History

Back in 1252 the area of the current ?ilutė region was called Lamata, which means a low and marshy place. It had borders with the Prussian, Curonian and Samogitian lands. The rivers of the Nemunas delta had been abundant in fish since old times, therefore fishermen were establishing their settlements in ihe region. A wind of the ?y?a River with a ford was the most convenient: place for trading with Samogitians. The market place which was developing nearby was especially famous among the local fishermen, who having sold their fish could buy various necessary goods. In this picturesque place the first pub was opened under a name of ?ilokarčema. Georg Tallat purchased the pub together with the land and ihe right for free fishing in 1511. A famous fish market was opened in ?ilutė almost for five hundred years. This was the place for various people to come around: peasants from Samogitia, fishermen from Rusnė, Karklė, even from Nida, and ?arkuva. Next to the Silokarčema a church of Verdainė was built in 1550. For several times ?ilutė was seeking to be granted the town rights but Klaipėda and Tilsit towns confronted the idea. In 1722 ?ilokarčema became a district centre and in 1818- a county centre. However, it was only in 1910 when Silutė was granted the town rights after the three villages- Verdainė, ?ibai, and Silokarčema ? were joined in to one.

There are many old buildings that have survived from old times In Silutė: old post office (1905), a fire station (1911), court building and prison (1848) a bridge across the Sysa (1914), an estate of H. Scheu (1818), an old market square, a harbor, railway station and a bridge (1875), Vydūnas gymnasium. Today 21480 inhabitants live in Silutė. The town, which is a region centre, has a well-developed infrastructure. There is an amateur theatre, a museum, 3 churches, a few hotels, a lot of cafes, restaurants, and bars. There are large industrial enterprises in ?ilutė as well. ?ilutės Rambynas (1842) producing butter and cheese is one of the oldest factories in the area. Silutės Baldai (1842),. Silutės Durpės (1882) exports approx. 50 thous.m3 of peat.