Photo by www.vle.lt / See source website
🗿 Odd LandmarksAlytusEasy access
Perloja Republic Monument
Varėna, Alytus30 minutesBest: Year-round
A monument to the tiny self-declared Republic of Perloja — a village that declared independence from Lithuania in 1918 and maintained it for over a decade.
The village of Perloja in Dzūkija holds one of the most extraordinary stories in Lithuanian history. In 1918, when the newly independent Lithuanian state was too weak to govern its southern territories, the villagers of Perloja declared their own republic — complete with a president, an army, a jail, and even their own currency.
The Perloja Republic persisted from 1918 until 1923, fiercely defending its independence against Polish incursions and even against the Lithuanian government's attempts to reassert control. A monument in the village commemorates this remarkable episode of grassroots self-governance. The story resonates in modern Lithuania as an example of the fierce independence and self-reliance characteristic of the Dzūkija region.
Why Visit
A village that declared its own republic and defended it for five years. The Perloja story is one of the most extraordinary and little-known episodes in Lithuanian history.
54.1500, 24.4167
Visitor Tips
- 1The monument is in the village center
- 2Context information may be limited — research before visiting
- 3A car is needed — the village is remote
- 4Combine with Dzūkija National Park visits