The castle was originally commissioned in 1586 by Kristupas Radvila Perkūnas to defend the northern borders of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The 17th-century fortifications were designed to be 'Italian style', using earthen ramparts and deep moats to withstand heavy artillery.
Biržai is historically renowned as a center for beer brewing, and the museum houses a specialized exhibit on traditional Lithuanian brewing methods.
The castle was destroyed by the Swedish army in 1704 during the Great Northern War and remained in ruins for nearly three centuries.
The reconstruction process, which began in the 1970s, relied heavily on archaeological findings and historical drawings from the 17th century.
The castle's moat system was connected to the nearby Lake Širvėna, one of the oldest artificial lakes in Lithuania.
The 'Sėla' Museum, housed within the palace, contains over 100,000 individual historical artifacts related to the region.
Biržai Castle is a restored 17th-century bastion-style fortification located in northern Lithuania, functioning as the Biržai Region Museum 'Sėla'. Originally built by the Radziwiłł family, the current structure is a reconstruction of the Renaissance-style palace completed in the late 1980s. The site features a surrounding earthen rampart and a moat system representative of the 'Italian' bastion fortress design. The museum exhibits document the history of the Biržai region, the Radziwiłł noble dynasty, and local brewing traditions. Visitors can explore the preserved palace vaults, reconstructed interior chambers, and historical weaponry displays. The castle complex is integrated with an artificial lake created during the construction of the fortification. It remains one of the few examples of this specific defensive architectural style in the Baltic region.
From the opposite bank of the moat looking towards the main gatehouse to capture the full symmetry of the building.
Walk along the top of the earthen ramparts for a comprehensive view of the entire fortification layout.
Visit the basement level to see the original 17th-century masonry preserved during the reconstruction.
Combine your visit with a walk across the nearby Širvėna Lake pedestrian bridge, the longest in Lithuania.
Attempting to climb the exterior walls directly; use the designated stone paths and stairs to prevent damage to the historic embankments.
Closed on Mondays throughout the year.
Maintain a quiet demeanor inside the museum halls; flash photography is generally prohibited for protected artifacts.
