In 1848, Priest Domininkas Styrbinskis (PI, Dominyk Styrbihkî) was appointed to Viešvėnai. He initiated the building of a new church. Due to his efforts and endowments of Viešvėnai townspeople the new wooden church was built in 1850—1852. Despite fragmentary reconstructions and several reparations, this church preserved its original shape until today. However, several elements in its architecture are of a later provenance. For example, the little tower was erected only in 1936 and the belfry was built in 1910. In 1907-1908, Priest Vladislovas Tomaševičius (PI, Władysław Tomaszewicz) made efforts to dismember the filial of Viešvėnai irom the parish ol Telšiai. These initiatives enjoyed support of local boyars and parishioners. However, the dismemberment process lasted for a longer while postponing the erection of Viešvėnai Parish until 1924