The Granary was
built in the town historical place Jurzdikas by
the poet’s father Jonas Baranauskas. It was
very simple, built with the help of an axe,
without a saw and nails. It was knocked up with
oaken pegs. The date is cut above the door. So
according to it the Granary was built in 1826.
In 1839 when the future poet was 5 years old,
his father bought some land in Azupieciai and
moved from Jurzdikas taking the Granary with
him. At first it was used for storing flax,
better clothes, agricultural implements. Today
you can see corn-bins, where corn was poured.
When A.Baranauskas
came for a holiday he used to stay in the
Granary, where he could read and have a rest. In
summers of 1858–1859 he created his famous
poem “The Forest of Anyksciai”.
Ancient things
that belonged to A.Baranauskai family are stored
there now: the earthenware jar weaved with the
bast, the ancient scales “bezmenas”, wooden
candle sticks. There is “The Crucifix” on
the wall, which in 1863 was taken from the
sacred oaks not far from Puntukas Stone. It can
be about 300–400 years old.
Some historical
things are kept in the Granary too. The
Cossacks’ pike, a rebellion suppressor’s
weapon is the recollection of poet’s brothers
Jonas and Anupras, who took part in the
rebellion of 1863 and later were imprisoned in
Siberia for 12 years. When they came from the
deportation, they planted 12 birches to remember
12 years in prison. Five trees are left now.
- A leathern trunk reminds of
the rebellion too. It was bought in Petersburg.
A.Baranauskas took it when he went to study to Munich and
kept manuscripts in it.
- Only some cutlery with the
monogram of A.Baranauskas is left from Seinai period
(1897–1902).
- In 1921 the land of the
Baranauskai family was bequeathed to Antanas
Zukauskas-Vienuolis, who was Baranauskas’ relative (A.Baranauskas
– A.Vienuolis grandfather’s brother). In 1925 the writer
started to build a house there, to organize the museum and
collect exhibits. The first exhibits are left till now: a
bed made by Baranauskas’ father, a shelf and a little
table. The furniture brought from Kaunas in 1897 by the
poet’s brother Jonas was put into the Granary.
- November
26, 1927 was the 25th anniversary of A.Baranauskas’ death.
A.Vienuolis was preliminary preparing for this date. On May
1 he took a notebook and wrote “Visitors’ Book” on it.
So it was the date when the Museum was founded. The Granary
became more and more popular. People were bringing poet’s
personal things, documents, exhibits connected not only with
Baranauskas, but also with the past of the town. You can see
a wooden mortar, a sword of the rebellion in 1863 and the
sledge of Baranauskas’parents.
- The oldest exhibit is the
dowry chest. It belonged to the poet’s mother Rozalija
Baranauskiene and was called “kuparas”. An old violin
put on it is the reminiscence of A.Baranauskas’ childhood.
- A.Vienuolis
took care of the Granary. It was very important to preserve
it from the weather changes. So in 1957 a precautionary
convex house was started to be built (architect J.Kvasys)
and was finished in 1958 after Vienuolis’ death.
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