Birštonas observation tower maintains its popularity even four years after its opening

The representatives of VSTT and Birštonas TIC remind us about what everyone planning a visit to the Birštonas observation tower should know.

A place not only for relaxation but also for new knowledge

Birštonas observation tower, the largest in Lithuania - reaching a height of 55 m - was erected in 2019 in the Nemunas Loops Regional Park, on the ridge of Škėvonių. It was built on the initiative of the State Protected Areas Service (VSTT) and later handed over to Birštonas Municipality. The purpose of the observation tower is to survey the unique landscape of the Nemunas Loop Regional Park, where the Nemunas loop.

It has a total of 6 resting and resting places, but the most important thing to stop at is after overcoming the 300 steps of the tower and rising to a height of 45 m - the main observation deck of the tower is established here. It opens up to the landscape of the Nemunas Regional Park: the city of Birštonas, the forest, and the bends of the Nemunas River. After ascending to this site, visitors find themselves as far as 137 m. at an altitude equivalent to that seen from a hot air balloon flight.

"We have built more than 20 observation towers and the essence of all of them is to reveal the uniqueness of the areas where they are built. In this case, the Birštonas observation tower is a unique place where the Nemunas has flowed," says Diana Rakauskaitė, a public relations specialist at the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. She added that this observation tower was built not only so that people could admire the nature and mosaic landscape of Birštonas, but also to encourage people to inquire why the Nemunas are looping in that place. According to D. Rakauskaitė, everyone should not only know the nature of their region but also understand why it is important to preserve it.

Encourages to take an interest in the city itself

According to VSTT, one of the reasons for the appearance of the Birštonas observation tower is the desire to familiarize its visitors with the city of Birštonas itself. Many people do not know why the bends of the Nemunas open from the tower, why the city has hills, or why it has mineral water.

The main feature of the Nemunas Loop Regional Park is the river itself and its bends. The tower offers a view of several winding loops of the Nemunas River, which, according to geologists, were formed by a sliding glacier and which curves for as much as 60 km. Even 90 percent of the territories of the Birštonas municipality are located in the bends of the Nemunas.

At that time, the popular mineral water available in stores was extracted from mineral water sources in the vicinity of Birštonas. Mineral water resources are very large in Lithuania, so in Birštonas, you can find several bivouacs - structures on a mineral water source. Mineral water is extracted from the rock massifs in which it is located. The bigger these rocks are, the more water they hold.

According to the interviewer, due to the mineral water sources and the nature surrounding the city, it is the largest and most uniquely visited object in Birštonas. It attracts many people every year. In the observation tower, there is a counter that follows the flow of visitors, according to the readings which it became clear that in July alone. More than 23 thousand people visited Birštonas Tower.

One of the most successful EU investments

"I can confidently call the Birštonas observation tower the most successful investment of the EU in recent years. We have noticed for many years that it is very popular with tourists, so it is not surprising that its appearance gave an impetus to the prosperity of tourism in Biršton", says D. Rakauskaitė.

Meanwhile, Birštonas TIC director Rūta Kapačinskaitė adds that EU investments have encouraged the consistent development of tourism infrastructure, a more favorable living environment for local residents, and attracted additional investments to the region and the municipality. The interviewer mentions that, in addition to the Birštonas observation tower, there were other objects financed by the EU, such as the mineral water building "Druskupis" and the reconstruction of Kurhaus and its buildings.

According to the interlocutors, upon arrival, it would be worthwhile to visit the visitor center. It will present the entire history of the city of Birštonas and the emergence of natural values - it is a place where every visitor will find all the answers to their questions. Although the tower's hours vary according to sunrise and sunset, it is open to visitors year-round.