Šilalė Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Šilalė

Town

Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Šilalė

Flag	Coat of arms

Šilalė

Location in Šilalė District Municipality

Country

Lithuania

Ethnographic region

Samogitia

County

Tauragė County

Municipality

Šilalė district municipality

Eldership

Šilalė city eldership

Capital of

Šilalė district municipality
Šilalė city eldership
Šilalė rural eldership
Traksėdžiai eldership

First mentioned

1533

Granted town rights

1950

Population

(2020)

• Total

4,640

Time zone

UTC+2 (EET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+3 (EEST)

Šilalė () is a town in western Lithuania. It is located in the Samogitia region, which is known for its unique culture. The town is about 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of Tauragė. The Lokysta River flows through Šilalė, and there is a pond right in the center of the town.

A Look Back in Time
Who Lives in Šilalė?
- Town Population Over Time
- Different Backgrounds in Šilalė
Famous People from Šilalė
Images for kids
See also

A Look Back in Time

Šilalė is part of the Samogitian region, which has its own special traditions and history in Lithuania. The town was first mentioned way back in the 1500s! Its name comes from a word meaning "Pinewood," which makes sense because of the beautiful forests around.

For a long time, Šilalė was part of a larger area called the Duchy of Samogitia. This Duchy was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which later joined with Poland to form the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

During World War II, Šilalė faced difficult times. From 1940, it was under Soviet control. Then, from 1941 to 1944, it was occupied by German forces. During this period, many Jewish people who lived in Šilalė lost their lives. This was a very sad time for the town and its people.

Who Lives in Šilalė?

We can look at the numbers to see how the population of Šilalė has changed and who lives there.

Town Population Over Time

In 2011, the town had 5,492 people living in it. A bit earlier, in 2001, there were 6,281 people.

Different Backgrounds in Šilalė

Most people in Šilalė are Lithuanian. Here's a breakdown from 2011:

Lithuanian – 99.02% (5,438 people)
Russian – 0.33% (18 people)
Other groups – 0.66% (36 people)

And here's how it looked in 2001:

Lithuanian – 99.23% (6,235 people)
Russian – 0.37% (23 people)
Other groups – 0.37% (23 people)

Famous People from Šilalė

Šilalė is the hometown of several interesting people who made a name for themselves:

Ferdinand Ignatius Piłsudski (around 1670–1719) was a Lithuanian nobleman. He was a Colonel and a Commander in the Samogitian army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Franciszek Piłsudski (1713–1791) was another Lithuanian nobleman. He held an important position called Podczaszy (Deputy Cup Bearer) and was a member of the Sejm (parliament) in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Stasys Girėnas (1893–1933) was a Lithuanian-American pilot. He is famous for trying to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.
Lukas Lekavičius is a professional basketball player. He has played for many teams and is well-known in the basketball world.