"A Baroque image of the New Jerusalem, where the Holy Stairs still draw pilgrims to their knees"
Tytuveṅai Church and Monastery
Tytuvėnai, Šiauliai County, Lithuania
The Tytuvenai Monastery is one of Lithuania's most significant Baroque religious complexes, designed as an earthly image of the New Jerusalem. Its 39-station Way of the Cross and Holy Stairs Chapel, where pilgrims ascend on their knees over relics enclosed in each step, create a layered sacred geography. Founded in 1614 as a Bernardine Franciscan mission, the complex remains a living pilgrimage site and the departure point for the annual procession to Siluva.
Weather & Best Time
Plan Your Visit
Save this site and start planning your journey.
Quick Facts
Location
Tytuvėnai, Šiauliai County, Lithuania
Coordinates
55.5967, 23.2009
Last Updated
Feb 14, 2026
Learn More
Founded in 1614 by Bernardine Franciscans, the Tytuvenai Monastery complex grew into one of the most elaborate Baroque religious ensembles in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Disbanded in 1832, partially demolished, damaged by fire in 2012, and still undergoing restoration, the complex endures as a pilgrimage site, museum, and cultural monument.
Origin Story
Andriejus Valavicius, a powerful Lithuanian nobleman, acquired the Tytuvenai manor in 1609 and invited Bernardine monks to counter the decline of Catholicism in the Samogitian region. Five monks arrived from Vilnius and Kaunas, and on June 20, 1614, the cornerstone was consecrated. Valavicius donated 10,000 gold pieces for the construction.
The complex grew steadily over the following century and a half. Monastery buildings were completed by about 1633, and the church was consecrated in 1635. Frescoes and altars were completed by 1740. The Way of the Cross was installed between 1770 and 1781, and the Holy Stairs Chapel was built between 1774 and 1775 from stone specially transported from Sweden. Pope Clement XIV granted the plenary indulgence for the Holy Stairs in 1774. The entire complex was reconstructed in the Vilnius Baroque style between 1764 and 1788, giving it the appearance that survives, in damaged but recognizable form, today.
Key Figures
Andriejus Valavicius
Andriejus Valavičius
historical
Standard-bearer of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania who founded and funded the monastery and church. His concern for the state of Catholic faith in Samogitia drove the establishment of the Bernardine mission.
Pope Clement XIV
historical
Granted the plenary indulgence for pilgrims who climb the Holy Stairs on their knees on four designated feast days in 1774, establishing the chapel's devotional significance.
Bishop Motiejus Valancius
Motiejus Valančius
historical
Bishop of Samogitia who helped preserve the church after the dissolution of the Bernardine community in 1832, ensuring the survival of the worship space through tsarist repression.
Dalia Klajumiene
Dalia Klajumienė
scholarly
Lithuanian art historian whose 2012 monograph in Lituanus journal provides the most detailed academic analysis of the Bernardine complex, its architecture, and its artworks.
Spiritual Lineage
The Bernardine Franciscans maintained continuous monastic life at Tytuvenai from 1614 until their disbandment by tsarist authorities in 1832. During those two centuries, the monastery was the spiritual, cultural, and commercial centre of the town. After the monks' expulsion, the church survived as a parish, but the monastery buildings suffered declining fortunes, with parts demolished in the late 19th century. Restoration began after Lithuanian independence in 1990. The Ecclesiastical Heritage Museum of the Siauliai Diocese opened in the monastery buildings in 2011. The complex was designated a station on the John Paul II Pilgrim Way, connecting it to a national network of Lithuanian sacred sites. The annual procession to Siluva, which continued through Soviet persecution as an act of spiritual resistance, now proceeds openly each September.
Know a Sacred Site We Should Include?
Help us expand our collection of sacred sites. Share your knowledge and contribute to preserving the world's spiritual heritage.