Upninkai

Upninkai is the largest village in Jonava district, Lithuania. It is situated 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southwest of Vepriai on the left bank of the Šventoji River. According to the 2011 census, it had population of 786.^[1]

Upninkai
Village
The church in Upninkai
Coat of arms
Upninkai Location of Upninkai
Coordinates: 55°05′N 24°32′E
Country	Lithuania
Ethnographic region	Aukštaitija
County	Kaunas County
Municipality	Jonava district municipality
Eldership	Upninkai eldership
Capital of	Upninkai eldership
First mentioned	1422
Population  (2021)
• Total	641
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)

History

Upninkai was first mentioned in 1442 in the will of Kristinas Astikas who was the first known lord of Upninkai lands.^[2] His son Radvila Astikas built the first church there before 1477. The village had a Protestant church from the late 16th century until 1650. During the 17th century, Upninkai competed with Ukmergė for trade and influence.^[2] In 1842, the entire town burned down and did not recover. A persistent priest converted the former manor's surviving brick granary into the present Neoclassical Roman Catholic church of Archangel Michael.^[2] According to the census of 1923, Upninkai had 75 residents. The population grew more than ten-fold between 1970 and 1979, increasing from 67 to 847.^[3]