Lithuania's National Symbol

Situated in an area of lakes and forests, the red-brick turrets, watchtowers, and tall keep of this castle were restored in 1962 by the Lithuanian government much to the chagrin of then Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev. Lithuania is one of the three Baltic Countries along with Estonia and Latvia.
The History of Trakai Castle
The castle had its greatest period in the reign of Vytautas the Great at the beginning of the 15th Century before falling into terminal decline after being destroyed by the Russians in the period 1654 – 1657. The town of Trakai is situated at the end of the peninsular facing the castle. Visitors should take a look at the town and be aware of a people called the Kairim, around 100 of whom call Trakai home. At first view from the lakeside the castle appears to be more than the official 500 metres away across the lake. Sail boats, people thrashing about in small green rowing boats, and picnickers by the path accompany the view of the castle. Vendors sell amber jewellery, ice creams, and postcards. The stall and shop holders all speak good English and are very honest. The walkways across the lake are well maintained and reassuringly sturdy. On the small island between the walkways there is often a man with an accordion playing small snatches from an international repertoire. He looks at the tourists heading towards him, assesses where they were from, and then plays a tune associated with that country. Visitors may well get quick snatches of the Marseilliaise followed by the overture from Carmen as they walk by. Once inside, there are many exhibitions to see, most of them in the keep. In the large courtyard people take photos of each other in the stocks and inside a rusty iron cage. The keep exhibits evoke what life would have been like in the medieval castle and also show traditional Lithuanian garb. The most interesting piece is the interactive exhibit which shows how the castle evolved over the centuries and how little of the castle there was left before restoration began - probably only 10% of the original castle remained. The castle is the most visited site in Lithuania and on summer weekends can attract as many as 10,000 people.
Lithuania's Best Attended Museum
These visitors not only benefit Trakai they also subsidise other places that aren’t as well visited because Lithuania’s museums are run as a whole entity. This helps places such as the Ciurlionis Museum in Druskininkai, which has 50 customers on its best day and sometimes none for days in the winter. The town of Trakai has a lot of colourful wooden houses and most belong to the Kairim who practice a branch of Judaism. Their plain temple, called a Kenesa, is on the main street and is open for visitors.
The Kairim and The Khazars
The Kairim are thought to be descended from another people called The Khazars, who lived between the Black and Caspian Seas. The Khazars were a pagan people who decided at some point in the 7th and 8th centuries that they should embrace a religion, but weren’t sure which one. In a wonderful example of magnanimity, the Khazar leaders invited envoys from the three main monotheistic religions to meet them and show them why the Khazars should choose their religion. The Jewish delegates were obviously the most persuasive and the rest is history. What is known is that Vytautas the Great met the Kairim in Crimea when campaigning there in 1397 and invited them back to Trakai to form an elite guard. Migration continued through the centuries until by the beginning of the 20th century there were 800 Kairim in Lithuania. Sadly, since then the numbers have diminished as the Kairim are assimilated into Lithuanian life and the usage of their language decreases.