The former linear system of Simnas, which developed in the mid-15th century, in the 4th-5th decade of the 16th century. has become a radial system with three or four roads intersecting at one or almost the same point. It is believed that in the mid-17th century, a market square in the form of an expanded street began to appear on the Virbalis-Grodno road (present-day Vytauto Street). The radial layout with a square in the central part was finally formed by the beginning of the 19th century.
According to the Magdeburg rights granted to Simnas on January 2, 1626, the city was obliged to build a town hall on the square and pave the market square and streets at its own expense. It was allowed to freely set up stalls near the town hall and on the market square.
At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Simno was famous for its trading periods, of which there were ten per year.
In 1969, Simno was recognized as a town monument of local significance.
In 2010, a monument was erected on the square dedicated to children from the Simna region, partisans, and those who died, tortured, shot and exiled, scattered all over the world (author: A. Kmielyauskas).
The current square in Simna is a market square in the central part of the city in the form of an extended street, trapezoidal plan. It is included in the Register of Immovable Cultural Properties as a historical part of Simna.
Vytauto, Simnas
GPS: 54.381574, 23.648784 (WGS)
Photo courtesy: A. Lavrenovas, Alytus CIT.
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