Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was the most famous Lithuanian artist. He grew up and worked in Druskininkai, and he often mentioned his love of the resort in his letters. The monument to Čiurlionis was built by Vladas Vildžiūnas in 1975, in order to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Čiurlionis’ birth. V. Vildžiūnas and the architect R. Dičius received a national award for this monument.

Čiurlionis created seven painted sonatas. In one compositional sonata and series based on rhythm dynamics (Allegro, Andante, Scherzo, Finale), Čiurlionis combined realistic motifs from reality with different spatial planes and moments of time, as well as contrasting symbolic images.

The Sonata of the Stars painting differs from the previous sonatas due to a rich tempera layer, a deeper colour ratio, and a cosmic theme which is expressed not through landscape elements or motifs but by directly depicting the vast reached of space and its elements: dark and lighter objects and nebulae, playful stars and planets, an angel and the sun.

The sculptural composition Sagittarius, created by Vytautas Narutis, was built in 2007 at the junction of M. K. Čiurlionis, Žalioji, Liepų and Mizarų Streets. A bronze Sagittarius that is three metres in height was built on a column, whose height is five metres. It was designed to commemorate the works of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.

Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, the most outstanding Lithuanian artist of all time, was born in Varėna, into the family of the organist Konstantinas Čiurlionis and Adelė Marija Magdalena Radmanaitė-Čiurlionienė. In 1878, the Čiurlionis family settled in Druskininkai. In memory of the Čiurlionis, the homestead belonging to his parents was preserved, and in 1963 the Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis Memorial Museum was established there. Based on the memoirs of Čiurlionis’ sisters, Valerija and Jadvyga, the authentic interior of the houses and the environment of the homestead were restored. This professional painter and musician has become a symbol of the Lithuanian identity, and his creative works are a testament to the modernity of 20th century Lithuanian and European art. The versatility of Čiurlionis’ talent is expressed through his music, art, literature and photography.

In the Rex composition, we notice a ball-shaped planet, on which a throne is fixed which is reaching the stars. We also discover a flaming altar, mysterious waters and a gloomy rocky shores, as well as cloudy skies with even larger planets revealing fields, rivers, groves of plants and rising suns.

According to legend, a long time ago there was a rich city called Raigardas in this valley, whose inhabitants were always feasting and over-celebrating, and thus they made the thunder god Perkūnas angry. Their behaviour led to the destruction of the city – it collapsed and vanished underground, and only the sound of a bell from the cursed ones looking for an exit from the underground realm could be heard coming from beneath the surface. That exit is blocked by the Devil’s Stone at the edge of the valley near Švendubrė. The salty waters of the Druskininkai are said to be the tears of the doomed souls.