Discover Kuliai: Architecture and History

The Church, Building Complex and Local History

Kuliai began to develop in the late 16th century; the first church was built there in 1644. The Church of St Stanislaus the Bishop, an example of classicist architecture, was built in 1900. These dates give the town’s history and the construction of the church a specific timeline. The churchyard is also home to a wooden, pentagonal bell tower—an unusual shape alongside the classicist church.

The complex also includes Kultūros virenė. The building was historically known as the “White House” or the “Non-Burning House”. It contains an authentic, preserved feature of the house. The house is one of the largest in Žemaitija. This lets you look beyond the church to the complex’s various buildings. Sculptural installations in the church park commemorate historical figures who lived in Kuliai; architecture and memorials offer different ways to explore the town’s history.

Literary History and Memories of Kuliai

The town’s character also reflects its educational history. In the 19th century, the priest and educator Kazimieras Skrodskis carried out extensive educational work in Kuliai. After Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas arrived in 1898, Kuliai became a centre of the book-smuggling movement. The writer Sofija Kymantaitė-Čiurlionienė grew up in Kuliai and received her education there. These historical connections lead from local education to the life stories explored on a dedicated guided tour.

The museum exhibition “Kulių krašto muziejus” at the Kuliai Cultural Centre looks back on a history spanning around six decades, with interruptions. Together with memories of the writer and the sculptural installations in the church park, it offers a varied look at the people and cultural life of Kuliai.

Guided Tours with Different Themes

The tour “Sofijos Kymantaitės-Čiurlionienės Kuliai” takes visitors to the room where Sofija lived. It explores her childhood and her first Lithuanian teacher, the circumstances of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis’ arrival in Kuliai, and the location of Sofija and Konstantas’ “Honey Meadows”. The tour is available in Samogitian, Lithuanian or English and must be booked in advance.

The optional educational activity “Sofijos kafija su senoviniais pyragėliais” is offered alongside this tour. It takes place at Kultūros virenė or beneath the Vaižgantas oaks and must also be booked in advance. If you would like to include this activity in your travel plans, allow time to book before your visit.

The tour “Kuliai – nuo akmens iki rašmens” takes a different approach: it invites you to get to know Kuliai at a leisurely pace and hear stories about authentic buildings that have been preserved, as well as the people who lived there. Rather than focusing on a single biography, it explores how the buildings and local stories fit together. The two tours therefore offer different thematic perspectives, depending on whether you are particularly interested in Sofija’s life or in the stories of the town.

Kuliai as a Destination When Searching for a Holiday Rental

If you are looking for a holiday rental in Kuliai, the town’s cultural highlights can help you choose your destination. The church complex brings architecture and local history together; the tour about Sofija offers a biographical and literary perspective, while “Kuliai – nuo akmens iki rašmens” brings together stories about buildings and people. Consider which of these approaches you would like to shape your days and whether Kuliai suits the themes you would like to explore on holiday.

Discover more destinations: Grumbliai.

Go to the main travel overview: Plungės rajono savivaldybė.